Barney Frank, former U.S. representative, has donated his collection of personal papers detailing his public career to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, early this month.

Frank, 72, has given away more than 500 boxes full of papers, artifacts and recordings from his 32-year congressional career. He has also agreed to present a lecture every semester at the university.

He decided to donate these materials to UMass rather than his alma mater, Harvard University, as a token of appreciation to the southeastern Massachusetts community. This region was considered one of his strongholds, along with his home town of Newton.

Frank retired in January at the end of his term, after a 40-year political career, including 32 in Congress. Earlier, he served as the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

He said, 'Harvard "doesn't need me,"' and added that smaller public universities were important for the progress of the nation.

"If universities like this do not prosper, then America will not be near what it should be," Frank said.

Terrance Burton, the dean of the UMass Dartmouth library, acknowledged the material as a 'massive treasure trove.'

The archives, which will be housed in the university's Claire T. Carney Library, feature

- Frank's personal papers, detailing his career

- Notes on financial reform, the housing crisis, civil rights, gay rights, immigration reform, military spending and environmental protection;

- Memorabilia from his first Congressional election in which he defeated Margaret Heckler in 1982;

- Drafts from the preparation of the Financial Reform Bill, Dodd-Frank, and

- Material on legislation between 1973 and 1980 when he served in the Massachusetts Legislature.

University officials are planning to recruit a full-time archivist to catalogue Frank's collection of over four decades in public service, which is expected to be completed in three years of time.

Judy Farrar, university head of archives and special collections, said that selected portions will be digitized and posted online.

History professor Mark Santow said that Frank's material will now attract scholars and researchers to study his legacy.