An important part of the Resources, Archives, and Discovery (RAD) unit is Special Collections, which contains rare and unique sources about the history of health and healthcare in the state and the Southwest. Types of materials in our holdings include oral histories, archival collections, rare books, photographs, artifacts and monographs. Collecting strengths include the history of tuberculosis treatment, the UNM Health Sciences Center, public health, New Mexico's medical providers, and the oral history collection.
Special Collections is open to all researchers and students are especially welcome - you do not need prior archival experience! Physical holdings are available for use in the Library during research appointments, which can be made by contacting the archivist. The archivist can also provide reference support and ideas for and guidance about research/class projects.
In addition to physical archives, Special Collections has a variety of materials digitized and available to view online, including oral histories, images, and other historical documents. Access guides to our processed collections here.
To learn more about using Special Collections, please visit our guide.