presented by kristen j. nyitray head, special collections & university archives university...
TRANSCRIPT
Presented by Kristen J. NyitrayHead, Special Collections & University Archives
University Archivist
Special Collections & University ArchivesStony Brook University Libraries
About Our Collections
Coe Hall, 1958
ACCESS
BOOKSCOLLECTIONS
ARCHIVES DIGITAL
RESEARCH
The CollectionsMore than 35,000 titlesrare, scarce, limited editions350 Collections750 Maps and AtlasesUniversity ArchivesDigitized Collections
Coe Hall at Planting Fields, ca. 1958
Special Collections and University Archives support and collaborate with the University’s…
Faculty, Staff, and Students Academic and Administrative Departments
We offer comprehensive research assistance to regional, national, and international entities…Scholars and students (in-person and via e-mail, telephone, fax, letter)
Academic and Public Libraries - Historical Societies – Museums – GalleriesCommunity Organizations - Publishers – Authors
Brookhaven National Laboratory - Government Agencies
Access & ServicesAnnually: more than 500 transactionsReference and research services: e-mail, fax, telephone , ask a librarianFact-checking for university departments and media outlets Scanning and media reformatting
Processing of CollectionsPrior to 1999: Two collections processed (Javits and Yeats)
2000-2015: 200 collections processedTotal holdings: conservative estimate - over 20 million items
Acquisition to access: very time intensive process
Letter authored by George Washington, 1779
Digitized Collections and Initiatives
Website: over 500 pages
Programs: more than 150
Tours and class visitsInstructionExhibitions
Collaboration with local museums, historical
societiesPublications
Press releasesFlyers
University media campaigns
Marketing and Outreach
Facilities Management and Preservation Initiatives
All collections inventoried; register of collections; shelves labeled (8,000 sq. ft)Consolidation of materials by size and formatMigration and reformatting of print, audio/visual, and digital collectionsSystematic cleaning of stacks and public spaces by department Monitoring of environmental conditions (data-loggers)Installation of oversized shelving and protective top capsSecurity initiativesReplacement of damaged flooring and furniture with private funding
Sound Recordings
• music
• spoken word
• poetry
• plays
• speeches
Visual Materials• images, instead of or in
conjunction with words and/or sounds, are used to convey meaning
Examples
• original art, paintings, drawings, sculpture, architectural drawings and plans
• prints, which are works produced in multiple but limited numbers such as woodcuts, engravings, and etchings
• posters
• film and video
Artifacts
• convey important information about the lives and histories of peoples
• can be either man-made or naturally occurring
• documentary value, intrinsic worth, artistic merit, historical significance or scientific value
Examples
• war memorabilia
• jewelry
• textiles
• wool and silk
Maps and Atlases
• created in particular cultural contexts
• mapmakers may have hidden agendas or be influenced by political or social factors
• may reveal misperceptions or deliberate misrepresentations
Manuscript and Archival Material
• unique resources that can be found in only one library or institution
• distinct from other library materials in the ways they are described, accessed, handled and evaluated
• unpublished
Examples
• correspondence, diaries and journals, legal, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, objects, oral histories, computer tape, video and audio cassettes
Printed or Published Texts
Books and Pamphlets
• secondary source
• authors use primary source materials such as letters and diaries to write books
• can also be a rich source of primary source material
Examples
• published memoirs and autobiographies
Library, SBU, 1963