University of Connecticut Library Records
Scope and Content
The University of Connecticut Library's (UCL) collection contains library office files from 1940-to the present, including accession records dating back to 1882. The collection includes the files of university librarians, staff members, and several directors of the university library, as well as meeting minutes, staff and personnel records, and records concerning the construction of Homer Babbidge Library.
The files and official records of several UCL committees, teams and affiliates have been included in this finding aid, as well.
Dates
- Creation: undated, 1882-
Access
The collection is open and available for research with the exception of the Library Development Office Records, which are restricted to development staff only.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to publish from these Records must be obtained in writing from the owner(s) of the copyright.
History
Prior to the construction of the Wilbur Cross Library, the institution's library was located first in Whitney [Old] Hall and then the Administration Building [Old Main]. With the construction of a new classroom building in 1929, the library was relocated to the newly named Beach Hall. The name change of the institution in 1939 coincided with the construction of the first building on campus intended to house only the University's library collection. The Wilbur Cross Library [now the Wilbur Cross Building] was the University's first library until the addition of branch, or regional, libraries as the University expanded across the state and the construction of Homer Babbidge Library, which was completed and occupied in 1978.
The University Libraries include libraries on the regional campuses, such as those in Torrington and Stamford and special divisions on the Storrs campus such as the Pharmacy, Music & Dramatic Arts Libraries and Archives & Special Collections in the Dodd Research Center. The Health Center Library located in Farmington and the Law Library in Hartford are associated with the University Libraries but maintain separate budgets, administrative structures and technical services.
In 2017, the University Libraries were rebranded as University of Connecticut Library, encompassing all libraries within the system with the exception of the Law Library.Additional information can be found on the Library website.
Extent
65.7 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection was transferred in several accessions beginning in 1982. More recent accessions have not yet been processed and are not represented in this finding aid.
Series I: University Librarian (1940-1956) contains the records of Paul Alcorn, and includes files on William Benton, the branch libraries, library budget matters, student assistants, and the War Information Library. Also included in this series are employment applications and correspondence. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series II: Director of University Libraries (1958-1994) contains the records of the Libraries' chief administrative officer. The series has divided further to represent the tenures of the individuals holding this title. Subseries A: James Skipper includes information pertaining to university branch libraries, the library budget, and cataloging systems. Subseries B: John McDonald includes information on library associations; acquisitions; management; automation; collection development; departmental meetings; equipment; policies, goals and objectives; grant proposals; and security. In addition, there are correspondence and budget files, staff memoranda, committee reports, and press releases. Subseries C: Norman Stevens documents accreditation, committees, collection development, use of databases, grants, goals, and objectives, staff matters, and technical services.
Series III: Vice Provost (1998-) includes the records of the last administrator to hold the title of Director and the first to be named Vice Provost (Chancellor). These records have not yet been processed.
Subseries A: Paul Kobulnicky
Subseries B: Brinley Franklin
Subseries C: Martha Bedard
Series IV: Associate Directors (1970-1978) Subseries A: Information and Collection Services (David Kapp) includes information on administrative organization, the library budget, collection development, meetings, emergencies, programs and courses, micro/media, and technical services. In addition, there are departmental reports and correspondence. Materials from other Departments will be integrated as they are processed.
Series V: Areas () includes those materials documenting the activities of the Library units as organized after the 1997 reorganization.
Series VI: Minutes (1961-1978) contains two subseries--Subseries A: Administrative Meetings (1975-1978) and Subseries B: Department Head Meetings (1961-1975).
Series VII: Staff and Personnel (undated) includes staff association information and staff handbooks.
Series VIII: Book Accession Lists (1882-1960) contains accession information. This series is comprised of 20 volumes.
Series IX: Publications (1944-1983) is arranged in five subseries--Subseries A: Bibliographies contains files on such subjects as aging, black religion and studies, crime, the Connecticut Bicentennial, education, microbiology, social sciences, textiles, and Vietnam. It also contains information on literary artists such as Erskine Caldwell and George Starbuck. Subseries B: Exhibits includes information on several specific library exhibits from the 1970s and 1980s. Subseries C: Guides is a section of publications containing Guide to the UCONN Library and Black Studies Guide. Subseries D: Readings contains brochures and flyers of readings given at UConn by poets such as Robert Creeley and Joan Joffee Hall. Subseries E: Other contains four publications, including The Librarian.
Series X: Staff Materials (circa 1970) contains news articles, staff questionnaires and ballots, and materials on legal matters of interest to library staff, presumably collected by Linda Polcari, a member of the reference staff. The subject files are arranged alphabetically.
Series XI: Construction of Homer Babbidge Library (1969-1977) consists of files arranged chronologically followed by subject files which include building elements, funding requests, correspondence, design criteria, reports, and statistics. The subject files are arranged alphabetically.
Series XII: Library Development Office Records (undated, 1988-1999) contains materials regarding the planning and funding of the "Dodd Year" and are restricted to Library Development staff only.
Series XIII: Committee Records (1974-2006) contains the records of the Libraries' working committees and teams. Subseries A: Advisory Council on the Evaulation and Promotion of Professional Librarians; Subseries B: Poetry Committee; Subseries C: User Team was established in 1997 to draft, conduct and evaluate a faculty and study survey of library services and collections. The final report was submitted to the Library in December 1997. In the 2009 Library reorganization it was renamed the Survey and Assessment Team.
Series XIV: Audiovisual materials (1996-2001).
Series XV: Dean of the Library
Subseries A: Anne Langley
Custodial History
The records of the various Library divisions are maintained by those areas separately until their transfer to the University Archives.
Acquisition Information
The records have been transferred to the Archives periodically.
Separated Material
The following materials have been separated from the collection and cataloged:
Annual Reports Dodd Periodicals
Harvest Dodd Periodicals
The Librarian Dodd Periodicals
Library Bulletin Dodd Periodicals
Health Retirement Dinner 1989-0024.vr1
Sue's Party 1989-0024.vr2
Genre / Form
- Administrative records
- Audio visual materials
- Audiocassettes
- Blueprints (reprographic copies).
- Correspondence
- Diaries
- Financial Records
- Fliers (printed matter)
- Maps (documents)
- Monographs
- Newsletters
- Newspapers
- Notebooks
- Notes
- Photocopies
- Photographs
- Press releases
- Publications (documents)
- Speeches (documents)
- Videocassettes
- Works of Art
- bylaws (administrative records)
- Minutes (administrative records)
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- University of Connecticut Library Records (UConn)
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Archives & Special Collections staff
- Date
- 2014 October
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, University of Connecticut Library Repository
University of Connecticut Library
405 Babbidge Road Unit 1205
Storrs Connecticut 06269-1205 USA US
860-486-2524
archives@uconn.edu