THE SOCIETY IS CHARGED BY STATE STATUTE TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, MAKE ACCESSIBLE AND PUBLISH MATERIAL RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF MISSOURI AND THE MIDDLE-WEST. TO FULFILL THIS MISSION, THE SOCIETY HAS ASSEMBLED A SPECIALIZED RESEARCH LIBRARY IN THE STATE. ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF STATE NEWSPAPERS IN THE NATION, AN IMPRESSIVE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION, AN ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM, EXTENSIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES AND ART HOLDINGS.