Silver Special Collections stewards and shares our collective story. We provide access to research materials relating to the study of Vermont, the history of the University of Vermont, and the history of the book as a form of humanistic expression.
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington, VT 05405
uvmsc@uvm.edu
(802) 656-2138
Our Special Collections material is handled in our well-lit reading room. Special Collections' location in the historic Billings Library offers a number of study spaces for the UVM community.
Librarians curate guides to courses, topics and more. Find your course guide for a specific semester or learn where to start your research within a specific subject area.
Read the stories behind our collections. 'Silver Stories' features blog posts about our collections, events, exhibits and news.
Special Collections librarians are available to help you access materials in the Vermont Research Collection, the University Archives, and the Rare Book collections. We can also suggest resources about our collections and provide research consultations for students and scholars.
Often, the best way to get started working with us is to just reach out. Research assistance is available in Special Collections during our open hours. We also provide remote reference service via email or by phone at (802) 656-2138.
We try to answer about hours and availability of materials the next business day. We answer other questions within two weeks.
There are many ways Special Collections helps UVM faculty and instructors.
Special Collections librarians provide introductions to archival research and teach or co-teach class sessions focused on our holdings in a particular subject area.
Class instructors may reserve our classroom to teach with Special Collections materials. We can help you locate materials to support your teaching.
Special Collections librarians visit your classroom to introduce students to our resources, research tools, and procedures and give presentations on specialized topics.
We create digital guides to help students identify Special Collections resources and tools useful for a class or assignment.
We identify and reserve material that students use on their own time in our reading room. Students can also make their own requests.
Special Collections librarians meet with individual students or small groups to discuss research strategies and suggest resources.
Learn more about the library instruction program.
Because working with Special Collections' materials can take some planning, we always suggest that the best way to work with us is to bein touch. Email or call us (802) 656-2138.
Special Collections welcomes students, faculty, staff, visiting researchers and the general public. Learn more about visiting Silver Special Collections.
The spring semester exhibit in the Apse on the third level of Billings Library "Peter Miller, Vermont Photographer" features the work of Peter Miller. Miller documented Vermont people and places during a period of cultural and economic change that, for Miller, threatened Vermont’s spirit and way of life. The exhibit includes photos of people and places selected from our Peter Miller Photograph Collection. Miller's self-published books that combine black and white photographs and stories are also on display. Stop by the Apse Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Shortly after Senator Patrick Leahy’s retirement from the Senate in 2023, three UVM congressional papers archivists began organizing his robust collection and preparing it for researchers to access. The project is funded by a $2.5 million Preservation Partnership Grant from the United States Senate Historical Office. The first two of 11 components of the collection—travel and campaign—are now available for public access through online discovery aids and by appointment at the UVM Silver Special Collections Library.
