Southern Utah University Preserves University and County Photo Collections
Published: August 21, 2024 | Author: Lawrence Mbaki, Pre-Award Ambassador, SPARC Office | Read Time: 2 minutes
CEDAR CITY, Utah – In collaboration with Southern Utah University (SUU), the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) is working on a project that will improve preservation and access to seven photographic collections that document the amazing history of Southern Utah University and Iron County from 1878-2006. Through this process, the SUU Special Collections staff will be upgrading the storage for 160 linear feet of photographs and negatives with archival acid-free photo sleeves, folders, and boxes, which will help keep these unique images safe for future generations. This project will also be creating finding aids that will allow campus and community to easily search the collections' content online.
“At the end of this project, SUU and local community members will be able to search these seven SUU and Iron County photograph collections for people, events, and places that they remember or are interested in. SUU Special Collections are open and free to campus and community, and every one is invited to enjoy the magic of local historical photographs,” said Kathleen Broeder, Assistant Professor of Library, Special Collections & Archives Librarian, and board member (USHRAB) who serves as the Principal Investigator for this project.
“The goals of this project are to better serve our community by creating new connections with our shared history through improved access to a wide array of images about Southern Utah University and Iron County. Special Collections wants to ensure the long-term preservation for future generations to enjoy and connect with previous peoples.”
This grant is open to any archives or records management organization within the state, except for departments of the state. Several other Utah-based public and private archives also received grant funding this year. This grant will help SUU Special Collections promote Archives Month in October, which is an outreach/marketing initiative from USHRAB. It will also help to build contacts with local government records specialists who can help advise SUU archives on records retention for SUU records.
This project is made possible through a grant from the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board (USHRAB) and National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
The Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board, which distributes federal funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, assists public and private non-profits, as well as non-federal government entities throughout the State of Utah in the preservation and use of historical records.
SUU’s Sponsored Programs, Agreements, Research & Contracts (SPARC) office provides assistance to faculty, staff, and administrators seeking external funding for their projects and programs, from concept development and planning through implementation and management of the funded projects.
Tags: College of Humanities and Social Sciences SPARC Community History
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
4355865400
brookeheath1@suu.edu