Fall 2021 Update for Researchers

Special Collections & Archives is open from 11-5, Monday-Friday during the fall semester with the reading room capacity limited to two simultaneous patrons. Masks must be worn while in the Reading Room, and appointments are required as described below. For questions, please email us at scaref@bowdoin.edu.

Access Our Collections and Services

• Bowdoin community members: Bowdoin researchers can request an appointment by contacting us at scaref@bowdoin.edu or calling x3288.  Any materials not already on a hold shelf that need to be consulted must be requested at least two business days in advance via our online Registration & Requesting System.

• Members of the public:  Limited access to the reading room will be available by appointment only and must be made at least two business days in advance. Appointments may be requested by contacting us at scaref@bowdoin.edu. We will conduct a preliminary reference interview to determine the feasibility and length of your potential research visit. We will do our best to accommodate all requests but reserve the right to decline appointment requests due to limited space and staffing. Anyone approved to visit must be fully vaccinated and will be asked to provide proof of vaccination in the form of a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Card in advance of a visit. Researchers will be escorted in and out of the Library and are required to wear masks at all times. Any materials to be consulted must be requested at least two business days in advance via our online Registration & Requesting System.

• Remote Research Services:  We will continue to offer remote research support services for those who cannot or prefer not to visit in-person, including those outside of the Bowdoin community.  Please email us at scaref@bowdoin.edu if you have a reference question, or would like assistance getting started with your research. 

• Instructional Services:  Bowdoin faculty who would like to discuss, plan, or schedule visits for the Fall 2021 semester, please contact Marieke Van Der Steenhoven at mvanders@bowdoin.edu.  Visit our instructional website for more details as well as ideas about how to incorporate object-based learning into your syllabus.

• Digital Collections:  More than 300,000 items in Special Collections have been digitized and are freely available online across a variety of platforms. These sources can easily be incorporated into research and teaching.  FMI contact Digital Archivist, Meagan Doyle at mdoyle@bowdoin.edu.

Documenting Bowdoin & COVID-19