Many librarians wonder whether there is any real logic to lumping libraries and museums under the same federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Connecticut Historical Society provides a good example why this seems very logical indeed.
When researching a topic such as the American Civil War, the serious researcher would expect to mine many sources. There might be trips to libraries, archives, and museums. The researcher might find relevant printed materials, manuscripts, photographs, broadsides, prints, or even 3-dimensonal items such as flags, portraits, or weaponry. Anyone doing Civil War research with a Connecticut angle would find all these resources in one place at the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) in Hartford. And when visiting, the researcher would enjoy one access point to this library/archives/museum material. As is becoming a trend in similar institutions, the CHS now provides one point of access for all collections. Historians, genealogists, students, hobbyists, and tourists all have access to the “Museum and Library” collections through the CHS Research Center. This helps give both the researcher and the staff a more holistic view of historical subjects, thereby helping to make all those connections critical for good research.
The CHS “is one of the oldest historical societies in the nation and houses one of the most distinguished museum and library collections in New England. The museum’s collections include more than 242,000 prints and photographs and 38,000 objects, with strengths in 17th and 18th century furniture; costume and textiles; portraits and landscapes; tavern and trade signs; decorative arts; and toys and tools. The library holds more than 125,000 volumes, 1,300 maps, 3,700 broadsides, and three million manuscripts, including one of the nation’s finest genealogical collections.” CHS has exhibition galleries, offers educational programs, public programs and events, and they are lead participants in Connecticut History Online, a cooperative digital collection of over 15,000 images. Currently CHS provides an Internet-accessible OPAC for a portion of the library and archives collections. Museum collections are accessible via an on-site search tool, but this database will be available on the Internet soon also.
CHS’s Civil War collections demonstrate how CHS can provide research material in multiple forms. The print collections include most of the regimental histories for Connecticut, as well as published service records. Genealogists often receive assistance in finding information on ancestors who may have enlisted in one of the Connecticut regiments. Ephemera collections include a “covers” collection. These covers are actually envelopes with political and pro-war slogans. Other manuscripts available include soldier diaries, letters, muster rolls, recruiting broadsides, and some of the papers of the war Governor, William Buckingham. Among the more interesting letters are those between a Union soldier and his future wife at home (in both directions), and the letters of the African-American soldier Joseph Cross. Many of the manuscript collections on the Civil War are searchable on the CHS website. The graphics collections include engravings and lithographs, as well as photographs of groups, individuals, and battlefield shots. CHS has a fine collection of carte de visites organized by regiment and searchable by name. Among the “museum” collections are uniforms, soldier accoutrements, firearms, swords, and a surgeon’s field desk complete with the monthly reports filed by the surgeon. CHS has a jaw-dropping hand-painted, silk regimental flag which was hanging near Lincoln at Ford’s Theater. CHS also has a more mundane and (presumably) jaw-breaking piece of hardtack (a hard biscuit) saved by a soldier when he received it on his last day of service. CHS has what may be the only known surviving banner from the “Wide-Awakes,” an organization of young Republicans who marched frequently during the early days of the Republican Party.
Though historians of the Civil War will find much to study at CHS, it is genealogical research that provides 50 percent of CHS inquiries. CHS has a large collection of both published and unpublished genealogies. There are collections of local histories, published vital records, church records, cemetery inscriptions, city directories, genealogical periodicals, and major genealogical resources on microfiche and microfilm. CHS provides onsite access to Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest Online, and New England Ancestors.
Genealogists and other CHS visitors will find many other treasures at CHS. For example, CHS holds the largest collection of 18th- and 19th-century tavern, hotel, and inn signs to be found anywhere. These signs were featured in a recent “Antiques Roadshow” program on PBS. The signs make for a spectacular display in the Auditorium. As well as the print and manuscript collection of Civil War material, CHS has important Connecticut collections on African American history, early almanacs, early bookbinding, famous historic Connecticut authors, early Children’s literature, newspapers, Connecticut imprints, account books, and early travel accounts.
CHS is only on its second year providing a single access point to its Museum and Library collections. Librarians will be interested in how CHS divided their staff teams on the lines of Collections Development vs. Collections Access rather than Museum vs. Library. Despite the need for cross-training, libraries like CHS are seeing the benefits of this approach with better service to their users.
The Connecticut Historical Society is located on One Elizabeth Street in Hartford. For more information, go to their website at www.chs.org .
An edited version of this article appeared previously in Connecticut Libraries.
