Reference Collections
Like repeats or syndicated programs, reference collections may prove both beneficial and vexing. On one hand, as copies of materials held at other repositories, they allow archivists to easily bolster the overall content of Special Collections and give patrons access to materials located elsewhere. Yet while some repositories grant Special Collections rights to reproduce, digitize, and display reference collection materials, other institutions choose to limit how the archives and its patrons utilize them. Such limitations at times stymie researchers.
Thanks to the United States Geological Survey, patrons may view images of John Wesley Powell and his expeditions in the Colorado Plateau Archives, as well as in Special Collections.
Powell's second expedition, below Union Pacific Railway Bridge at Green River Station, Wyoming, 1871,from left to right: Canonita (boat) - E.O. Beaman, Andy Hattan, Walter Clement Powell, Emma Dean (boat) - Stephen Vandiver Jones, John K. Hillers, John Wesley Powell, Frederick S. Dellenbaugh, Nellie Powell (boat) - Almon Harris Thompson, John F. Steward, Francis Marion Bishop, Frank Richardson.
The photographs in the Santa Fe Railway Collection stand as some of the most fascinating and informative materials the archives maintains on early industrial growth in Arizona. Thanks to the Kansas Historical Society (KHS), local Flagstaff community members do not have to take an extensive road trip to view them. Cline Library's agreement with the KHS, however, does not include reproduction or display rights. Researchers must request copies or permissions from KHS.
First camp, second Powell Expedition, May 4, 1871.
Why have reference collections at all? Special Collections maintains them for the same reason television networks air past episodes: to give fans greater access to their favorite content.
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Staff Confessions
Most individuals utilizing archival resources maintain a certain level of professionalism, but occasionally some cause headaches. One early afternoon a staff member assisted a patron with photographs in the Santa Fe Railway Collection, explaining its special status as a reference collection and Special Collections' obligation to disallow reproductions. The patron insisted on obtaining copies of several images, but the staff member stood firm. Frustrated and upset, the researcher stormed out of the archives, but not before uttering, "I'll find someone who doesn't have your ethics." The incident symbolizes some of the complex arrangements and responsibilities woven into the archives, also highlighting how those intricacies tend may cause mild turmoil. Because of such moments archivists and staff continue to debate whether to hold reference-only collections or acquire new ones.
Rewind
Revisit the Code Talkers in Episode 2 to view other important reference collection materials. The Navajo Code Talkers Collection contains military documents and other records essential to understanding the Code Talkers' story.
Additional Images
