American Antiquarian SocietyThe AmericanAntiquarianSociety(AAS), locatedin Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned societyand nationalresearch library of pre-twentieth centuryAmerican history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is theoldest historical society in the United States with a na-tional focus.[3] Its main building, known as AntiquarianHall, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark in recogni-tion of this legacy.[4] The mission of the AAS is to collect,preserve and make available for study all printed recordsof what is now known as the United States of America.This includes materials from the rst European settle-ment through the year 1876.[5]The AAS oers programs for professional scholars, pre-collegiate, undergraduate and graduate students, educa-tors,professional artists,writers,genealogists,and thegeneral public.[6] AAS has many digital collections avail-able, including ANewNation Votes: American ElectionReturns 17881824.[7]The collections of the AAS contain over three millionbooks, pamphlets, newspapers, periodicals, graphic artsmaterials and manuscripts. The Society has two thirdsof the books printed in the United States before 1820;many of these volumes are exceedingly rare and a num-ber of them are unique.[8] Historic materials from all ftyU.S. states, most of Canada and the British West Indiesare included in the AAS repository. One of the more fa-mous volumes held by the Society is a copy of the veryrst book printed in America, the Bay Psalm Book.[9]AAS also has one of the largest collections of newspa-pers printed in America through 1876, with more thantwo million issues in its collection.[10]1 HistoryOn the initiative of Isaiah Thomas, the AAS was foundedon October 24, 1812 through an act of the MassachusettsGeneral Court.[11] It was the third historical society es-tablished in America, and the rst to be national in itsscope.[12] Isaiah Thomas started the collection with ap-proximately 8,000 books from his personal library.[13]The rst library building was erected in 1820 in down-town Worcester, Massachusetts.[14] In 1853, the Societymoved its collections to a larger building at the cornerof Highland Street, also in Worcester.[15] This buildingwas later abandoned and another new building was con-structed.Designed by Winslow, Bigelow & Wadsworth,the Georgian Revival building was completed in 1910and stands on the corner of Park Avenue and SalisburyStreet. There have been several additions to this buildingto accommodate the growing collection, the most recentof which was completed in 2003.[16]1.1 History of printingAs part of AASs mission as a learned society, it of-fers a variety of public lectures and seminars. One topicto which AAS dedicates signicant academic energiesis printing technology, especially in eighteenth-centuryBritish North America. Since Isaiah Thomas was a news-paper man himself, he collected a large number of printedmaterials.[17] With regard to printing, paper making, edi-tion setting,and reprinting,not much had changed inEuropean technology by the eighteenth century. It wasnot until the late eighteenth century that paper-makingmaterial began to evolve from a hand-woven cloth to anindustrial pulp. AAS undertakes special eorts to pre-serve printed records from this time period, as the So-ciety maintains an on-site conservation department withvarious sewing, cloth, and binding materials to aid in thepreservation process.[18]2 Notable membersIsaiah Thomas, the founder of the American Antiquarian SocietyTheAmericanAntiquarianSocietys membershipin-cludes scholars, writers, journalists, lmmakers, collec-12 6 EXTERNAL LINKStors, and civic leaders.[19] Notable members include thefollowing:John AdamsJohn Quincy AdamsKen BurnsElihu BurrittJimmy CarterBill ClintonCalvin CoolidgeWalter CronkiteEsther ForbesHenry Louis GatesAnnette Gordon-ReedRutherford B. HayesAndrew JacksonThomas JeersonJill LeporeJames MadisonDavid McCulloughJames MonroeNathaniel PhilbrickDorothy B. PorterFranklin Pierce RiceFranklin D. RooseveltTheodore RooseveltWilliam H. TaftWoodrow Wilson3 See alsoHistory of booksList of antiquarian societiesMassachusetts Historical SocietyJohn RatcliList of National Historic Landmarks in Mas-sachusettsNational Register of Historic Places listings innorthwestern Worcester, Massachusetts4 References[1] National Register Information System. National Regis-ter of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23.[2] American Antiquarian Society. National Historic Land-mark summary listing.National Park Service.Retrieved2008-07-10.[3] Gura, Philip F. The American Antiquarian Society, 18122012: A Bicentennial History (Worcester: American An-tiquarian Society, 2012) p. x[4] http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=775&ResourceType=Building[5] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/mission.htm[6] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/programs.htm[7] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/digitalaas[8] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/tours.htm[9] Gura, p. 24[10] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/newspapers.htm[11] Gura, p. 1[12] http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=775&ResourceType=Building[13] Gura, p. 33[14] Gura, p. 32[15] Gura, pp. 98-99[16] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/development.htm[17] Gura, pp. 14, 33[18] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/conservation.htm[19] http://www.americanantiquarian.org/members.htm5 Further readingGoslow, Brian(2014-01-30). Worcestersbestkept secret: The American Antiquarian Society be-longs to everyone. Worcester Magazine. Retrieved2014-10-10.Gura, PhilipF. TheAmericanAntiquarianSoci-ety, 18122012: A Bicentennial History (Worcester:American Antiquarian Society, 2012) 454 pp.Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society.Worcester, Mass.: the Society, 18436 External linksAmerican Antiquarian Society Homepage37 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses7.1 Text AmericanAntiquarianSociety Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Antiquarian_Society?oldid=668839053 Contributors:Jengod, WhisperToMe, Sfoskett, Ceyockey, Pentawing, Fahrenheit451, Tim!, Eyu100, Vegaswikian, AaronB0413, TexasAndroid, Rjensen,Tony1, Doncram, SmackBot, Zyxw, Hmains, Neddyseagoon, Cydebot, Einbierbitte, Missvain, Bobblehead, Floridasand, Appraiser, Jllm06,Doug Coldwell, Pvmoutside, Balloonguy, Vox Rationis, Shawn in Montreal, Josette, Shortride, FitzColinGerald, Bleaney, LanceBarber,Lightmouse, Rosiestep, Sfan00 IMG, Od Mishehu AWB, Found5dollar, Lx 121, DumZiBoT, Felix Folio Secundus, Dudemanfellabra,Innapoy, Yobot, Magicpiano, AnomieBOT, Ksferrante, M2545, Linguisticgeek, Historianofart, Ocaasi, Foraminifer, Churn and change,Sonanto, IPBiographer, Amfraas and Anonymous: 97.2 Images File:Coat_of_arms_of_Massachusetts.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Coat_of_arms_of_Massachusetts.svg License: Public domain Contributors: Seal_of_Massachusetts.svg Original artist: Seal_of_Massachusetts.svg: Adaptation by User:Sagredo File:Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Folder_Hexagonal_Icon.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0 Contributors: ? 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