From Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America to Royal Shakespeare Company Archives, the University of Utah now has access to millions of pages of primary source content through a purchase of the Adam Matthew (AM) primary source collections. This access will empower greater research and teaching for faculty and students alike.  

The new investment in this database collection was facilitated by the library’s acquisition team led by Joel Thornton, Associate Dean for Collections and Scholarly Communication at the J. Willard Marriott Library. Since joining the library in 2022, Thornton has focused on developing long-term strategies that align with the university’s ambitious academic and research goals. 

“Historically, collection investments in primary source databases were made based on stakeholder requests for specific collections,” said Thornton. “This comprehensive investment with AM allows us to become increasingly strategic about our long-term goals, supporting current research and teaching needs and laying the foundation for emerging areas of study. This will position the U as a leader in interdisciplinary scholarship.” 

Alfred Mowdood, librarian and adjunct assistant professor in Health & Kinesiology, shared his thoughts on the acquisition, “It’s game-changing to have online access to resources like these. Looking through these records such as Popular Medicine in America, 1800-1900, you really get a unique insight into the people of the time and what they thought. For a research library with a strong collection in the history of medicine and science, this kind of resource is invaluable.” 

The database can be accessed through the library’s website and is available for all current University of Utah students, staff and faculty. Questions? Contact Mary Ann James at maryann.james@utah.edu.  

AM’s digital collections and technology platforms enrich the study, research and teaching of primary sources. AM, based out of the United Kingdom, works with libraries, archives and heritage institutions to digitize the world’s historical and cultural knowledge. With AM, patrons can discover award-winning archival collections, learn how to use them or create their own.