Generations of researchers who rely on primary sources faced a frustrating hurdle. Conducting original historical research typically required traveling to distant archives, navigating cost-prohibitive interlibrary loans, or adjusting a project’s scope based on access to sources. For students engaged in a senior honors thesis or a graduate seminar, these logistical barriers frequently choked academic curiosity before research even began. As a result, scholarship was often limited to specific geographic locations or well-funded departments.
To democratize the research process at UC Santa Barbara, UCSB Library recognized the need to expand the depth of its primary source collections beyond the holdings of its renowned Special Research Collections. The Library solved this dilemma by adding a comprehensive suite of digital archives from AM, formerly known as Adam Matthew, to the Library’s general collections. This significant acquisition makes millions of curated historical materials available to UCSB researchers and students across every discipline, at any hour, from anywhere. AM’s digital archives span global themes of race, power, and social change across different geographies, including collections such as Apartheid South Africa and The Gilded Age and Progressive Era.
That breadth has opened new possibilities across multiple disciplines, particularly for students. Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian Heather Nisen immediately added these resources to her research guides for upper-division classes, honors thesis seminars, and graduate students. “These archives completely level the playing field,” Nisen said. “Students can now interrogate rare global documents from their laptops, sparking breakthroughs that used to require expensive travel.”
Embedding digital archives directly into the research pathways students already use is central to how the Library supports deep, original scholarship. This integration fosters greater independence, from undergraduates writing their first thesis to doctoral students building new arguments. Chizu Morihara, the Library’s Director of Collection Strategies, added, “The depth and range of AM’s collections means students can pursue independent, evidence-based scholarship across disciplines.”
Funded entirely through the Library's core state-supported collections budget, this initiative underscores a lasting institutional commitment to equity in research. By continuously integrating premier digital collections and tools, UCSB Library ensures that all scholars at UCSB have access to the high-quality primary sources necessary to uncover new historical insights, ensuring their questions can take them anywhere.
