Guide to Special Collections

Our digital collections include items selected for digitization, born-digital items, and our publications. Most of these are available on digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/special_collections/.

Items selected for digitization represent less than 5% of our physical collections. They include individual items that have been digitized for classes and exhibits, whole collections, and artificial collections like Maine LGBTQ+ Newspaper Collection.

Born-digital items include audio and visual media, databases, newsletters, and other documents. Born-digital items may be accessible on Digital Commons, like the oral history interviews in Querying the Past. Other born-digital items are available only by request due to to copyright restrictions or processing backlogs.

Learn tips for searching and browsing items from the Franco American Collection and Special Collections on USM Digital Commons, including how to find the Franco American Collection, how to recognize a finding aid, how to keyword search within collections, and how to contact our staff.

Digitized items are organized into meta-collections and collections, just like physical items.

Browse

1. Starting at digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu, select Special Collections.
2. Select a meta-collection from the list. Example: African American Collection.
3. Select a collection from the list. Example: Eugene Jackson Papers.
4. If applicable, select a series from the list. Example: Ruby Family Photo Album.

Search

1. Navigate to the meta-collection, collection, or series you want to search.
2. Use the search box in the left sidebar to search by keyword. Searches are automatically limited to the group of items you're currently viewing.