Books, Serials & Newspapers
The General Collection
The holdings in the General Collection include rare books, maps, early serials and other material deemed too fragile or
valuable to be in the general collection. Early printed works, artists books, first and limited editions from a variety of disciplines are found here. Books and serials are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with
the heading
Special Collections - General. Maps appear in the
MapSearch database with the designation Special Collections.
The Edward L. Bafford Photographic Book Collection
The Bafford Collection holdings
include approximately 30,000 books and serials on the history and development of photography as an aesthetic medium with a special emphasis on photography as a
social force. Books by and about individual photographers, schools of photography, exhibition catalogues
and the primary journals can be found here. Books are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Bafford. Periodicals can be searched by title or subject in the
catalogusmai or by using
the UMBC Serials Search. For information on finding images, see
"Photography".
The Azriel Rosenfeld Science Fiction Research Collection
The Rosenfeld Collection is a growing collection currently holding approximately 8,000 books
and 4,000 issues of science fiction & fantasy periodicals, science fiction criticism and reference works. Books are catalogued
and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Rosenfeld. Current periodicals can be searched by title or subject in the
catalogusmai or by using the UMBC Serials Search. For those with an interest in the "Golden Age" of science fiction, the collection has extensive holdings of science fiction "pulps" from the 1920's - 1950's plus original manuscripts, personal papers and a large collection of amateur press "fanzines." These holdings are not yet catalogued, for access see
"Popular Culture"
The Marylandia Collection.
The nucleus of this 3,000 volume collection was purchased from the estate of the late Edward G. Howard. Included are a great number of 18
th and 19
th century accounts of travel through Maryland which are described in a printed catalogue,
Next Stop Baltimore. Numerous local histories are represented as well.
Books are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Howard.
Following the unexpected death of Professor Joseph Arnold, noted Baltimore historian, in 2004 the collection was renamed the Arnold Collection in his honor. Works added thereafter appear in the catalog with the heading
Special Collections--Arnold
The Merkle Collection.
Donated by Edgar A. and Kathleen Merkle in memory of their daughter Shirley, this 500 volume collection of 18
th and 19
th century English graphic satire centers around the work of George Cruikshank. Other artists represented in the collection include Rowlandson, Gillray, Hogarth and "Phiz." Most of the volumes include engraved illustrations, many of which are hand colored. Books are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Merkle.
The Needle Collection
The Department also houses a significant number of books and pamphlets focusing on 19th century British and American socialism and radical philosophy, Shakerism, social reform and utopian thought. Books are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Needle.
Faculty/Staff Collection
Books written or contributed to by members of the University community are actively collected by the Department. Books are catalogued and appear in the
catalogusmai with the heading
Special Collections - Faculty/Staff Publications.
Newspaper Collections
The Department is the depository for a complete run of the print holdings of the
Baltimore Sun (1837-1968)and the
Evening Sun (1910-1964).
Additional newspaper holdings from other cities and states include the Mourat Collection of late 19
th and earyly 20
th century newspapers. An
index
to the titles and holdings is available.
