Updated 8/1/2024
The Special Collections & University Archives (SCUA) department of the Stewart Library focuses on collecting materials that document Ogden, Weber, and Davis Counties specifically and Northern Utah generally along with the historical, intellectual, and administrative records of Weber State University. Such materials include printed works and non-printed items such as photographs, maps, ephemera, personal papers and organizational records. The primary purpose of SCUA is to provide source material for administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the University community, as well as the local community, scholars, authors, and other interested persons. The factors determining the inclusion of materials in SCUA are to be approved by the Co-Heads of SCUA.
Core Mission of SCUA
The core mission of SCUA is as follows:
- To appraise, collect, organize, describe, make available, and preserve records of historical, legal, fiscal, and/or administrative value to Weber State University.
- To collect, preserve and make available the historic records of Weber and Davis Counties.
- To provide adequate facilities for the retention and preservation of such records.
- To provide information services that will assist the operation of the University.
- To serve research and scholarship by making available and encouraging the use of its collections by members of the University and the community at large.
- To promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, aims, programs, and goals of the University, and of the development of these aims, goals, and programs.
- To implement records management by formulating policy and procedures that will ensure the collection and preservation of archival materials.
- To house materials that are distinctive by reason of their age, origin, cost, special binding, illustrations, or other features that make them unique.
Book Collection
SCUA books includes rare or special books, along with books that relate to Utah, the West, in-house manuscript holdings, WSU Institutional works by faculty, students, administration, staff and other specified collecting areas.
Books of a rare or special nature which warrant their inclusion will be defined as follows:
- Books bearing an early imprint date:
- Publications outside the U.S. prior to 1801.
- Publications printed in the U.S. prior to 1821.
- Relevant publications printed in Utah from 1860 to 1930.
- Intrinsic - dependent upon value, condition and topic.
- Books owned by people of local importance.
- Limited editions of 250 or less.
- Miniature books under 10cm.
- Signed books by notable authors.
- Esthetic Importance (fine printing, illustrations, binding or hand-made paper)
- Valuable books subject to loss or damage.
- Books of fragile physical make-up.
- Books who illustrations make them subject to mutilation.
- Volumes of fine or loose plates.
- Books that document Utah's history with an emphasis on Weber and Davis Counties. This includes books written by local authors.
- WSU Institutional Repository Publications
- Faculty, administrative, departmental and staff publications.
- Student works including: undergraduate senior theses and capstones, masters theses and projects, and doctorate projects.
- Other publications include: newsletters, catalogs, yearbooks, student newspapers, University directories, faculty/staff rosters, journals, brochures, monographs, programs, posters, and announcements issued by all University offices, schools, and departments, as well by faculty, student and alumni organizations.
- Oral Histories produced by WSU faculty/staff/students regarding topics related to the Weber/Davis County Communities and Weber State University.
- Audio, videotapes and films: Includes documentation of University events (particularly athletic activities), lectures, commencements, convocations, and Oral History.
Primary Source Materials
Special Collections Manuscripts and Photographs
- Life and work in Weber and Davis Counties: The stories of people who have lived in the area including community-wide information about demographics, neighborhoods, local history and individuals’ experiences in domestic life, sports, religion, education, arts, literature and other accomplishments.
- Governance in Weber and Davis Counties: Stories of locals leading in local, state, and national government.
- Built Environment: Use of natural resources, land, layout and use of streets and neighborhoods, including architecture, as well as the physical landscape. This will include transportation, water and development of the West.
- Utah Construction Company / Utah International.
- Military: focusing on books discussed in manuscript collections, diaries of soldiers, and books used by service men and women.
- Cookbooks: This collection includes locally produced cookbooks by religious organizations, women groups and private organizations.
- Local books about minorities in the area including but not limited to ethnicity, religion, color, creed, race, sexual identity and gender identity.
SCUA Records and Photographs
- Oral History interviews based on projects agreed upon by the SCUA leadership team that help document the history of the local area and University.
- Local women’s groups including service groups, literary clubs, and social organizations.
- National Undergraduate Literature Conference authors: This collection includes copies of books by poets and authors that present at the annual NULC hosted by Weber State University. The collection showcases the nationally renowned authors brought to Weber State for this unique conference. Most should be signed when possible.
Official Records and Papers of Weber State University
In the absence of systematic records management, the Archives must rely on the cooperation and support of administrators, deans, directors, faculty, students, and alumni to ensure that materials of historical value are collected and preserved. The University Archives will promote university-wide records management and collect material in the following categories from all administrative and academic units of the University:
- Items cataloged and related to the Institutional Repository listed above under Book Collection.
- Administrative and departmental records: Includes records documenting the day-to-day activities of the University including policies, constitutions, minutes, administrative files, biographical information, architectural drawings, academic records.
- Digital files or electronic records: Machine-readable data files generated for conducting University business will be considered for permanent retention.
- Records of student organizations: Includes constitutions and by-laws, minutes and proceedings, policies and procedures, reports.
- Photographic material: Includes prints, negatives, and slides of people, buildings, campus scenes, events, groups and organizations.
- Artifacts: Includes rare and unique objects pertaining to Weber State University. The Archives strongly prefers collection artifacts that contain well-documented provenance and are in fair and original condition. The Department will limit collecting to items that can be reasonably preserved, cared for, stored, and made accessible for research and exhibit purposes.
- Personal and Professional Papers of Weber State University Faculty
- Correspondence: official, professional and personal.
- Biographical material: resumes, bibliographies, biographical sketches, chronologies, genealogies, newspaper clippings, and personal memoirs.
- Photo prints and graphic materials.
- Recordings of lectures, speeches and discussions.
- Lecture notes and syllabi.
- Research files.
- Departmental or committee minutes and records.
- Drafts and manuscripts of articles and books.
- Diaries, notebooks, appointment calendars and memorabilia.
Removal of Materials from the Collection (Deaccessioning)
Duplicates and materials that do not reflect SCUA’s collecting areas or do not possess sufficient archival value may be deaccessioned, subject to the documented terms of acquisition, University regulations, and state and federal laws.