An important part of aum's mission is the collection and preservation of cultural artifacts, particularly relating to counterculture movements between 1940 to 2000.

Central to the collection is this generous gift from Lake Wales, Florida, Public Library. It includes bound periodicals of Time, Newsweek, Life, and U.S. News and Word Report, dating from the late 1950s.

Understanding counterculture necessitates understanding mainstream news and events, and these volumes are a valuable resource.