New Resource: State Library of Massachusetts Digital Archival Collections!

We’re excited to introduce the State Library of Massachusetts Digital Archival Collections—a new online platform that makes it easier than ever to discover, explore, and engage with the State Library’s unique historical collections. The new platform is now live and available at mastatelibrary.org.

For many years, the State Library has provided online access to digitized government publications and historical resources through our DSpace-GLAM Digital Collections Archive that you already know and love. Our new Digital Archival Collections platform on AM Quartex complements that repository by providing an enhanced experience for browsing and discovering unique archival materials.

Launched at the end of June 2026 with the support of Administration and Finance Office of Information Technology and the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security, the State Library of Massachusetts Digital Archival Collections site currently features maps, historic photographs, broadsides, manuscripts, and other items from our Special Collections, and we plan to add lots more additional content in the months and years ahead.

Why do we have two platforms? Simple! The State Library is committed to preserving and sharing the historical resources of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as carrying out our statutory mandate as the depository library for Massachusetts. We will do whatever it takes to enhance exploration, accessibility, and discovery to our collections while giving users the best possible experience while also ensuring long-term access. Ultimately, the State Library of Massachusetts Digital Archival Collections will include the same content as our DSpace-GLAM digital archive repository. With two options to choose from, you can utilize the platform that best meets your research needs!

Want to learn more? Check out our website page on all our State Library Digital Collections and watch our new “Tech Tour” video on YouTube. Just visit mastatelibrary.org to begin exploring the State Library’s Digital Archival Collections and archives.ma.state.us for our DSpace-GLAM repository.

Technical Services Department

The Baltimore Oriole Detours from Fenway to the State Library!

Our 250th road trip continues this month as we head to another colonial state; we're going south to Maryland, with the Baltimore Oriole! Just like the city, this bird is named after Lord Baltimore, Maryland's first proprietor, since its plumage was reminiscent of the colors in Lord Baltimore's coat-of-arms. And as you likely know, the city of Baltimore's baseball team has also adopted it as their name and mascot.

In the print, the male is shown with bright orange and black feathers, while the female is a more subdued brown. But the female is perched on another interesting feature in this print, the inclusion of the nest. Oriole nests are distinctive and impressive! They are hanging pouches, woven by female orioles and designed to hold seven to eight eggs. You can read more about them on the Audubon Society website. Also note the flowering blooms of the tulip tree. 

The Baltimore Oriole was on display last year during Women's History Month, with an interesting connection to a female artist and ornithologist sometimes referred to as "the other Audubon." Check that post out here, and visit us through August 11 to see the oriole on display! Since it has already been on display, after this exhibition, it will return to storage for the foreseeable future.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

Resource Spotlight: New Books on the American Revolution, Constitution, and U.S. History!

It’s mid-July and MA250 is in full swing! If you’re local or visiting Boston, hopefully you’ve had the chance to experience some of the State Library’s recent events and exhibits. If you would like to find out about MA250 events near you – visit the MA250 Events page!

You can also download a copy of the MA250 Field Guide from our digital repository.

If you’re more of a bookworm and would prefer to celebrate through reading about American Revolution and the Commonwealth’s involvement – both in the war and the formation of the U.S. (or maybe you just need a refresher!) – and if you have a library card with us, you’re in luck! The State Library recently added some new books to its collection:

Published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History, these titles cover various battles and campaigns in the War of Independence:

• Opening Shots in the Colonies, 1775-1776 by Glenn F. Williams & Jonathan D. Bratten
• Valley Forge to Monmouth, 1778 by Mark Edward Lender
• The Canadian Campaign, 1775-1776 by Michael P. Gabriel

Can’t visit us in person? Don’t worry, you can access these online through the GPO and download them for free as PDFs:

• Opening Shots in the Colonies, 1775-1776
• Valley Forge to Monmouth, 1778
• The Canadian Campaign, 1775-1776

If you’re a fan of the Freedom Trail and want to visit historic sites significant to the American Revolution, then you’ll want to check out Boston 1776: A Rogue Tour of Revolution City by J.D. Dickey. This book “features nine immersive walking tours on seven period-style maps” and provides tips for those who might be unfamiliar with Boston.

Other new additions to our collection include:

• The Dreadful Word: Speech Crime and Polite Gentlemen in Massachusetts, 1690-1776 by Kristin Olbertson
• The American Revolution and the Constitution, edited by Y. Levin, A. White, & J. Yoo
• Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920 by Akhil Reed Amar
• American Legal History: A Very Short Introduction by G. Edward White
• American Women’s History: Avery Short Introduction by Susan Ware

Bonus resource: In honor of the 250th, the State Library has been giving away free pocket Constitutions curtesy of the Federal Depository Library Program. If you missed your chance to pick one up, don’t worry – you can download a free pdf version of the Constitution of the United States with Index and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition from the GPO website!

Happy reading!


Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents Reference Librarian

Tall Ships Return to Boston Harbor for Sail250

From July 11-16, Boston Harbor will welcome an impressive fleet of Tall Ships as part of Sail250 and Sail Boston. Sail250 is a nationwide maritime celebration connected to America250, the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. To mark the occasion, the State Library of Massachusetts will be displaying materials from its collection related to maritime history, sailing vessels, and Boston’s historic connection to the sea. The arrival of these historic ships offers visitors the chance to experience a connection to America’s maritime past while celebrating Boston’s long and important relationship with the harbor.

Tall Ships are traditionally large sailing vessels known for their towering masts, extensive rigging, and multiple sails. Today Tall Ships often serve as training vessels, museum ships, and goodwill ambassadors. These ships represent centuries of exploration, trade, naval history, and immigration, and they continue to capture the imagination of visitors around the world.

Boston has a particularly strong connection to maritime history. As one of the nation’s oldest ports, the city played a vital role in colonial trade, the American Revolution, and the development of the early United States. Events such as the Boston Tea Party highlighted the importance of Boston Harbor in America’s fight for independence, making the harbor an especially fitting location for Sail250 and the larger America250 celebration.

Tea leaves: being a collection of letters and documents relating to the shipment 

of tea to the American colonies in the year 1773, by the East India Tea Company.

By Francis S. Drake, 1970

Boston is also home to one of the nation’s most famous historic naval vessels: the USS Constitution. Launched in 1797 and still located in Charlestown Navy Yard, the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Nicknamed “Old Ironsides” after its victories during the War of 1812, the ship remains a symbol of early American naval history and the nation’s longstanding maritime traditions.

Old Ironsides: The rise, decline, and resurrection of the USS Constitution

by Thomas C. Gillmer, 1993

Old Ironsides: The story of the USS Constitution

by Thomas P. Horgan, 1963

America250 commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and encourages communities across the country to reflect on the people, events, and ideas that shaped the nation’s history. Sail250 brings this history to life through maritime events, educational programming, and visits from Tall Ships from around the world. The celebration emphasizes not only America’s revolutionary beginnings, but also the importance of maritime trade, naval service, and international cooperation throughout American history.

To celebrate the arrival of the Tall Ships, the State Library of Massachusetts has gathered books and resources exploring maritime history, famous sailing vessels, and Boston’s historic connection to the sea. Some titles from our collection include:

• The tall ships: a sailing celebration by Hyla M. Clark, 1976
• Tall ships by Sail Boston 2000, 2000
• Sail Boston 1992 by Jane M. Moss, 1992
• Old Ironsides: The rise, decline, and resurrection of the USS Constitution
• by Thomas C. Gillmer, 1993
• Old Ironsides: The story of the USS Constitution by Thomas P. Horgan, 1963

We invite visitors to stop by the State Library throughout the month of July to explore these materials and learn more about the maritime history that continues to shape Boston and the nation. As the Tall Ships sail into Boston Harbor this summer, they serve as a powerful reminder of the people, ships, and waterways that helped define America’s story.

Jessica Shrey
Reference Librarian

State Library Newsletter - July Issue

This July, cool off at the State Library! We're open Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00, including July 3 and July 6. In this month's newsletter, read about everything you can explore in our space - our upcoming collaborative archive event, our new exhibit, and our temporary displays. You'll also find information about our new digital repository, 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.

New Exhibit: Raising the Alarm

The State Library of Massachusetts joins the rest of the country in celebrating our 250th anniversary in 2026, and we are excited to announce that our new exhibit, Raising the Alarm: Revolutionary Broadsides at the State Library, is now open!

Boston and the surrounding area are known as the “Cradle of Liberty,” staking its claim as the birthplace of the American Revolution. And while many of the thirteen original colonies could make similar claims, the first battles and protests were waged within Massachusetts, the Sons of Liberty sprung up from its citizenry, and the first Committees of Correspondence, an integral system of communication employed during the war, were established here by Massachusetts’ own Samuel Adams.

Exhibit cases outside of the Library

Displayed chronologically, Raising the Alarm uses a selection of broadsides dating from 1773 through 1779 to interpret the Revolutionary War period in Massachusetts, providing a historical overview and examining how news was shared during the war, while also highlighting a significant primary source resource in our collection. Beginning in 2017, the State Library focused on a multi-year effort to conserve and digitize the 18th century broadsides in our collection. Recognizing the significance they hold in documenting the Revolutionary period, our Special Collections Department worked with the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts to treat 70 broadsides. 

Ten broadsides are featured in our exhibit, like the one shown here from April 17, 1776. In this broadside, the topic of equal representation is raised by members of the Committees of Correspondence of Salem and Marblehead who acknowledge the loosening connection with Great Britain and looked towards the growing possibility that “we may soon be obliged to take up Independency for ourselves . . . as undoubtedly a Republic or Commonwealth will be our Form of Government.”

In the final case, the broadsides are complemented by other 18th century items found in Special Collections, including newspapers, almanacs, directories, and more. The exhibit also explores the Committee of Correspondence and some of the well-known patriots in its ranks, and gives special notice to one of our most famous broadsides, the Declaration of Independence, published by Ezekiel Russell in Salem on July 17, 1776.

Raising the Alarm is on view in the display cases outside of the library (Room 341) and is available during our open hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00, through spring 2027.

Elizabeth Roscio, Preservation Librarian
Exhibits Working Group

The State Library Celebrates the 250th!

Join us on Wednesday, July 1 to celebrate the Declaration of Independence! We are pleased to announce our upcoming event in honor of the 250th, where we will have our broadside version of the Declaration of Independence, printed by Ezekiel Russell in Salem on July 17, 1776, on display in the Collection Spotlight case in our main reading room (room 341 in the State House).

Special Collections staff will be on hand to share the Declaration along with the ten broadsides featured in our new exhibit, Raising the Alarm: Revolutionary Broadsides at the State Library. Though the exhibit features facsimiles, the originals, which date from 1773 through 1779, will be pulled from storage for this special event so that visitors can see them up close and imagine themselves as members of the Committee of Correspondence, distributing word of the Revolutionary War.

This event is free and open to the public; stop by the State Library between 11:00 and 1:00 to see these stirring documents on display as the country approaches its 250th birthday. Reach out to us at special.collections@mass.gov with any questions, and we hope to see you there!

As a patriotic bonus to in-person visitors, we are giving out free Pocket Constitutions and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) rulers while supplies last. The Pocket Constitutions also include the Declaration of Independence, and the FDLP Ruler is an 8" ruler and its reverse shows the presidents of the United States in chronological order. Please note the Library has a limited supply and visitors are limited to one copy of each per person. Stop by the reference desk to pick them up!