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Digital Archives Collection

Past Library Director, Sister Rose Hobbs, applied to the Capital District Library Council and received approval for the Maria College Library to participate in a statewide digitization project funded by a grant and coordinated by CDLC.  The Empire State Library Network (formally called New York 3Rs Association‘s) digital heritage website connects more than 170 digital collections.  Images for the site are contributed by libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions.  Library staff members were thrilled to have the opportunity to add historical photographs and documents to this important website for New York State history, which has nationwide access.  
Our digital collection contains a selection of the archival materials depicting Maria’s early days, including the groundbreaking ceremony and blessing of the College, as well as historical photographs of faculty, students, board members, presidents, and local religious community leaders and politicians.

 

Click here to view the Maria College Digital Archives Collection

Digital Collections

This digital collection contains a selection of archival materials depicting Maria’s early days, including the groundbreaking ceremony and blessing of the College, as well as historical photographs of faculty, students, board members, presidents, and local religious community leaders and politicians.
Maureen Paula O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress.  She was married to the director John Farrow and had seven children with him (one of whom was actress Mia Farrow).  After being widowed for twenty years, O’Sullivan was married to her second husband, James Cushing, a Niskayuna, NY businessman, from August 22, 1983 until her death in 1998.  Mr. Cushing was a member of the board of trustees for Maria College, Albany, NY.  This collection represents personal correspondence written by O’Sullivan to Sister Laureen Fitzgerald, former President of Maria College, as well as the wedding announcement and photographs of O’Sullivan and Cushing related to Maria College events.
The Maria College Glee Club of the 1960s and 1970s was led by Director/Conductor, J. Robert Sheehan, and included the Religious Sisters of Mercy and students of the College.  The glee club presented programs during the Christmas season and for the Spring Festivals.  The Glee Club Collection contains songs from two glee club record albums digitized to mp3s, a photograph of the glee club and a Spring Festival program.  In addition, there is a Christmas album sung by the Priests’ Choir of the Diocese of Albany, Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Albany Diocese and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.
The Mariale, the spring literary magazine of Maria College, prevailed from 1961-1976 (missing year 1965).  There are 446 creative works (titles) within the literary magazines.  Illustrations and photographs by students are also included.  Some issues of “The Mariale” have themes.  The 1966 issue is based upon peace as a theme due to the Vietnam War.  In the 1975 issue, the Bicentennial of the United States of America is celebrated, and the students of Maria College commemorate the following:  the spirit of being a citizen of the United States, colonialism, honoring George Washington, Henry Hudson, Quilting, and American Couture. Patrons will be able to read the spirited works of the Religious Sisters of Mercy and the students of the College, understand the historical and literary value of the College and the time period.
The Promarian Newsletter prevailed from 1960 until 1966. The newsletter details the happenings of Maria College campus from course curriculum, the ideas of the Pope which is headlined as “The Pope Speaks…”, poetry, the study of languages and literature, biology laboratories, and discussions regarding the library, music, and glee clubs. Some of the Religious Sisters of Mercy (RSM) faculty give suggestions and ideas of how to teach the lower and upper grades of primary school to future teachers, called, “Our Corner.” The RSM give helpful hints on how to maintain a classroom setting with all learners and creative crafts for children. Some of the passages provide insightful information regarding the Sister Formation, information on the founder of the RSM, Catherine McAuley, and understanding the Roman Catholic Church. Photographs of the RSM and future sisters in their habits are important to the time period, especially in the early sixties. The mid-sixties photographs show the transition of when lay students were allowed to attend the college.                                                                

Maria College celebrated its 60th anniversary on April 25, 2018. In honor of the 60th Anniversary of Maria College, the anniversaries collection comprises of invitations, programs, Maria College Reporter articles, proclamations, speeches, letters, and advertisements with celebratory congratulations from dignitaries and companies of the 25th, 50th and 60th anniversaries. The Proclamations signed by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, New York State Governor David Paterson, and Assemblyman Neil Breslin and more share the history of milestones of the college including the charter date of the college on April 25, 1958 and curricular programs of Maria College.

Maria College Occupational Therapy Department Assistive Device Collection.

The Occupational Therapy Assistive Devices Collection is from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, and housed at Maria College's McAuley Building in the OT Library.

Maria College Reflections Yearbook Collection

The Maria College “Reflections” Yearbook Collection prevailed from 1967-1976 and 1980.  The Yearbooks contain photographs of of Maria College clubs, student senate, and student activities. Local government officials and religious leaders such as Mayor Erastus Corning II and Bishop Scully, and advertisements from local vendors are also included in the photographs. Some of the yearbooks contain poetry or sayings as a “Reflection” of the students’ memories made at Maria College. For example, in the 1980 issue of the yearbook, it details the adoption of the Maria College Logo, and its history and representation. In this issue, there are illustrations of the activities of Maria College such as: the Maria Olympics, raffles, holidays, the gift of life, and ale.

Maria College Nursing 50th Anniversary Collection

Celebrating 50 years of nursing education at Maria College, this collection features photographs and documents that tell the program's story from 1968 to 2020. This includes White Tea Ceremony photographs, invitations, and programs for events hosted by the college nursing program, and photographs of students, faculty, and facilities that have played important roles in the growth of the nursing program.

Loan Policy for Archive Materials

Physical objects:
If a patron would like to check out a physical object (photograph, slide, graduate memorabilia) from the Maria College Archives Collection, a loan form must be filled out with dates of use and usage for the object.  Approval is up to the discretion of the Library Director and librarians of the Maria College Library. 
Please provide Library Director and librarians at least one week to gather the resources needed for your research.  Please plan ahead.
Paper Documents:
Paper documents are restricted use, and are not allowed to leave the archive.  Library Director, librarians and library staff will obtain the needed documents, and photocopy necessary print documents for the researcher.
Please provide Library Director, librarians, and library staff at least one week to gather the resources needed for your research.  Please plan ahead.
Terms of Borrowing Item:
Most items (physical items) to be borrowed for use are for display purposes only.  The patron will handle with care during the loan period. 
The patron is not to do the following to the item:  clean, repair, or transform the item in any way, shape, or form. 
The Maria College Library Director and librarians are allowed to review where the items will be housed for the loan period and that proper protocols are maintained for preservation and security purposes. 
Loan Period:
A loan period will be agreed upon by the patron and the Maria College Library Director and librarians.  Item/s need to be returned by or before the due date.  Maria College Library Director and librarians are allowed to ask for the item before the due date.

Latest News

Maria College Nursing 50th Anniversary Collection

Celebrating 50 years of nursing education at Maria College, this collection features photographs and documents that tell the program's story from 1968 to 2020. This includes White Tea Ceremony photographs, invitations, and programs for events hosted by the college nursing program, and photographs of students, faculty, and facilities that have played important roles in the growth of the nursing program.

Over the summer and fall of 2019, staff worked on the newest project to add to the New York Heritage website.  Staff digitized the Reflections Yearbook Collection produced from 1967-76, and 1980. The Yearbooks contain photographs of of Maria College clubs, student senate, and student activities. Local government officials and religious leaders such as Mayor Erastus Corning II and Bishop Scully, and advertisements from local vendors are also included in the photographs. Some of the yearbooks contain poetry or sayings as a “Reflection” of the students’ memories made at Maria College. For example, in the 1980 issue of the yearbook, it details the adoption of the Maria College Logo, and its history and representation. In this issue, there are illustrations of the activities of Maria College such as: the Maria Olympics, raffles, holidays, the gift of life, and ale.
Blessing and Open House for the New Library Wing of Maria College 7
Blessing and Open House for the New Library Wing of Maria College 4
Dominican Monastery Chapel
Original front entrance to Maria College 1
Sisters of Mercy Choir
Maria College Seal
Students in science lab
Maria College's first students

Archives Collection

In 2009, Sister Eleanor Little, Archivist of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Northeast Community, donated eighteen archival boxes of black and white photographs, documents, correspondence, publications and newspaper articles pertaining to the history of Maria College.  The archives has now grown to 78 boxes containing over 4000 items.

Special Collections

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Maria College, a special collection of historical titles was compiled and reclassified in 2008.   The purpose of this special collection is to support research, learning and teaching by collecting, cataloging, and preserving unique titles of interest to Maria College, the Sisters of Mercy and the broader academic community.
These titles are classified as “Special Collection” because of their research potential, uniqueness, rarity, early printing, limited availability, autographed edition and/or physical fragility.  These books, both fiction and non-fiction, may vary considerably, with a concentration on, but not limited to early America history and Catholicism. Also included is a small collection of children’s books. The collection came from sources such as college faculty, local convents, schools and churches.
Rare and unusual titles include:
Ordo Baptizandi Alique Sacramenta Administrandi, a priest’s missal for the sacrament of baptism in Latin, copyright 1686 and published in London by Hen. Hills.
The Key of Heaven, complied by Reverend J.F. Lang, an exquisite little brass and purple velvet bound collection of prayers for priests in superb condition, copyright 1885 by Greil, Wildermann and Company, New York.  The cover has a striking cross made of mother of pearl and brass.

Published Articles by Staff

Bouchard, E. R., Hobbs, R., & Guadrón, M. (2012)."We're Here for the Bodies": How the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception became part of Maria College. American Catholic Studies, 123(3), 91-105.