Spirit Photography

Séance, anyone?

The desire to communicate with the dead (and other supernatural beings) is nothing new. Chances are you’ve seen at least one movie or TV show in which the characters attempt to make contact with ghosts or glimpse “beyond the veil” – you might have even tried it yourself! The belief in life after death and the possibility of communing with deceased loved ones are major tenets of Spiritualism, a religious/philosophical movement in vogue ca. 1840s – 1920s. (By the way, if you’re interested in an overview on Spiritualism, one of our past blog posts is a great place to start!)

Photograph of Mrs. Tinkham and spirit

by William H. Mumler. The J. Paul Getty Museum, 

Los Angeles, 84.XD.760.1.7

In the mid-nineteenth century, Boston was a major center for the Spiritualist movement. The movement drew the interest of true believers and sceptics. Unfortunately, it also attracted opportunistic fraudsters who were looking to capitalize on people’s grief. Various methods of making contact with the spirits existed and are still used today, for example, through consultations with mediums, i.e., people believed to be ‘sensitive’ to the spirit world and therefore able to perceive spirits.

Another way (or so it seemed) was through ‘spirit photography.’ This branch of photography arose when photographers noticed that sometimes blurred or translucent images appeared near or overlapping the actual subjects of their photos. These initially unintended effects were likely caused by the accidental reuse of glass negatives and other issues. The more maverick photographers realized that they could make these images by experimenting with layering multiple negatives and using different exposure times. You can read more about some of the techniques behind spirit photography (and how you can make your own spirit photos!) in this article by photographer Gabriel Biderman.

Some photographers claimed that these translucent figures were in fact spirits and they began to advertise their self-professed abilities to capture the images of spirits haunting the living. Thus, spirit photography was born!

For some, these photographs provided irrefutable evidence of the existence of ghosts; however, not everyone was convinced.

Harper’s Weekly May 8, 1869 issue

One of the most famous of these ‘spirit photographers’ was William Mumler who became active in 1861 and worked in Boston and New York. Illustrations of his spirit photos feature on the cover of Harper’s Weekly’s May 8, 1869 issue (we just so happen to have a copy of this issue in our collection!).

The accompanying article discusses the court case which the people of New York brought against Mumler a month earlier. The spirit photographer had been charged with fraud over his photographs. You can read the digitized version of The Spiritual Magazine’s publication of the trial on Hathi Trust. Mumler was eventually acquitted by Judge Dowling and continued to sell his photos – as can be seen in an advertisement in the Spiritualist newspaper, Religio Philosophical Journal, which published brief descriptions of some of the photos’ subjects. The editors of this journal cited his acquittal as further proof his photographs were genuine.

The following is an excerpt from Religio Philosophical Journal V12 N20 Aug 3 1872 which can be accessed online through the website of The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals.

Below are some of the stories of the Massachusetts residents whom Mumler photographed, as advertised in Religio Philosophical Journal:

Mrs. Tinkham, Lowell, Mass. Spirit child, fully recognized. This picture is a remarkable one, inasmuch as it shows the power of spirits in moving tangible objects, the child having raised a portion of the sitter’s dress.

Mrs. Cottrell, Boston, Mass. Spirit child sitting in its mother’s lap. This picture is also a most excellent test, not only from its being readily recognized, but from the correct name of the child, which plainly appears in a wreath of flowers in its lap.

Master Herrod, N. Bridgwater, Mass. This young man is a medium. Before sitting for this picture three spirits offered to show themselves, representing Europe, Africa, and America. As will be seen by the picture, the promise was fulfilled[.] Also a picture was taken while entranced, and shows his double.

Some of Mumler’s photos are held at the Getty Museum in California. Fortunately, the Getty has digitized them, and the photographs can be seen on the museum’s website here. See if you can match the photos with the advertised descriptions!

Spirit photography is only one chapter of the fascinating history of Spiritualism. If you want to learn more about this movement and the key individuals involved, check out some of these titles available in our collection or through the CW MARS network:

• Boston in the golden age of spiritualism : séances, mediums & immortality.
• Trial of the spirits : a discourse delivered in the First Congregational Church, Quincy, Massachusetts, June 25, 1854.
• Preliminary report of the Commission appointed by the University of Pennsylvania to investigate modern spiritualism in accordance with the request of the late Henry Seybert
• The magician and the spirits : Harry Houdini and the curious pastime of communicating with the dead.

Happy hauntings!

Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents Reference Librarian

Sources:

Biderman, G. (2019). “Photographing Phantoms: How to Capture Ghosts and Spirits in Night Images.” National Parks at Night.

Morris, D. (2014). Boston in the golden age of spiritualism: séances, mediums & immortality. The History Press.

Religio Philosophical Journal V12 N20 Aug 3 1872.

The National Science and Media Museum. (2022). “Spirit Photography and the Occult: Making the Invisible Visible.” National Science and Media Museum.


*If you would like to view our copy of the Harper’s Weekly issue in person, please contact our Special Collections Department (special.collections@mass.gov) to arrange an appointment.

Panel Presentation: To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts: Native American Perspectives on Wealth

• Authors Dr. J. Cedric Woods, Dr. Allison Taylor, and Dr. Phillip Granberry presenting their 2025 report: To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts: Native American Perspectives on Wealth
• Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. 12pm - 1:00pm
• In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
• State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
• Livestream on YouTube
• Full Report available online!

The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series is hosting authors of the 2025 report, To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts: Native American Perspectives on Wealth. Please keep reading for details on the event and authors.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon!

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the report: Published in January 2025 in partnership with Boston Indicators and UMass Boston's Institute for New England Native American Studies (INENAS), To Live and Thrive in Massachusetts is a unique report that compiles both qualitative and quantitative data to look at the wealth disparities of Native American communities and families living in Massachusetts. The report is organized into three parts; historical overview and context at both the state and federal policy level, quantitative analysis of Massachusetts Native American communities with data on income, homeownership, business ownership, population, etc. and finally qualitative research which brings in findings from focus groups with interviews of local MA Native American families.

Authors

Dr. J. Cedric Woods is the Director of the Institute for New England Native American Studies at UMass Boston. Please read below for information on Dr. Woods from the UMass Boston INENAS site:

Cedric Woods is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He combines over a decade of tribal government experience with a research background, and has served as the director of INENAS since 2009.

The institute's purpose is to connect Native New England with university research, innovation, and education. Currently, Cedric is working on projects with tribes in the areas of tribal government capacity building, Indian education, economic development, and chronic disease prevention.

Prior to arriving at UMass Boston, Cedric completed a study on the evolution of tribal government among the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. While pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of Connecticut, he served in a variety of capacities for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. These positions included director of career development, research analyst, tribal government spokesman, and deputy chief operating officer.
Cedric has served as a consultant for the National Museum of the American Indian, the Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe of North Carolina, and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Plimoth Plantation, a bicultural living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Dr. Allison Taylor is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Dr. Taylor specializes in qualitative and community-based research and evaluation, with a focus on how the voices of people with lived experience can help improve employment services and systems. Dr. Taylor is the principal investigator (PI) for the Lawrence Partnership for Transition to Employment (LPTE) and the recently awarded Rapid Engagement Team Approach (RETA) Project, and leads a community-based participatory research study for the Native Equity in Employment and Recovery (NEER) project. She earned an MSW from Boston University and a PhD in sociocultural anthropology from Brandeis University.

Dr. Phillip Granberry is a Senior Lecturer in Economics and Data Analyst for the Gastón Institute at UMass Boston. Dr. Granberry’s area of expertise includes Social Capital, International Migration, and Urban Economics. Granberry holds a PhD, Public Policy, from University of Massachusetts Boston. For more information on Dr. Granberry visit the Gastón Institute site which includes a list of his publications and professional biography which is also below: 

Phillip Granberry is a social demographer who specializes in unauthorized immigration in the United States. He worked with various community-based organizations assisting recently arrived U.S. immigrants before earning a PhD in public policy from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He has published several articles on the accumulation and use of social capital among Mexican migrants and the impact of welfare and immigration policy reform on Latinos in Massachusetts. He teaches courses on international migration, labor market, and metropolitan areas. In addition to his teaching in the Economics Department, he is a senior research associate for the Gastón Institute, where he is using his survey research skills to develop a probabilistic household survey of Puerto Rican mothers in Springfield, MA. In this research, he is an investigator for Por Ahí Dicen, a research project of the Center for Health Equity Intervention Research (CHEIR). Por Ahí Dicen evaluates the effectiveness of media campaign to promote Spanish-speaking Puerto Rican mother-child communication about sexuality and sexual health.

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 authors.

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 Author Talks Working Group

Barn Owls Swoop Into the Library

A striking yet eerie sight awaits you in the State Library this October! The Barn Owl (plate 171) is on display in our Audubon case. With its distinctive white heart-shaped face and dark eyes, it has a ghostly appearance as it flies and perches in the night. Both the male and female are shown, along with an unfortunate squirrel. 

The Barn Owl is nocturnal, and this is one of only a few Audubon prints that depicts a nighttime scene. Unlike other owls, they screech rather than hoot, so if you hear one at night you might get a bit of a spine-tingle!

In Massachusetts, they are a species of greatest conservation need. You can read more about them on the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife page.

Visit us from October 14 through November 12 to see the Barn Owls on display. And read about our other spooky October birds here: Raven, Common Crow Blackbird, and Vulture.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

Celebrating 25 Years of the Massachusetts Book Awards

This past week marked a literary milestone in the Commonwealth: the 25th anniversary of the Massachusetts Book Awards! On Tuesday, October 7, the State House welcomed authors, librarians, educators, and book lovers from across the state to honor a quarter-century of exceptional storytelling and scholarship by Massachusetts writers and highlight the richness and diversity of Massachusetts’ literary community.

Hosted by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, this year’s ceremony recognized 36 distinguished authors, selected from a competitive field of more than 400 nominated titles. The Massachusetts Book Awards honor outstanding works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and children’s and young adult literature, all created, illustrated, or translated by residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This year’s ceremony introduced two notable additions to the awards program: a new category for Graphic Novel/Memoir, acknowledging excellence in visual storytelling and a Notable Contribution to Publishing award that recognizes the work of Massachusetts-based presses.

This year’s Massachusetts Book Award winners are:

• Fiction: The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry
• Nonfiction: We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter-Jackson
• Poetry: Auguries & Divinations by Heather Treseler
• Middle Grade: Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear by Robin Wasley
• Graphic Novel/Memoir: Sunshine by Jarrett Krosoczka
• Notable Contribution to Publishing: Beacon Press for An Indigenous People’s History of the United States: A Graphic Interpretation by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

As the official depository library for the Massachusetts Book Awards, the State Library is excited and privileged each year to receive all the winning and must-read titles from the Massachusetts Book Awards. Along with the Massachusetts Center for the Book, the State Library plays a vital role in preserving and promoting the literary contributions of authors across the Commonwealth. Come visit our display at our 4th floor entrance (Room 442 in the State House) to browse the titles and start your reading lists! If you’d like to enjoy one of these award-winning books at home, they are available to borrow via interlibrary loan—simply make a request through your local library.

For more information about the Massachusetts Book Awards, and to see current and past winners and nominees, please visit the Massachusetts Center for the Book’s website and explore the full collection of award-winning books in the State Library’s online catalog.

Here’s to 25 years of literary excellence—and to the many more stories yet to be told!

Judith Carlstrom

Head of Technical Services

Farmer's Almanac - Spooky Edition!

Almanacs mark holidays throughout the year, and while the late 18th and early 19th century volumes in our collection don't mention All Hallows Eve or Halloween, that doesn't mean that their content doesn't veer a little creepy sometimes! This month, our Collection Spotlight case features The Farmer's Almanac from 1793, 1807, and 1816, all of which are on theme for October.

Looking for cures to remove freckles, pimples, or corns? Then grab your elderflower and oil of tartar and check out the 1793 edition for those recipes. While we don't have potions in our collection, these home remedies come close! We’ve transcribed the recipe “to cure a pimpled face and sweeten the blood below:”

Take jena, one ounce; put it in a small stone pot, and pour a quart or more of boiling water on it; then put as many prunes as you can get in, cover it with paper and set it in the oven with household bread; and take of this every day, one, two, three or more of the prunes and liquor, according as it operates; continue at least half a year.

For rural farmers without easy access to medical care, the home remedies provided in the almanacs were useful resources, even if they do read a little bit like spells! Pictured above are the other recipes that were published in the 1793 edition. 

Moving into the 1800s, we came across a section of useful tips in the 1807 edition that included instructions "For Restoring to Life Those Apparently Dead." The phrasing conjures up images of a coven performing a resurrection, or the actions that are going to lead to a zombie apocalypse. In actuality, it is medical advice for administering first aid if someone has drowned or has been exposed to the elements and frostbitten/frozen. After a drowning, though, we aren't sure how beneficial it would be to be "gently rubbed with flannel, sprinkled with spirits; and a heated warming pan, covered, lightly moved over the back and spine." You can read the full text in the image to the right.

Rounding out our almanac display is the 1816 edition open to October. Each month in the 1816 almanac included an illustration of its Zodiac sign and a short verse that related to the month. October’s Scorpio sign, represented by a scorpion, gives off decidedly creepy-crawly vibes. And the verse below creates a spooky atmosphere:

                            The pale descending year yet pleasing still,

                            A gentler mood inspires, for now the leaf

                            Incessant rustles from the mournful grove,

                            And slowly circles through the waving air.

For more information on The Farmer’s Almanac, and the content that doesn’t lean creepy, check out our previous blog post. And visit us from October 7 through November 4 to see these issues on display – if you dare!

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

The 2024 Official Edition of the Massachusetts General Laws Is Here!

The Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) are the laws of the Commonwealth that apply generally across the state and to its citizens. The official MGLs are published every two years on the even year. The set is published by Thomson Reuters (West) and is known for its signature blue and maroon covers which alternate with each edition.

Going beyond the basics, the official edition is important for a few reasons. One reason is that the print edition contains the line numbers. The line numbers are referenced in bills, acts, the laws themselves. They are key access points to reading, understanding, and amending legislation. You cannot find the line numbers anywhere else other than in print.

The other significant reason is that Massachusetts is still a print official state; meaning that the print copy of the general laws is the only official copy. While the general laws are accessible on the Legislature website, this is an unofficial version with a disclaimer:

NOTICE: This is NOT the official version of the General Laws of Massachusetts. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the data provided, do not rely on this information without first checking the Official Edition of the General Laws of Massachusetts. If you require legal advice or counsel, please consult a lawyer.

This site is periodically updated to reflect any changes made to the General Laws. This site includes all amendments to the General Laws passed before January 10, 2025, for laws enacted since that time, see the 2025 Session Laws.

The newly published 2024 edition supersedes the 2022 edition which the library keeps. In fact, the library has the superseded sets of the official MGLs back to the first edition printed in 1984. Prior to 1984, there was a gap in printing and no official copy of the general laws existed. If you need to see how a law looked prior to 1984 that is a more complex research question, so please reach out to our Reference Librarians.

Similarly, throughout the state’s history, the general laws have gone through different revisions and compilations. You may come across citations to these compilations when tracing the history of a statute. The library has these compilations in print and also digitized: Massachusetts General Law Compilations. The older compilations begin with the Colonial Laws and end with the 1932 Tercentenary Edition. As mentioned previously between 1933 and 1983 there is a gap in printing an official version, but that picks back up in 1984! Below is a helpful citation key to the older compilations provided by Social Law Library.

Colonial Laws of Massachusetts (Cited C.L.) 1887
Revised Statutes of 1836 (Cited R.S.) 1836

General Statutes of 1860 (Cited G.S.) 1873

Public Statutes of 1882 (Cited P.S.) 1882

Revised Laws of 1902 (Cited R. L.) 1902

General Laws of 1921 (Cited G.L.) 1921

General Laws, Tercentenary Edition (1932) 1932

The arrival of the 2024 edition of the MGLs was much anticipated this year. The library’s reading room, located in room 341 of the State House, has two sets of the official MGLs available to all to consult.

April Pascucci
Legislative Reference Librarian

State Library Newsletter - October Issue

What do spooky almanacs, pocket Constitutions, and a new Legislative Biography Database have in common? They are all featured in our October newsletter, out now!

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.

Would You Buy Eggs at the State House?

This post is jointly written by our two Special Collections interns, who have been working their way through unprocessed collections, arranging and describing them so that they'll be accessible to researchers. While working with the recently donated State House Press Association Records, they stumbled upon an interesting character! 

Charlsie and Erin surrounded by records

Eggs, freemasons, and corporate greed: three pieces of Grover C. Hoyt’s fall from grace. A member of the State House Press Association in the 1920s, Grover C. Hoyt grew up in Biddeford, Maine and moved to Boston as a young man where he started work as a freelance news reporter and founded the Legislative Reporting Service (from the Portland Press Herald, 1960). He was also heavily involved in the freemason community, serving as the Massachusetts State President of the National League of Masonic Clubs.

Hoyt fell into hot water for a variety of rule violations, which resulted in a 1929 hearing before the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts State House Press Association. The first of Hoyt’s offenses was selling eggs out of the Press Association office. Hoyt claimed that it should be of no concern to the Association or Legislature as the eggs were from his farm in Maine and were sold as a convenience for his friends and some members of the custodial staff. However, in a letter read during the hearing, Wendell D. Howie testified that “...in Hoyt’s absence the other persons in the room have frequently been asked to act as egg salesmen.” This does not align well with Hoyt’s argument as it is one thing to casually sell eggs to friends, and another for him to ask his peers to sell eggs on his behalf. He argued that there is nothing in the Association’s constitution that explicitly forbade his actions, but if the Association asked, he would cease sales without complaint.

Furthermore, a Mr. Doherty claimed he saw Hoyt using letterhead for an external fraternal organization that bore the State Seal, which was not only improper but implied that the organization had an office within the building. Hoyt countered that no such letterhead existed, but the letterhead for the Canopy Club, an organization comprised of employees of the state, used an image of the State House’s golden dome which may have elicited confusion.

However, Hoyt later admitted that he did use State House letterhead to conduct correspondence as Massachusetts State President of the National League of Masonic Clubs. He also admitted to receiving mail from the organization at the State House. Conducting such correspondence within the State House was not only against the rules of the Press Association, but it could also indicate to others that the Freemasons had an office in the building.

At one point, Hoyt claimed that letterhead was stolen from his desk, and a letter criticizing a member of the House was forged and sent on his behalf despite no such letter being mentioned in proceedings. He believed that it was a part of a larger scheme to get him kicked out of the Press Association and that the former President, Wendell D. Howie, was appointed to that position specifically to ruin his career.

Finally, the Executive Committee accused Hoyt of obtaining information about the actions of the legislature before it was a matter of the public record and selling it to corporations through his Legislative Reporting Service. Corporations could subscribe to this service and Hoyt would send them copies of recently enacted or amended bills. Hoyt claimed that he only sent bills after they were officially enacted, thus making them public record. However, there was sufficient reasoning to believe that he was obtaining said information through questionable means prior to its announcement to both the public and other reporters.

Even if Hoyt was telling the truth, there was still concern surrounding him conducting his work in the press office as it wasn’t considered newspaper work. The Press Association constitution specifies that members of the Association are not to engage in any work outside of their reportorial responsibilities while in the office. Hoyt protested this accusation claiming that the rules specify “reportorial work” and do not name newspapers as the only outlet for such work. Howie also reported that at times, Hoyt would use nearly all of the desks in the room to keep up with the work required for his service and he would do a poor job of cleaning up after himself.

Hoyt also served as the Secretary of the Board of Appeal under the Motor Vehicle Liability Act and admitted he was conducting work for that position in the press office and recognized that it was against the rules. Hoyt’s defense was simply that he had no other place to do it. He claims that the Board of Appeal was promised quarters in the State House but have yet to receive them despite repeated requests.

Using the press office to sell eggs, conducting unrelated work, and selling information to corporations was a clear violation of Section 4, Article IV of the constitution of the Press Association, which prohibits reporters from using the rooms for unauthorized purposes. As a result, the Executive Committee voted to dismiss Hoyt from the Press Association.

All of this to say, working in the Special Collections Department, you never know what kind of hidden gems you’re going to stumble upon. Sometimes it’s a rare book, or an unexplainable receipt for 25 ocarinas, and other times it’s a scandal involving selling eggs in the State House.

All of this information and more can be found in the State House Press Association Records now open for research in the Special Collections department. Contact special.collections@mass.gov to schedule an appointment!

Erin Wood and Charlsie Wemple
Special Collections Interns

Author Talk with Susan Wilson

• HEAVEN, BY HOTEL STANDARDS: The History of The Omni Parker House — 170th Anniversary Edition
• Wednesday, October 8th, 2025. 12pm - 1:00pm
• In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
• State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
• Livestream on YouTube
• Books available for purchase; $30.00 cash or check

The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series welcomes back author and historian Susan Wilson on October 8th! Join us in our historic reading room within the State House to hear the history of the Omni Parker House from the official House Historian, Susan Wilson.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon!

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the book: In this special release, Heaven, By Hotel Standards, celebrates the 170 year history of Boston's Omni Parker House Hotel. Since 1855 the hotel has been a landmark and center for culture, writers, artists, and politicians. The hotel is also renowned as the birthplace of the Parker House Roll and the Boston Cream Pie! Wilson makes the history of the hotel entertaining with well researched anecdotes and lots of pictures.

About the author: Susan Wilson is an author, historian, and photographer. She serves as the official House Historian for the Omni Parker House in addition to being a Scholar at Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. Susan has had a long career teaching history at both the secondary and college level. She then moved into journalism, her writing regularly appearing in the Boston Globe. Susan’s passion for local history is engaging and she has written several books including: Women and Children First: The Trailblazing Life of Susan Dimock, M.D. Susan spoke at the State Library in 2024, watch that author talk here!

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; $30.00 cash or check.

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 Author Talks Working Group

From Card to Click: Discover the Massachusetts Legislative Biographical File

For just shy of two centuries, the State Library of Massachusetts has been a vital resource for those seeking information on past and present legislators. At the core of this legacy are two biographical card files—collections of both typed and handwritten index cards that together chronicle over 300 years of Massachusetts political history. Thanks to a three-year collaboration with our dedicated partners on the Application Development Team in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance Office of Information Technology (“A&F IT”) and our passionate, history-obsessed interns, we’re excited to announce the beta launch of the Massachusetts Legislative Biographical File Database! You can bookmark and access it directly—just choose “Search State Library” to begin exploring!

From card catalog to new database!

Digitizing a Legacy

Once available only in-library, these index card files were digitized and then transcribed into a searchable database. Each entry will eventually include the card image and links to related materials such as photographs and manuscript letters in the State Library’s collections, creating a unified, one-stop research experience.

Two Files, One Mission

The first file, located in the Main Reading Room, spans from the colonial era to today. The second, housed in our Special Collections Department, covers the late 18th century through approximately 1915. Together, these files contain over 20,000 cards, each offering biographical details such as names, birth and death dates, residences, education, occupations, party affiliations, and legislative service. Many cards include information on both sides and may reference letters or additional documents in the library’s collections.

Manuscript 151: The Tillinghast Legacy

Much of this collection owes its existence to Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast (1843–1909), Massachusetts’ first State Librarian. A passionate genealogist, Tillinghast sent over 75,000 letters and questionnaires to compile biographical data on legislators. These letters, now digitized and housed in Special Collections as Manuscript 151, are often cited directly on the cards and will be linked to the individual database entries.

Manuscript 138: Boston Journal Memoranda

Also digitized is Manuscript 138, a set of printed questionnaires sent to legislators between 1868 and 1892 by the Boston Journal. These offer rich biographical sketches and will also be integrated and linked to the individual database entries.

For more background on both of these collections, check out our previous blog post.

Preserving History, Enhancing Access

This database project has faced its share of challenges—from missing or inconsistent data on the original cards to shifting geographic names over time. Still, the State Library remains committed to preserving and enhancing access to this valuable historical resource, while working to verify and expand the information contained in the database. Whether you're a researcher, historian, or just curious, the Legislative Biographical File offers a unique glimpse into the lives of past Massachusetts lawmakers and Massachusetts history. If you have information that could help us authenticate the information or fill in the gaps, we’d love to hear from you! Just reach out via email or the form on our website!


Judith Carlstrom
Head of Technical Services

A Collection of Corvids in the Library!

It's a four-for-one special in this month's Audubon! Featured in plate 362 is I. Yellow billed Magpie; 2. Stellers Jay; 3. Ultramarine Jay; 4. Clark's Crow (which is also known as Clark's Nutcracker). The magpie is in the center, with two jays above and crows below. All of these birds are members of the Corvidae (Corvid) family, which includes over 139 species! So why are they being displayed for September? In keeping with the month's back-to-school theme, we're highlighting the print full of corvids because they are known to be amongst the most intelligent birds. Species in this family have tool-making abilities, memory skills, and show self-awareness. Young corvids have also been observed participating in complex games.

Also shown in the print is a rather large acorn, this is a significant addition to the print because, similar to squirrels, some corvids engage in scatter hoarding. They bury acorns in different locations and then retrieve them at a later date. There's that good memory in action!

Find some inspiration to be head of the class this school year by visiting the library and checking out the corvids. They are on display from September 10 through October 14, and you can read more about each of them in the Audubon Field Guide: Yellow-billed Magpie, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Clark's Nutcracker.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

Understanding the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR)

In 2013, the State Library published a blog post about the Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR), the official compilation of rules created by Massachusetts state agencies. Since then, access to the CMR has expanded, and the Library has continued to grow its collections, both in print and online. This updated post revisits the topic to provide current information about the CMR and the many ways researchers can explore these resources at the State Library and beyond. 

As we mentioned, the CMR contains the official rules that Massachusetts state agencies create and use to carry out state laws. These regulations cover a wide range of topics, from food safety standards to professional licensing requirements, and are published to ensure transparency and public access to the procedures and policies that affect daily life in the Commonwealth.

The CMR as we know it began in 1976. Prior to that there was no centralized way in which agencies published their regulations. A second edition of the CMR was released in 1978, and the third and current edition was released in 1987. This edition continues to be updated to this day.

How Regulations Are Published

Regulations are filed with the State Publications and Regulations Division of the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and published biweekly in the Massachusetts Register. Each issue of the Register includes:

• Notices of proposed regulations and public hearings
• New, amended, and emergency regulations
• Executive Orders and Attorney General Opinions
• Cumulative Tables showing changes since the last codification

What the Numbers Mean

Each regulation is assigned a three-part citation. For example, 105 CMR 125.004:

• Title number (e.g., 105 CMR) designates the agency
• Chapter number (e.g., 105 CMR 125) indicates a subject area
• Section number (e.g., 105 CMR 125.004) pinpoints specific provisions

The first digit of the title number typically corresponds to the Executive Office, while the remaining digits identify the agency itself.

Accessing the CMR at the State Library

The State Library of Massachusetts is a valuable resource for anyone researching Massachusetts regulations. Here's how we can help:

• CMR in Print 
• We maintain a current Reading Room copy of the CMR for quick reference, updated as new regulations are filed.
• Historical Collection and Stacks Copy 
• Our Stacks copy of the CMR includes older versions with the Massachusetts Registers still intact, which is useful for identifying regulatory changes over time.
• Massachusetts Register 
• We have the Massachusetts Register in print, and many issues are available in our digital repository.
• Cumulative Tables 
• We house a comprehensive collection of the Cumulative Tables starting in 1976 to present. The tables list updates made to the CMR and allow researchers to trace when changes were made to specific chapters and sections.
• Pre-Codified Regulations 
• For older regulations issued before the formal CMR codification system began in 1976, we provide access to the pre-codified edition in print at the library, as well as in our digital repository. The pre-codified edition consists of 12 boxes, each containing several folders. The boxes are organized by agency, similar to the way the CMR now contains title numbers. Read on for information about accessing the pre-codified CMR digitally.

Online Access to the CMR

If you can’t visit the Library in person, the following resources provide online access to current and historical regulations:

• State Library’s CMR Research Guide 
• Our research guide provides detailed instructions on how to locate regulations, track changes, and cite regulatory sources.
• State Library Digital Collections 
• Find the latest issue of the Massachusetts Register, plus back issues. You’ll also find the Cumulative Tables in our digital repository. 
• NEW: Access the pre-codified version of the CMR in our digital repository.
• Secretary of State’s Regulations & Publications Division 
• Read about and download the Regulations Manual
• Trial Court Law Libraries’ Online CMR 
• Browse the CMR by agency title or subject on the Trial Court Law Libraries’ webpage.

Whether you’re a legal researcher, student, public policy professional, or just curious about how state government works, the State Library is here to support your research into Massachusetts regulations. Visit us in Room 341 of the Massachusetts State House or contact our reference librarians for assistance at reference.department@mass.gov.


Jessica Shrey
Legal Research Reference Librarian

State Library Newsletter - August Issue

Hello September! Read about everything happening at the State Library in this month's newsletter, out now. 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.

Back to School on Federal Street

September is synonymous with “Back to School” and with that comes the opportunity to share some education related materials in our Collection Spotlight case. This month, our items take us to Federal Street in Boston in 1797, where we are highlighting materials that represent two schools found on that street: Memoir of Mrs. Rowson, published in 1870 and about the founder of a girls school, and Regulations for the Government of the School in Federal Street, published in Boston in 1797. Both Mrs. Rowson’s school and the Federal School came to be not long after Massachusetts passed “An Act To Provide For The Instruction Of Youth, And For The Promotion Of Good Education” in 1789.

Schools in the 1790s would have been segregated by gender, and we know from the language of the Regulations for the Government of the School in Federal Street that this was a school for boys. The small pamphlet is only sixteen pages long and includes thirty articles adopted for the governance of the school and pupils. A notation at the end reads that at a meeting of the proprietors on September 13, 1797 the articles were voted on and adopted. You may notice that some of them are marked with an asterisks, this indicates that these articles are permanent, and do not need to be voted on again in the future. We are displaying the pamphlet open to the two pages that include Articles 3 through 8, which primarily address appropriate school behavior. It appears that the Federal School was rather strict and the students were held to a high standard! Three of the articles are transcribed below:

Article VI: That Silence be considered as an essential preliminary to the business of the day, and that no conversation be permitted in the School, but such as immediately relates to it.

 Article VII: That all kinds of social or private Amusement, during the hours appointed for Study or Instruction, be considered a transgression of the Rules.

 Article VIII*: That any Scholar who shall break a square of glass, or any of the furniture of the Academy, such as desks, benches, &c. shall be required immediately to repair it; or, in default, to pay twice the cost of such repairs.

We doubt that Articles VI and VII would be very popular with students today!

After reading through all the regulations, we tried to find additional information about the school. A search of Federal Street School or even “schools on Federal Street” did not turn up any information. A stamp on the interior pages indicates that the State Library acquired this item on December 29, 1887, so with that information we checked the section in the 1888 annual report that lists additions to the collections, in case that listing included any identifying information. Unfortunately, the annual report did not shed any light, as the pamphlets listing simply reads “School in Federal Street, Regulations for the government of the school. Bost., 1797.” It’s possible that this was a short-lived institution, or not one that was formally established. 

A school on Federal Street that we could find a reference to is Mrs. Susanna Rowson’s Academy for Young Ladies, which also dates to 1797. Susanna Rowson was born in England but immigrated to Boston at age five; she was an actress, author, playwright, and an educator and early proponent of education for females. Over the course of thirty years, she lived in Canada, England, and Philadelphia before returning to Boston 1797. It was at this time that she established the girls school on Federal Street, which was the first of its kind in Boston. We’re displaying her memoir open to the page that describes the school's first year:

On leaving the stage in the spring of 1797, Mrs. Rowson, under the patronage of Mrs. Samuel Smith, began a school in Federal street, and with but a single pupil, Mrs. Smith’s adopted daughter, continued it for one whole term. She was known in Boston only as a novel writer, as an actress – how could children be confided to her care? But the light cannot be hid; her motto was "tant que je puis," and persevering steadily, she came before the close of the scholastic year to number one hundred pupils on her daily roll; and applications were received for more than she could possibly accommodate.

The image of Susanna Rowson shown above is also found in her memoir. The school relocated to Medford and Newton before returning to Boston in 1809.

Beyond these two items, the State Library holds an impressive collection of education focused materials, in part because in its early days as a research library, it was under the care of the Board of Education. From 1849 until 1893, the Secretary of the Board of Education also served as the State Librarian. Check out the links below to read about some of the items that we’ve shared in past years, click here to read through an education timeline, and visit us from September 8 through October 7 to see these two items on display.

Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Historical Textbooks, 1775 through 1828

"Rules and regulations for the public schools in Quincy: also, some remarks on the due observance of the rules, addressed to parents.” Quincy School Committee, September 1, 1835

“Rules and Regulations to be observed by the Teachers of the Public Schools in Dorchester” and “Order of Exercises at the Dedication of the Building and Installation of the Teacher of the High School” Dorchester Public Schools, 1810 and 1852

Author Talk with Elizabeth Heslop Sheehy

• A Home in Woods Hole: Life and History on Eel Pond (2024) 
• Wednesday, September 17, 2025. 12pm - 1:00pm
• In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
• State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
• Livestream on YouTube
• Books available for purchase; $24.99 plus tax; Cash, Venmo, or Credit Cards accepted

The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series returns from summer break on September 17th! We have an exciting lineup of authors as we close out 2025 with speakers in October, November, and December. Bookmark our Mass.Gov page for information/details on upcoming author talk events.

Author Elizabeth Sheehy will be joining us in our historic reading room on Wednesday, September 17th at noon to present her book A Home in Woods Hole: Life and History on Eel Pond. We can’t think of a better book to wrap up summer. Please keep reading for more details on the author and book.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon!

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the book: Woods Hole is an iconic location on Cape Cod; it is home to WHOI or the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Nobska Lighthouse. Author Elizabeth Sheehy traces the history of Woods Hole through a unique perspective. A Home in Woods Hole delves into the lives of Walter Nickerson and Helena Nugent and the house they built over a hundred years ago. It is a family history, a history of a seaside community, and a history of New England through many eras.

About the author: Elizabeth Sheehy is a writer with a passion for local history. She bought a house in 2018 in Woods Hole which inspired her to write and research which resulted in her 2024 book A Home in Woods Hole. Sheehy had a long career as a retail executive but now writes full time. Sheehy holds a degree in history from Trinity College.

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; $24.99 plus tax (~$26.55) Cash, Venmo, or Credit Cards via Square 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 Author Talks Working Group

A Look at Our Government Documents Program in FY25

FY25 has been an exciting year for the Government Documents Department. This fiscal year the Department received roughly 2615 documents; 2508 of those were digital items (95%) while 107 were paper items (5%). Town reports made up the majority (97%) of paper items we received.

December 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the enactment of St.1984 c. 412. This statute, which became codified as M.G.L. 6 § 39B, stipulates that every state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must submit copies of their publications to the State Library. Since its passage in 1984, M. G. L. ch. 6 section 39B has been vital to the State Library’s mission of preserving the legislative history of Massachusetts and ensuring access to the Commonwealth’s public documents.

Turning 40 wasn’t the only major milestone for M.G.L. 6 § 39B. With the passage of chapter 206 of the 2024 Acts, M.G.L. 6 § 39B has been updated! The new legislation takes into account the fact that government documents are increasingly published digitally rather than in hard copy. The original legislation required that 8 hard copies of every published government document be sent to the State Library. It now requires only a single copy (if originally published in hardcopy) or shareable PDF for preservation.

The State Library rung in the New Year with the publication of its first training module on MassAchieve! This module covers the basics of the State Library’s Government Documents Program and advises state employees on what materials to send to the Library for public access and preservation. Since the announcement in our February Newsletter, the module has been made available to the public on the State Library’s YouTube channel.

MyPath on MassAchieve screenshot

The Department has had two interns (not simultaneous) from Simmons University’s MLIS program. Both have been invaluable additions to the Department. They have put together awesome exhibits and written blog posts highlighting the Government Documents collection. Read some of their work here:

• Design of Town Reports by Emily Buff, published July 29, 2024
• Y2K: Crisis Averted by Emily Colson, published April 7, 2025

Check out more blog posts about our Government Documents:

• M.G.L. 6 § 39B Turns 40 and Gets a Glow Up! published December 9, 2024
• SuDoc Numbers and Other Things published January 27, 2025
• Town Report Season: 2025 published June 23, 2025

Maryellen Larkin

Government Documents & Reference Librarian