A few examples of important records are student transcripts, minutes of the Boards of Trustees, the files of the President and other principal officers of the College, record sets of the Annual Catalog , The Moundbuilder , The Collegian , and The Southwesterner . By records is meant not only paper documents but also audiovisual and cartographic materials and electronic records. Special collections consist of non-official, personal records relating to the College, directly or indirectly. They supplement the archives institutional holdings by focusing on student life and campus activities, although their scope can be broader. These records can take varied forms student letters, diaries, class notes, photographs, films and videos, or perhaps a professor s personal papers.
Special collections can also include memorabilia.
Most of the records come into the collection through donations from individuals. They document Southwestern s history in its varied aspects, and are used occasionally by the College staff and faculty in current work. They are open to the faculty and staff, as well as to students and alumni and others having a legitimate need. As archivist, I am responsible for overseeing the archives and special collections. My duties include appraisal, accessioning records, preservation, arrangement, description, and reference service.