August 6, 2001 Donation of Mello archive celebrated By John Newman A reception held at University House celebrated one of McHenry Library's most recent acquisitions--an oral history narration about one of the most influential legislators in the history of Central California politics, and a guide to the extensive personal archive he donated to the library: Henry J. Mello: A Life in California Politics. Henry J. Mello's oral history and personal archive have been donated to McHenry Library. Photo: John Newman The oral history and autobiography was edited by UCSC Regional Historian Randall Jarrell from a dozen interviews conducted in 1998. Mello's personal archive and the oral history officially became part of the UCSC library's special collections at the ceremony June 30. The history documents Mello's life and political career from his childhood in Watsonville, where he was born in 1924, until he was forced to retire from his state senate seat due to term limits in December 1996. The Mello volume, and other oral history volumes documenting regional history, are available in Special Collections at McHenry Library, UCSC, and at Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley. Photocopied, indexed copies can be purchased at cost. For additional information, e-mail the Regional History Project or call (831) 459-2847.