9.30.2013

October is American Archives Month!

What is an archives? An archives is a place where people go to find information. But rather than
gathering information from books as you would in a library, people who do research in archives
often gather firsthand facts, data, and evidence from letters, reports, notes, memos, photographs,
audio and video recordings, and other primary sources.

MSS 006 52-002 - Len Jordan and Dwight Eisenhower,
Western Governors Conference in Boise, 1952

Why do archives exist? In the course of daily life, individuals, organizations, and governments
create and keep information about their activities. Archivists are professionals who assess,
collect, organize, preserve, maintain control of, and provide access to the portions of this
information that have lasting value. Archivists keep records that have enduring value as reliable
memories of the past, and they help people find and understand the information they need in
those records.

Boise State University Special Collections and Archives in Albertsons Library holds more than 300 manuscript collections of letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, and other
primary-source materials that document Idaho history, particularly the Boise and Southwest Idaho, Idaho’s past and present political and environmental history, and the literary history of the state. Research topics include politics, environment, Basque culture, filmmaking, literature, ethnicity, gender, music, geosciences, and many others.

MSS 062 p11 - Article about the opening of the new student union
at Boise Junior College, 1942

The University Archives is the repository for university publications and the official records of the President, Faculty Senate, ASBSU, administrative offices, and academic departments. Materials include the student newspaper, university catalogs, budgets, yearbooks, photographs, audio and video, books, posters, and other ephemera. Research topics include faculty, students, campus life, buildings, academic departments, athletics, student organizations, and university departments.

Everyone is welcome to do research or just look at something you find interesting. We welcome students, staff, faculty, and anyone from the community. We hope you come visit!

Cheryl Oestreicher,
Head, Special Collections and Archives

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