Archives

The AGS Archives contains collections donated primarily by members and includes books, research papers, photographs, postcards, articles, and other gravestone related materials.  In April 2009, the AGS Board voted to transfer our Archives to the Department of Special Collections, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where the materials are cataloged and stored in secure, climate-controlled facilities under the care of trained professionals.  Research may be conducted according to the Department of Special Collections’ procedures. Please consult their website for information about planning a visit. Access to the AGS Archives is free and open to all researchers regardless of affiliation and academic credentials. AGS membership is not required to conduct research at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 

Click here to visit the Frank Calidonna Collection - the PV Panther Project, a digital collection based in our Archives.

Click here to visit the AGS Collections page at UMASS Amherst

A major benefit to membership is the journal Markers, the AGS Newsletter, now the AGS Quarterly, and conference programs.

The full run of Markers, including the newest volume, is available to all members through ProjectMuse via access granted by the University of Minnesota Press. Non-members can use ProjectMuse to access all of Volumes 1 through 25 and selected articles from Volumes 26 through the latest issue. Markers Volumes 1 through 25 remain accessible also through the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  The AGS Quarterly (Vol. 1, No. 1 1977 thru Vol. 34 No. 1/Winter 2010) and conference programs (1979-2015) are available in digital format by clicking on the links below.  Beginning with Vol. 46, No. 4/Winter 2022, the AGS Quarterly has been published in digital format only and so all  Please note that clicking on the links will direct you away from the AGS website to the external websites hosting these digital publication.

AGS Archives—Accessing Our Collections, a guide written by Nancy Adgent, Archives Committee Chair, from the Winter 2023 issue of the AGS Quarterly.

Intended to assist researchers, this list (as of 10-15-25) includes collections related to those in our AGS archives; however, it is not comprehensive.  Collections of individuals are listed by surname; business records are shown as the name appeared in records.

Note: Effective immediately, AGS has made the decision to temporarily stop accepting archival materials. We are actively processing our current holdings for transfer to the UMass Amherst Special Collections. We will let you know when we are again in a position to accept donations of materials.

In the meantime, if you have questions or would like to discuss issues related to the AGS archives, please contact Nancy Adgent, Archives Committee Chair, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Thank you.

If you are interested in participating in the Archives Committee, please contact the AGS office and advise of your interest. Current, retired, and aspiring librarians, archivists, records managers, and IT specialists are particularly encouraged to join us!