Collection Guide
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American Religions Collection
ARC Mss 1
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Title: American Religions Collection
Creator:
Melton, J. Gordon
Identifier/Call Number: ARC Mss 1
Physical Description:
337.5 Linear Feet
(270 cartons)
Date (inclusive): circa 1840–2010
Date (bulk): 1970–1990
Abstract: Approximately 1,000 linear feet of manuscripts mainly relating to 20th century non-traditional religions and splinter groups
of larger religious bodies in North America. The core of the collection, assembled by J. Gordon Melton, includes major sections
relating to Astrology, Buddhism, Christian Science, Evangelical Christian, Hindu, Islam, Magick, Mormon, New Age, Spiritualism,
Theosophy, and numerous other groups and movements.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library
Language of Material:
English
.
The collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
[Identification of item], American Religions Collection, ARC Mss 1, Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library,
University of California, Santa Barbara.
The bulk of the collection was donated by J. Gordon Melton in the 1980s. Melton and others continue to add to the collection.
The container list in this guide includes folder level descriptions of materials mainly housed in the American Religions Collection
(ARC). Prior to 2016, the collection was housed in file cabinets; it has since been rehoused in archival cartons. Contents
of most, but not all, of the cartons are listed. Religious groups and families generally are listed as they appear in J. Gordon
Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions> (8th edition, 2009).
The bulk of the orginal collection resulted from the research and publishing activities of J. Gordon Melton, with ongoing
additions coming both from him and other sources.
J. Gordon Melton papers, ARC Mss 20. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California,
Santa Barbara.