The Wallace E. Mason Library held a grand opening for its new Archives & Special Collections Center on October 2, 2010, as part of Homecoming Weekend. President Helen Giles-Gee, Library Dean Irene Herold, and Archivist Rodney Obien welcomed visitors and spoke about the importance of this facility. Student staffers Laura Ruttle, Brittany Arita, and Ryan LaLiberty also spoke about their work in the Archives & Special Collections.

Theater & Dance Prof. PeggyRae Johnson read a selection of poems from Then, Something and Duties of the Spirit by N.H. Poet Laureate Patricia Fargnoli, who was in attendance. Ms. Fargnoli recently donated her papers and manuscripts to the Archives & Special Collections.

KSC also recently received the papers of Edith Newlin Chase, a recognized children’s author and poet from Alstead, N.H., perhaps best known for The New Baby Calf (Scholastic). Margaret Perry and Ellen Chase, the author’s daughters, did a special reading of their mother’s prose and poetry, including The New Baby Calf.

The Center displayed the Chase Papers and books from the Robert Hubbard-Edward Gorey Collection.

The Center is the first true home for the College archives and special collections and features:

• A climate-controlled reading room and storage area
• Compact shelving that can accommodate over 800 linear feet of archival and book materials.
• Work space for up to 12 researchers or a small class.
• A state-of-art planetary book scanner for “gently” scanning book and archival materials.

The Center houses an impressive collection of:

• Rare and unique books on New Hampshire history, government, and literature.
• Rare and reference books on the Dublin Art Colony.
• Books and publications by the illustrator Edward Gorey, donated by Robert Hubbard of Walpole, N.H.
• College archives, including papers of the presidents; various records of academic and administrative departments and faculty senate;  photographs, scrapbooks, and albums; yearbooks, catalogues, student newspapers, and other school publications.
• Children’s Literature Festival Manuscript Collection, including the papers of 17 noted children’s authors: John Bierhorst, Georgess McHargue, Joseph Bruchac, Patricia C. McKissack, Eve Bunting, David M. McPhail, Susan Cooper, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Marguerite W. Davol, David Shannon, Ethel L. Heins, Elizabeth Yates, M. E. Kerr, Jane Yolen, Eric A. Kimmel, Jane Breskin Zalben, and Robert M. McClung.
• Papers of New Hampshire Senator Junie Blasidell.
• Papers of Patricia Fargnoli, former Poet Laureate of New Hampshire.
• Papers of Edith Newlin Chase, children’s author and poet.
• Papers of Louis de Rochemont, the maverick New Hampshire film producer.
• Orang Asli Archives, a collection of rare and unique manuscripts, books, and research material relating the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia.
• The Adolphe B. Pouliot journal, a rare record of a Franco-Canadian immigrant to the United States, ca. 19th century.
• Rare New Hampshire manuscript documents, such as a 1727 Oath to King George II and an original bound 1734 land-grant ledger.

The Archives & Special Collections Center is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.–4 p.m., or by appointment.

If you have letters, diaries, journals, photographs, scrapbooks, and albums that document the history of the College, everyday school life, or the history of the state or region that you would be interested in donating to a very good home, please contact Archivist Rodney Obien via email or phone: 603-358-2717.