The archives—not a dark, dusty room tucked away in a corner—are an important part of the pedagogy and legacy of Hampshire College. Access is available to everyone.
The mission of the Hampshire College Archives and Special Collections is to preserve and make accessible the records of Hampshire College as well as the creative and scholarly output of its students and faculty. In The Making of a College, by Franklin Patterson and Charles R. Longsworth, the authors refer to the library as the "educative aorta of the College." The Hampshire College Archives and Special Collections is an important part of the heart of the College, providing access to institutional heritage.