Search digital content from Special Collections & Archives.
LaBudde Special Collections is made up of manuscript materials that focus on music, especially Kansas City Jazz, women’s and gender studies, and popular culture. LaBudde also includes rare books with a strong focus on Western Americana, especially Kansas and Missouri, music, and more. It is home to the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America (GLAMA).
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What to expect
Room 326, the reading room for LaBudde Special Collections, is a quiet study area and all library users are welcome.
- We only allow water in our space to prevent pests and protect materials
- We have different hours than the rest of the building, please check to make sure we’re open before you plan a visit
- Please use the buttons below to learn more about using the collection, scheduling tours or instruction sessions, and getting digital duplicates of collection materials
LaBudde Special Collections
- Located on the third floor of Miller Nichols Library
- 800 E 51st Street, Kansas City, MO 64110
- (816) 235-1532
- Contact LaBudde Special Collections
- Student, staff, and metered parking lots are located on the north side of the building.
- Plan your visit
History of the Library
LaBudde Special Collections was dedicated on September 22, 2002, in honor of Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde (1920-2000), Professor of History, who served as Director of UMKC Libraries from 1950 to 1985. Dr. LaBudde was instrumental in the building of the General Library, dedicated in 1969, and its completion as the Miller Nichols Library, dedicated in 1991. His comprehensive knowledge of history and Americana shaped the department’s foundation collection, the Robert M. Snyder, Jr. Collection. He also selected material for the “Z” Collection, covering fine printing and the book arts, literature, architecture, and landscape design.
