Archives and Special Collections

2005 was also the 30th Anniversary of the opening of Special Collections (now Archives and Special Collections) in Bracken Library. The history of Special Collections, however, goes back long before 1975.

Several years prior, about 33 filing cabinet drawers of Ball State publications were transferred from the vault in the Science Building to the basement of the library. Although the library kept this historical collection of publications and other materials in its holdings for some time, formal steps to establish an archive began in 1963. It was then that under the direction of Vice President and Dean of Faculties Richard W. Burkhardt that the Ball State Teachers College Publications Archives began to take shape in the east wing of the basement in the old Library (now North Quad).

Mr. Charles Bunge of the Library Reference Service was assigned the responsibility of creating an inventory, preparing plans for appropriate quarters to house them, and for suggesting policies to govern the collection. In 1964, Mr. Bunge submitted his recommendations. The collection was to consist of "material actually published by the publications office to accomplish an informational purpose." The development and control of the collection was the joint responsibility of the Ball State Teachers College Publications Office and the Ball State Teachers College Library. Originally, the use of the Publications Archives was restricted to persons doing bond fide research and was not intended to be used "by those doing work aimed primarily at teaching the techniques of or giving practice in research and writing."

In 1965, William Nye, Reference Service Librarian, submitted a report to Marion Grady, University Librarian, concerning facilities for an archival program at BSU. In his report, Nye recommended that a college wide policy be established and approved by the President, that the question of space be given immediate attention, and that a full-time person be added as the college archivist.