myGeneseo | Geneseo Home | Library Home
|
Express Links
|
Special CollectionsGeneral Information | Special Collections Hours
General InformationMilne Library includes several special collections relating to local history. All special collections are located in Milne Library. Some of these collections are not open for browsing; instead, researchers work closely with reference librarians who retrieve materials appropriate to the research topic. Materials from the special collections are available for use only during hours when reference librarians are on duty. Milne Library's catalog, GLOCAT, is the primary finding tool for the Libraries' collections. However, some older materials from the special collections are not yet included, so all online catalog searches relating to local history topics should be supplemented by searching what remains of the card catalog. The card catalog has not been kept up to date since 1992, and contains cards for only the special collections, cataloged microforms, and selected government publications. Queries regarding the special collections may be addressed to any reference librarian, who may forward them to the Special Collections Librarian, Liz Argentieri. Because Milne Library is a busy undergraduate library, it is advisable to make an appointment for local history research visits that will involve in-depth assistance from a librarian. People who are working on local history research and are unable to visit Geneseo may email their queries via Ask a Librarian. Special Collections HoursMilne's special collections are available for use only when a reference librarian is on duty. During the spring and fall semesters, reference librarians are usually on duty:
During summer sessions and college vacation periods, reference librarians are usually on duty whenever the library is open. Prior appointments are advisable if you want to use the Carl Schmidt Collection or the Wadsworth Family Papers. Genesee Valley Historical CollectionThe Genesee Valley Historical Collection covers the eight counties surrounding the Genesee River in New York State: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Steuben, and Wyoming. The collection includes over 5,900 volumes, microfilm, historic maps, and atlases. Researchers should start any local history research using this collection as their main source. Even when topics require access to more specialized collections, the Genesee Valley Historical Collection provides the best starting point. The Genesee Valley Historical Collection The College Archives CollectionThe College Archives Collection focuses on the history of the College at Geneseo and also includes some documents relating to the State University of New York as a whole. The collection is not open for browsing, and materials are available for in-library use only during hours when a reference librarian is on duty. Selected items are duplicated in the Genesee Valley Historical Collection or the general circulating collection. Good starting points for researching the College's history are the following secondary sources:
The College Archives Collection includes annual reports, yearbooks (with a nearly complete collection also available in the circulating collection), undergraduate and graduate bulletins, Lamron (the student newspaper), Compass (the College newspaper), alumni newsletters, departmental newsletters, statistical reports from the College's Office of Institutional Research, faculty publications, books published by alumni and students, master's theses written to fulfill Geneseo degree requirements, senior and honors theses, and primary source materials relating to student and faculty organizations. The primary contact person for research involving use of the College Archives Collection is Liz Argentieri, Special Collections Librarian (argente@geneseo.edu or 585-245-5194). The Wadsworth Family PapersThe Wadsworth Collections concern the first and continued settlement of land in the Genesee region known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. The collections consist of approximately 50,000 items from the land offices of two branches of the Wadsworth family and cover the years 1790 to about 1950, with most items dating from the nineteenth century. Items in the collection include such things as business correspondence, vouchers, business ledgers, copies of deeds, and maps. The collections do not include diaries or much personal correspondence, nor do they contain official papers from the terms of Congressman James W. Wadsworth (1846 - 1926) or Senator James W. Wadsworth, Jr. (1877 - 1952). A subcollection includes photographs taken or collected by Martha Blow Wadsworth between 1890 and World War I, and many of the photographs depict the Genesee Valley region. The collections are not open for browsing. Research queries should be specific (focusing on a particular person, time period, or topic) and should be addressed to the Special Collections Librarian. The collections are not the appropriate starting point for general research topics, which are best searched in the Genesee Valley Historical Collection. Researchers will be asked to complete a special authorization form to use materials from the collections, and they will be authorized to use specific items relating to their topic. The Special Collections Librarian will search the appropriate finding tools, determine whether the collections contain materials appropriate to the topic, and retrieve specific items for in-library use. Some items may be copied with special permission. Materials from the Wadsworth Collection may be used only during hours when the Special Collections Librarian is on duty, and prior appointments are strongly advised. Because research queries about the Wadsworth Collections involve in-depth assistance from the librarians, researchers should make an appointment or email their query to Ask a Librarian. The Carl Schmidt Collection in Historic ArchitectureThe Schmidt Collection includes notes, manuscripts, slides, photographs, and measured drawings Carl Schmidt collected in preparing his many books on historical architecture. Copies of Schmidt's books are available in the Genesee Valley Historical Collection and should be used as a starting point for all research. Researchers who need to move beyond Schmidt's books will be asked to complete a special authorization form to use materials from the Schmidt Collection, and they will be authorized to use specific items relating to their topic. The collection is not browsable. The Special Collections Librarian will retrieve appropriate materials from the collection, and users may use items in the library only during hours when a the librarian is on duty. Some items may be copied with special permission. Advance appointments and email queries sent to Ask a Librarian are strongly advised. The Aldous Huxley CollectionThe Aldous Huxley Collection comprises writings by and about Huxley. It does not include any manuscripts. All materials are restricted to in-library use. A reference librarian will retrieve items for you, and you will be asked to leave your I.D. card or borrower's card at the Reference Desk. The Walter Harding CollectionThe Walter Harding Collection consists of writings about Henry David Thoreau and transcendentalism. All materials are restricted to in-library use. A reference librarian will retrieve items for you, and you will be asked to leave your I.D. card or borrower's card at the Reference Desk. Walter Harding Bibliography (.pdf) | Additions to Walter Harding Bibliography (.pdf) X (call number) Special CollectionX call numbers designate items in the Special Collections Room. The room is not open for browsing. Ask a reference librarian to retrieve materials for you. Many items in the collection may be signed out for the standard twenty-eight day loan period. When using items restricted to in-library use, you will be asked to leave your I.D. card or borrower's card at the Reference Desk. The X Special Collection includes The Aldous Huxley Collection and The Walter Harding Collection and books that are rare, fragile, or extremely expensive. |