| Archives & Records Management Handbook |
Chapter 4 Archives
The University Archives' historical materials consist of permanent institutional records created by university departments and offices; photographs; collections of private papers created by Oregon State University faculty, alumni; or organizations; official university publications; memorabilia; motion picture films and videotapes; and oral histories.
Permanent
Institutional Records
Permanent institutional records created by university departments,
offices, committees, or organizations include (but are not limited
to) correspondence, annual and biennial reports, final research
and special reports, policy statements and procedure manuals,
meeting minutes, architectural drawings, and celebration records.
These materials document the development and functioning of Oregon
State University since its establishment as a land-grant institution
in 1868. They are organized into approximately 160 record groups
by originating college, department, office, or organization.
Photographic
Collections
Photographic collections include approximately 200,000 images
made and/or assembled by university staff, commercial photographers,
and individuals. They document campus buildings and development;
instruction and research; faculty, staff, students, and alumni;
Extension Service programs; and the state of Oregon. The Archives'
photographs are organized into about 235 photograph groups by
office of origin, donor, subject, or photographer.
Manuscript
Collections
Manuscript collections are the personal papers of faculty, administrators,
and alumni as well as the records of student, faculty, and staff
organizations; honorary societies; and professional organizations
in extension, agriculture, and education. These collections include
correspondence, speeches, manuscripts of publications and reprints,
diaries, teaching materials, research files, photographs, scrapbooks,
and sound recordings.
Publications
Almost all publications produced by the University and its offices,
departments, and affiliated organizations are routinely acquired
by the Archives. These include catalogs, newsletters, brochures,
bulletins, students publications such as the Beaver yearbook and
the Daily Barometer campus newspaper, directories, faculty and
student handbooks, schedules of classes, OSU Press monographs
and series, and selected Extension Service and Experiment Station
publications. The Archives' holdings include about 500 groups
of continuing and inactive publications.
Memorabilia
Collection
Individual items of historical value such as programs, posters,
brochures, clippings, buttons, pennants, stickers, and other ephemera
comprise the Memorabilia Collection. It includes information about
OSU buildings and campus development; academic departments and
programs; research, extension, and outreach; faculty, staff, and
alumni; students organizations; intercollegiate and intramural
athletics; and other campus events, activities, and issues. It
also includes limited information about Corvallis, Benton County,
and the mid-Willamette Valley region.
Motion
Picture Films and Videotapes
The Archives holdings include about 3,600 motion picture films,
reels or videotapes of final productions and unedited footage
of intercollegiate athletics, lectures, musical performances,
and other special events at the University as well as final productions
prepared by the Extension Service and the University's communications
units.
Oral
Histories
Transcripts and sound recordings of oral history interviews with
faculty, alumni, and residents of Corvallis and Benton County
document Oregon, OSU, and local history. The oral histories were
made by OSU students, the former Horner Museum, and OSU faculty
and staff.
