Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.
Thursday, April 2, 2026
State Library Newsletter - April Issue
Happy April! Our monthly newsletter is out now and full of information about our upcoming Author Talk, our newly exhibited items, a recap of events from last month, and more!
Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.
Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.
Monday, March 30, 2026
On Display: Documenting the Library's History
On display is the invitation and program for the celebratory event held in honor of the Library’s 100th birthday on March 3, 1926. From these two items, we gain a sense of the formality of the event. The invitation was issued by members of the Board of Trustees and "requested the honor of your presence at exercises to be held in the House of Representatives." From the accompanying program, we know that these "exercises" were primarily speeches. The event was presided over by Senate President Hon. Wellington Wells, with remarks from Governor Alvan K. Fuller and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Honorable Nathan Matthews. The keynote address was given by Dr. Roscoe Pound, Dean of Harvard University Law School, on the topic of The State Library in Modern Society. In addition to these speeches, the program also notes that within the Library was an exhibition of books, medals, and pictures.
This event does not differ greatly from the event that we held on March 3, 2026 in the Library's main reading room. Our 200th birthday event included remarks by Governor Maura Healey, Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, Senate President Karen Spilka, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, and Library Trustees Rep. Kate Hogan, Michele Capone, and Robert Cerasoli, who also presided over the festivities. Guests at our event were encouraged to sign our guestbook with well wishes, and this book, along with promotional materials from all our March events, will be added to our institutional records.
Rounding out our display this month is a photograph that is a favorite among staff members and has been reproduced in our new exhibit, The State of the Library: 200 Years of Serving the Commonwealth. The photograph shows librarians and patrons in our main reading room in 1912. There are a number of photographs in our institutional records that document the reading room, staff, and events, though they primarily date to the 1950s and onward. This is one of the few photographs from the early 1900s.
Highlighting items from our institutional archives allows us to share our history as we continue to celebrate our 200th year, but these items also help us to mark Preservation Week, which occurs April 26 through May 2. The theme this year is Is This Thing On? Preserving Memories and Creating Archives. Preservation Week encourages institutions and individuals to focus on measures that can be taken to ensure the longevity of collection items, much like library staff one hundred years ago saved materials from the 1926 celebrations to add to the Library’s institutional memory. In your own life, if you have saved birthday cards, yearbooks, photographs, journals, or a myriad of other personal items, then you are also working to preserve history and add to the collective memory of your family and community. For materials that you want to save long-term, be sure to house everything in archivally sound materials that are free of acid and lignin. You can find a selection of at-home preservation tips here and always reach out to special.collections@mass.gov with any preservation questions, we are happy to assist as you create and maintain your own personal archives!
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
Monday, March 23, 2026
Author Talk with Scott J. Kerman
- The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician
- Wednesday, April 8, 2026. 12 pm - 1:00 pm
- In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
- State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
- Livestream on YouTube
- Books available for purchase; $20.00 cash, check, Venmo and Zelle accepted
About the book: Michael Dukakis is a former Massachusetts governor, presidential candidate, and lifelong resident of Brookline. For many, the name Governor Dukakis evokes nostalgia for a bygone time in Massachusetts history. Dukakis holds the title of longest serving governor in MA; serving terms in 1975-79 and again in 1983-91. The Duke is a humorous and intimate look at Dukakis and his career. Author Scott Kerman sits down with Dukakis and over a series of casual conversations, anecdotes, reflections, and photos, the reader gets a great sense of Dukakis, his personality, and personal take on politics past and present.
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| Dukakis with author Scott Kerman |
As always, this author talk is free and open to all. Assisted listening devices will be made available upon request. If you are able to join us in person for this talk, attendees will be able to participate in a question-and-answer session with the author. Books will be available for purchase; $20.00 cash, check, Venmo and Zelle accepted.
Any questions or concerns, please email us at AuthorTalks.StateLibrary@mass.gov. For more information on the State Library Author Talks series, please visit our site.
April Pascucci
On behalf of the Author Talks Committee
Monday, March 16, 2026
Now Online: The State of Our Library
We are happy to announce that our new exhibit The State of Our Library: 200 Years of Serving the Commonwealth is now available online! Visit our website to explore the history of the State Library at your convenience.
Follow the history of the State Library from its founding in 1826 up through the modern day. The exhibit highlights our collection, along with our various services, resources, and technological advances. And take a peek at the different locations within the State House that we've occupied and the changes to our physical space.
As a complement to our online exhibit, check out our Flickr album of photographs showing the State Library through the years.
For those who want to see the exhibit in person, stop by the State House to see the cases outside of the library in room 341, before stepping inside to explore our reading room. The State House is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00.
Elizabeth Roscio
On behalf of the Exhibits Working Group
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Open Houses at the State Library!
As part of our 200th celebrations, the State Library has two upcoming Open Houses this month. Read more below:
Special Collections Anniversary TourMarch 18, 11:00 and 12:15
The Special Collections Department is excited to invite you to join us for a highlight tour of our historical holdings on March 18! We will be pulling from storage a selection of materials dating from the 1600s to the modern era. On view will be some of our favorite maps, photographs, rare books, broadsides, manuscripts, and more!
Tours will be offered at 11:00 and 12:15. This event is free and open to the public but due to space constraints, we ask that participants use this link to register in advance.
Special Collections is located in Room 55 of the State House, and we look forward to seeing you soon! Reach out to us at special.collections@mass.gov with any questions.
State Library 200th Anniversary Open House
March 25, 11:00 to 1:00
Join us on Wednesday, March 25 for our 200th Anniversary Open House! Librarians from our Reference and Special Collections Departments will be on-hand to give an overview of our collections and chat about our resources and services.
We are also pleased to share that as a special commemoration of 200 years of collecting in the Commonwealth, a treasure from our collection will be on display. William Bradford's Of Plimoth Plantation (1630-1650) will be on view in our Collection Spotlight case during the duration of the Open House!
This event is open to the public and will take place from 11:00 to 1:00 in our main reading room (Room 341 of the State House). Reach out with any questions to reference.department@mass.gov and we hope to see you then!
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Bluebirds Visit for March
Highlighting the bluebird in March serves double-duty. March is Women's History Month, and a few years ago we featured Audubon's print 393, the Townsend Warbler, Arctic Blue-bird, and Western Blue-bird, to bring attention to the fact that in 1915, suffragettes in Massachusetts used the bluebird as a symbol of their movement. Read more about bluebirds for suffrage in our previous blog post.
We're excited for the chance to share a different bluebird print from Birds of America both for suffrage and as part of our state bird series. Visit us from March 10 through April 7 to see this vibrant print on display. And catch up on all featured state birds here.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
Monday, March 9, 2026
Women’s History Month at the State Library
Women’s History Month, observed each March, is a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of women throughout history. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress women have made while also acknowledging the challenges they have faced, and still face, across different eras and fields. To celebrate Women’s History Month, the State Library of Massachusetts is sharing a selection of materials from our collections that highlight women’s lives, achievements, and lasting influence.
Woman, Her Position, Influence, and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World: Her Biography, Her History, from the Garden of Eden to the Twentieth Century by William C. King, 1901
If you’d like to learn more about Women’s History Month, be sure to take a look at some of our other blog posts we’ve published on this topic:
Woman, Her Position, Influence, and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World: Her Biography, Her History, from the Garden of Eden to the Twentieth Century by William C. King, 1901
While shelving one day, I came across this book and I immediately had to take it off the shelf. Its spine looked gorgeous and when I saw the cover, it quickly became one of my favorite books in our collections. Published in 1901, this book covers the advancement of women from the ancient world up through the end of the 19th century. Through biographies and illustrations, this book tells the story of the social conditions of the times. You can view this book freely via Internet Archive and HathiTrust.
Women and Children First: The Trailblazing Life of Susan Dimock, M.D. by Susan Wilson, 2023
Women and Children First is a biography of Dr. Susan Dimock (1847–1875), a pioneering figure in American medicine. The book highlights Dimock’s role as one of the first female physicians and surgeons in the United States, particularly known for advancing medical care for women. It traces her early life in North Carolina, her move to Boston during the Civil War, and her medical training at the New England Hospital for Women and Children and the University of Zurich, emphasizing her lasting impact on women’s health and the medical profession. Author Susan Wilson joined us last March for an Author Talk about this book, so be sure to check out the recording on our YouTube channel to learn more!
From Suffrage to the Senate: America’s Political Women: an Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues by Suzanne O’Dea, 2006 (2 vols)
This two-volume work is a comprehensive reference guide that chronicles American women's path to political power and social equality. It contains over 900 in-depth biographies of women politicians, activists, journalists, and lawyers, covering significant movements, organizations, court cases, and legislation. These volumes trace women’s history from the abolition and suffrage movements to modern issues.
Historic Women Trailblazers of Massachusetts
This booklet, put together by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism in 2020, was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. It features more than 70 women “Trailblazers” who have contributed to the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world. The women featured in this book have strong ties to Massachusetts and represent suffragists, abolitionists, teachers, politicians, scientists, athletes, artists, and so much more. This book also contains a map marking important historic sites across Massachusetts. View and download the book and the map here.
Women and Children First: The Trailblazing Life of Susan Dimock, M.D. by Susan Wilson, 2023
Women and Children First is a biography of Dr. Susan Dimock (1847–1875), a pioneering figure in American medicine. The book highlights Dimock’s role as one of the first female physicians and surgeons in the United States, particularly known for advancing medical care for women. It traces her early life in North Carolina, her move to Boston during the Civil War, and her medical training at the New England Hospital for Women and Children and the University of Zurich, emphasizing her lasting impact on women’s health and the medical profession. Author Susan Wilson joined us last March for an Author Talk about this book, so be sure to check out the recording on our YouTube channel to learn more!
From Suffrage to the Senate: America’s Political Women: an Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues by Suzanne O’Dea, 2006 (2 vols)
This two-volume work is a comprehensive reference guide that chronicles American women's path to political power and social equality. It contains over 900 in-depth biographies of women politicians, activists, journalists, and lawyers, covering significant movements, organizations, court cases, and legislation. These volumes trace women’s history from the abolition and suffrage movements to modern issues.
Historic Women Trailblazers of Massachusetts
This booklet, put together by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism in 2020, was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. It features more than 70 women “Trailblazers” who have contributed to the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world. The women featured in this book have strong ties to Massachusetts and represent suffragists, abolitionists, teachers, politicians, scientists, athletes, artists, and so much more. This book also contains a map marking important historic sites across Massachusetts. View and download the book and the map here.
These books and others will be on display in the Library throughout the month of March. Stop in to see them Monday-Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
If you’d like to learn more about Women’s History Month, be sure to take a look at some of our other blog posts we’ve published on this topic:
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