William L. Clements Library

09/09/2026

In a recent blog post, we began to explore the Weld-Grimké family correspondences which the digitization team at the Clements have been working for the last year to digitize and make accessible online.

The correspondences represent the big, complicated, fascinating lives of Sarah, Angelina, Theodore and their family through the 19th century and vast political and personal changes.

Digitization Specialist Ella Johnson had the honor of digitizing this collection, letter by letter, over the last year and getting to intimately know this family. Today, she will continue with some of the themes which drew her into this collection and a bit about the process of digitizing this collection: https://myumi.ch/bDb16

09/07/2026

Happy , Wolverines! It's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the long weekend. 😎

The Clements Library will be closed today in recognition of the holiday.

Labor Day / Frederick Kidder Houson, [1895?]

09/06/2026

Happy ! What are you reading today?

09/05/2026

It’s National Tailgating Day, Wolverines! Are you tailgating for the first game of the season?

that before the Big House opened in 1927, Michigan football games were held at the popular tailgating spot Ferry Field?

Will you be tailgating today for the first game of the season?

🏈: David V. Tinder Collection of Michigan Photography, Real Photo Postcard Series.

09/03/2026

Rolling strikes and taking names. Happy National Bowling League Day! 🎳

📸: Ransons Walloon Lake Bowling Alley, David V. Tinder Collection of Real Michigan Photography, Real Photo Postcard Series

09/02/2026

Happy ! We’re all set up near Mason Hall, come stop by and say hello!

09/02/2026

The Bowman sermons are an incredible addition to the holdings at the Clements Library, expanding our collection of Revolutionary War-era materials through a previously unknown voice.

When historic materials come up for sale, the opportunity to acquire them often arrives before funds can be raised. That’s why the Clements Library launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $40,000 for this important addition to the collection—and we’ve already reached 75% of our goal! Thanks to a generous 1:1 match from the Clements Library Board of Governors, every gift goes twice as far.

Help us build on this momentum and bring this valuable piece of history into the collection: https://myumi.ch/ww7Mp

09/01/2026

During James Watke-Stacy’s time as Intern for Instruction and Engagement, he was often tasked with looking through the Clements collections for materials that would assist with class instruction or an event.

Before graduating last spring, he compiled some lessons he learned through this process to share with students tackling archival research for the first time:

During James Watke-Stacy’s time as Intern for Instruction and Engagement, he was often tasked with looking through the Clements collections for materials that would assist with class instruction or an event. Before graduating last spring, he compiled some lessons he learned through this process to...

08/31/2026

Brynne Smith, an undergraduate student here at the University of Michigan, has joined us today for a Q&A to share what her day is like as the Student Library Assistant at the Clements! https://myumi.ch/111Qy

08/28/2026

William L. Clements began his collection with rare books about early European exploration of the Americas. As Clements was born in 1861, 19th-century topics like the Civil War were more like current events than history!

Mr. Clements wanted the acquisition of historical materials to continue after he founded the library in 1923. In fact, between 1925 and 1930, Clements acquired the papers of several notable figures in the revolution: British Generals Thomas Gage and Sir Henry Clinton, Cabinet Minister Lord George Germain, and the Hessian General von Jungkenn, creating the largest archive in the United States of manuscripts and maps relating to British conduct of the American Revolutionary War.

The Clements scope has expanded over years in time, types of materials, and topics. Subscribe to our blog to see the latest collections as they become available!