Dancers from Enfield, a Quabbin town Classes from UMass Amherst, our peers in the Five Colleges, and other schools in the region meet regularly in the Department of Special Collections and University Archives to make use of the unique collections under our care. Members of the SCUA staff are always available to provide basic introductions to archival research, overviews of specific areas of historical interest, information about the collections, discussions of the history of UMass Amherst, or to lend assistance in archival and library studies. In recent years, the staff have hosted classes from history and American culture, African American studies, English and comparative literature, art history, and anthropology, among other disciplines.

SCUA staff are also available to help individual students plan or conduct research, and we welcome inquiries from students interested in internships in archival and library studies.

To help us prepare for class visits, we prefer to receive advance notice indicating how many students will be expected, their research interests (if relevant), and how long the class session is expected to last. A week's prior notice will ensure that we have adequate time to prepare. Individual appointments with students can be arranged at any time.

Tours of the SCUA facilities or collections can be arranged for individuals or small groups at any time during normal business hours or by special appointment.

Please contact the Head of Special Collections and University Archives or the Curator of Manuscripts for further information, or phone at (413) 545-2780.