Special Collections
Smith College ArchivesThe Smith College Archives documents the history and life of the College by collecting materials created by students, faculty, and staff during their time here. The records in the College Archives can provide researchers with answers to specific questions or help them to understand broad social and cultural issues.
Sophia Smith Collection of Women's HistoryThe Sophia Smith Collection holds women's and family papers, archives of women's organizations, women's periodicals, photographs, posters, and other one-of-a-kind documents related to women; especially strong in 19th and 20th century U.S. reform movements and feminism.
Mortimer Rare Book CollectionThe MRBR houses the college's rare books and literary manuscripts. Among the literary manuscripts are important collections of the papers of Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, and others. Visit Special Collections on the second floor of Young Library.
Finding Materials at Smith
Smith College Finding Aids
Search the finding aids of the Smith College Archives, Sophia Smith Collection, and Mortimer Rare Book Collection.
Discover
Results for SC Books and SC Archives are included. Also try Discover Advanced to search and limit by location or source type.
Archives Concentration: Teaching the Archives
Includes information and links to finding aids, web exhibits, oral histories and more in the Smith College Libraries Special Collections.
Smith Digital Collections
Smith Digital Collections is a gateway to distinctive digital collections and online exhibitions unique to Smith College.
The collections feature images, audio, video, and text from multiple repositories and platform. These include the Libraries’ Special Collections, the Museum of Art, the Imaging Center, the Botanic Gardens, and select scholar collections.
Additional Collections in the Smith Libraries
Hillyer Art Library, Special Collections (Locked Stacks)
The approximately 2,500 items in the Special Collections (designated as Locked Stacks in the Five College Library Catalog) include Hillyer Art Library's collections of artists' books, manuscript facsimiles, and rare books and periodicals dating from the 18th century to the present.
Josten Library Treasure Cases
The Josten Performing Arts Library Treasure Cases collection contains collected critical editions, composers' complete works, and facsimiles. Manuscripts of Dr. Alfred Einstein and volumes of the Smith College Music Archives are housed here.