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Theatre & Performance Studies Research Guide

Your guide to Theatre & Performance Studies resources in the UM Libraries!

About The Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library (MSPAL)

Opened in 2000 as part of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library (MSPAL) is the central location on the College Park campus for music, theatre, and dance materials.

Our holdings total over 56,000 books, 156,000 musical scores, 130,000 audio and video recordings, 4500 microform titles, and 281 active journal subscriptions - and they keep growing!

MSPAL is also home to two Special Collections units:

  • Special Collections in Performing Arts (SCPA) 

  • International Piano Archives at Maryland (IPAM)

Both have materials that may be of interest to theatre researchers. Special Collections play by different library rules, so don't be afraid to contact the curators of SCPA and IPAM for help using their collections.