About the Collection
The Mallet Collection is a unique and fascinating collection of 18th-, 19th-, and early 20th-century works on French Canadians, Franco-Americans, and Native Americans*. These materials comprised the personal library of Major Edmond Mallet (1842-1907), a Franco-American Civil War veteran from Oswego, N.Y., who served as Inspector General for Indian Affairs under President Grover Cleveland.
This collection of 6,000 items incorporates materials relating to the French exploration and settlement of the New World, as well as rare documents relating to Native Americans. The dichotomous nature of the collection reflects the two primary interests of Major Mallet: his French Canadian heritage and the integration of New World settlers with existing Native American settlements.
L’Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste d’Amérique, a society dedicated to Franco-Americans and French Canadian ancestry, acquired the collection in 1913, six years after Major Mallet’s death. In March 2004, the U.S.J.B., now part of Catholic Financial Life, transferred the collection to the Emmanuel d’Alzon Library at Assumption University. In December 2012, Catholic Financial Life transferred full owernship of Mallet's book collection to Assumption and donated Mallet's manuscript, correspondence, and map collection.
*Here, the term "French Canadians" refers to people of French descent, living in Canada. "Franco-Americans" refers to people of French or French Canadian descent, living in the United States. "Native Americans" refers to indigenous peoples of North America.
About the Digital Exhibit
Because many of the items in the Mallet Collection are quite old and delicate, the collection is non-circulating—that is, items in the collection do not leave the library. However, to allow the public to enjoy the collection, the staff developed a digital exhibit of some of its most interesting pieces. This website includes fascinating scenes from the early Christian missions in the rural west, a look back at French explorers’ mark on North America, rare maps of 18th- and 19th-century United States and Canada, artwork depicting Native Americans in their tribal communities, and stately portraits of some of our nation’s great presidents and soldiers.
All images on this site are the property of the Emmanuel d'Alzon Library at Assumption University. All printing and saving of the images with intent to publish or distribute is strictly prohibited. For questions about the digital exhibit or about the Mallet Collection at d’Alzon Library, please contact Kate Bradley at (508) 767-7495 or k.bradley@assumption.edu.