OVERVIEW
A university campus is a community of people, ideas, values, and tangible assets. Over the years, we have acquired objects that document our campus history and regional cultural heritage through donations and research. Recognizing the value of art, natural, cultural, and historical artifacts, our collections include priceless documents and artifacts, rare biological and mineral specimens, and an impressive body of contemporary art and film.
These resources are a treasure trove of visually arresting materials that support research, make substantial contributions to our teaching and outreach missions, and ensure compliance with state and federal statutes. Together with the DuBois Libraries collections, the Campus Collections Map transforms the campus into a virtual museum that makes it a destination of choice for students, parents, and alumni, and supports ongoing relationships with the public.
The Campus Collections Map was developed by Campus Planning in collaboration with the Campus Collections Committee under the direction of Simon Neame, Dean of UMass Amherst Libraries.
Click the image below to access the story map and get started!
ABOUT THE CAMPUS COLLECTIONS COMMITTEE
During the Campus Master Planning effort, an Ad-Hoc Collections Committee was created to better understand the existing UMass Amherst collections and develop a plan for future expansion. The committee was comprised of Directors/curators of campus academic collections, Campus Planning staff, and other related campus professionals.
The Committee defined existing collections and developed a framework to classify and quantify the collections space on campus. The UMass Amherst Collections 2013 report summarizes each collection, its mission, and the contact person responsible for the collection. The term "collection" was defined to include all campus holdings used for academic, research and outreach purposes, with the exception of the Libraries, which had recently completed a facilities master plan and strategy for its facilities.
The Campus Collections Committee aims to develop a holistic vision of the 'Campus as Museum' that will transform the physical campus into an immersive educational environment, make the campus a destination of choice for students, parents, and alumni, and support ongoing relationships with elected officials and the public. It intends to harness the irreplaceable assets in our collections to enhance research, teaching, outreach, and development activities.
For more information about the Committee, please contact Chair Julie Brigham-Grette, and about the map, please contact Co-Chair Ludmilla Pavlova-Gillham.