Local History and Special Collections
Macdonald DeWitt Library
Room 101 B
For an appointment, call: (845) 687-5208
Use of the Collection
Since many of the items in the local history room are rare or irreplaceable, access to the collection needs to be supervised. Security concerns require that individuals wishing to use the collection make appointments in advance through the Reference Department at (845) 687-5208. All individuals using the collection are required to enter into the guest book: name, address and materials consulted. A library staff member will either retrieve the items to be used, or accompany researchers while they make their selections. Items to be consulted will be signed for at the circulation desk with an SUNY Ulster library card or other form of identification. All materials will be used in the Reference Room or other visible location monitored by library staff. Since some items are old, unique or fragile, photocopies may be done only with the approval of the reference librarian.
Description of the Collection
The local history collection was formally established in 1972 in order to offer students and faculty opportunity for historical research as well as to meet the need for local history information in the community. The collection emphasizes material relating to Ulster County but also includes history of neighboring counties, the Hudson Valley and the Catskill Region and selected materials that treat the general history of the state. Materials collected include books, maps, postcards, a file of pamphlets, articles and newspaper clippings. There are some early census surveys, celebration publications, documents relating to the Ashokan Reservoir, brochures from Lake Minnewaska and the Mohonk Mountain House.
In recent years, new publications written about or by local authors, musicians and artists have been acquired. In most instances, two copies are purchased, one for the local history collection and the other for the circulating collection.
~ LOCAL AUTHORS
The Library collects books written by SUNY Ulster faculty
and alumni and other local authors. Use Catalist,
SUNY Ulter's Online Catalog to find the location of
these and other books in the library.
~ THE HENRY BLOCH COLLECTION
A collection of programs, scrapbooks, clippings and other
memorabilia of the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra 1980 - 1991
and the Overlook Lyric Theater 1992 - 1997.
~ THE HERRICK COLLECTION
A small collection of books, a photo album and other material,
including letters, tapes and memoribilia, were donated to
the library by puppeteer, Ron Herrick. These are shelved in
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS.
To view an excerpt of the transcript
of one of the tapes, and some photos of the puppets used in
Jack and the Beanstalk, click here.
~ THE MERRITT COLLECTION
A collection of books, a journal and other material were donated to the library by the Merritt Family. These are shelved in SPECIAL COLLECTIONS . To view a transcription of Sara A. Van Deusen Merritt's journal, click here.
~ THE ROSS COLLECTION
Scripts of all her plays were donated to the library by Ulster
County playwright, Andre Moul Ross. These are shelved in
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS.
~ THE ULSTER COUNTY BICENTENNIAL QUILT
To celebrate the 1976 American Bicentennial and honor their
county, one of the ten original counties of New York State,
forty-two Ulster County women designed and made this appliquéd
quilt.
Each woman created a 12-inch block and participated in the
quilting. The quilt is on display in it's own custom designed
case in the lobby of the Macdonald DeWitt Library, Ulster
County Community College, Stone Ridge, New York.
To view a photograph of the quilt, along with a list of the quilters, click here.
Go to Local History, Selected Resources
