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LELAND SPEED
LIBRARY
Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission The Mississippi Baptist Historical Collection is housed on the third floor of the Leland Speed Library on the Mississippi College Campus in Clinton. What are the hours of service? The collection is open to the public Monday-Friday 8-12 and 1-4:30, with the exception of university holidays. What materials are available in the collection? The Mississippi Baptist Historical Collection is composed of primary and secondary sources relating to Mississippi Baptist history, most notably Mississippi Baptist churches and Baptist associations. The Commission also maintains biographical information on Mississippi Baptist preachers and other significant individuals relating to the Mississippi Baptist Convention. Materials are available in a variety of formats, including published books; unpublished manuscripts; microfilm; serials, including The Baptist Record; vertical files; oral histories on cassettes; and photographs. Original church minutes and documents, dating from the early 1800s, are maintained in the fireproof vault. In the reading room, a variety of materials are available, including annuals from the Mississippi Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention from 1836 and 1859, respectively. Indexes and other finding aids for the collection are available for public use. Can I make photocopies of the materials? Yes, researchers are allowed to make photocopies of materials for $.15 per page. Materials considered fragile will be photocopied from the microfilm holdings and not from the original documents. If microfilm is not available, you will need to contact a staff member for photocopying. Will you provide assistance to help with my research? The staff at the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission will gladly assist researchers and the general public with requests. Reference requests are accepted through email, mail, and telephone; however, patrons who are able to visit the collection will be given priority. If you are not able to visit, the staff will provide as much research assistance as possible, but please realize that due to staffing limitations, in-depth research is not available. My church is celebrating an upcoming anniversary, what information is available in the collection to assist us? The Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission recognizes Mississippi churches on their 100th, 125th, 150th, 175th, and 200th anniversaries by presenting the congregations with a framed anniversary certificate and a letter of commendation. In addition, an historical overview of the church as derived from the appropriate associational minutes and other materials is prepared for the church, if requested, when staff time permits. The MBHC staff maintain a variety of materials related to Mississippi churches including a vertical file on each church in the Mississippi Baptist Convention, church histories that have been compiled by the congregations and other historians, original and microfilmed church minutes, information on Mississippi Baptist preachers, and The Baptist Record newspaper from 1877 to the present. Please note that the staff is available to offer direction and assistance to church members with their research, but due to departmental limitations, is unable to provide in-depth research on behalf of those members. My church would like to preserve the longevity of our church records, what is the best way to do this? An essential service of the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission is to ensure the longevity of Mississippi Baptist church records by having the documents microfilmed. The Commission will assist with the cost of microfilming the records for any church that wishes to preserve their historical documents. The Commission will assume the total cost of microfilming original records dated pre-1920, and will microfilm records 1921-present, on a percentile scale, assuming 50% of the remaining cost. If there is available space, churches are also welcomed to deposit their original minutes in our fireproof vault for safekeeping. If the church chooses to do this, ownership remains with the church, and the records will be stored in acid-free boxes in the vault away from the damaging effects of light. If you are interested in this valuable service, please contact the Commission staff. Can I search your collection online? Materials in the Mississippi Baptist Historical Collection are not presently listed in MICAL, the online catalog, but materials on Mississippi Baptists and related topics from the Leland Speed Library can be found in MICAL. For further information about the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission and its services send an e-mail to Kelly04@mc.edu.
Related sites for research: Baptist History and Heritage Society An independent organization dedicated to "helping Baptists discover, conserve, access, and share their history." The organization offer researchers the opportunity to publish materials concerned with Baptist history, including local church and association histories, through the Baptist History Book Publishing Program. Southern Baptist Historical Library & Archives One of the major denominational collections in the nation, SBHLA serves as the central depository and archives of SBC records. Researchers of local Southern Baptist church history who have identified individuals of broader denominational significance or exhausted local or state resources should utilize the resources of the SBHLA. Vital Records Information, United States Information about where to obtain vital records (such as birth, death & marriage certificates and divorce decrees) from each state, territory and county of the United States. Return to Speed Library Home Page Last updated: January 2, 2008 |
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