The collections offer a variety of historical resources ranging from fifteenth-century illuminated manuscripts to Civil War letters, Civil Rights documents and current Mississippiana. The University of Southern Mississippi’s Special Collections are located in the William David McCain building, erected in 1976. Nearly 24,000 square feet are dedicated to Special Collections, comprised of four units: University Archives; Rare Books and Mississippiana; Historical Manuscripts; and the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection.

Today the University Archives oversees the campus-wide records management program as well as maintaining archival records of USM dating from its founding. The University Archives also maintains oral histories conducted by USM’s Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage.