Brigham Young University. Library. Archives

In an effort to adequately care for archival material to document the history of the University, Archives was first organized under the direction of Dr. S. Lyman Tyler by Ralph W. Hansen, the University Archivist and Manuscripts Librarian (1956-1961). The bulk of the archival materials had previously been kept in the crawl space behind the facade in the Maeser Memorial Building. In 1961 the University's archival records were moved to the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library. Naomi Rich oversaw the first half of the move in 1961 and Ralph Hansen oversaw the second half. Following the move to the new library, Archives was then known as the J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Library University Archives Division.

Variant names

Archives

BYU Archives

Description

Established: 1956

Abolished: 1961

Location: Provo, Utah (1956-1961)

Functions

Archives was responsible for developing a program of records management and provide facilities essential to the care and preservation of archival materials created by both BYU and the Unified Church System. The library was also in charge of preserving and compiling Brigham Young University historical records in order to prepare for the centennial history.

Assets and Administrative Structure

The archives were administered by an archivist under the direction of the Director of Libraries.

The first facility dedicated to housing documents was a 4' x 250' storage room in the Maeser Building. Material was moved to a "storage and work room in the balcony area of the...Coray Lecture Hall" in the Maeser Building. The ZCMI Warehouse and the Utah Wholesale Grocery Warehouse also served as archival holding locations until being moved to the Heber J. Grant Building on Temple Hill.

Associated Units

Superior unit: Brigham Young University. Library (1956-1961)

Later unit: J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Library. University Archives Division (1961)

Associated Archival Materials

Harold B. Lee Library Director of Collections Development records (UA 5572, Box 31)

Ralph W. Hansen papers (MSS 6737)

University Archives records (UA 1068)

Sources

Brigham Young University Archives, undated (pamphlet, the title suggests it was created between 1973 and 1974) (first document was 1875 institutional charter, storage areas)

Brigham Young University centennial history, 1875-1975: p. 142-144, (organized under Dr. Tyler and Ralph Hansen; purposes of the archives)

History of the Harold B. Lee Library, 2012 (J. Reuben Clark Library completed in 1961, renamed HBLL in 1973) http://lib.byu.edu/services/libhistory.php

L. Tom Perry Special Collections Slideshow, 7 May 2003, (Ralph W. Hansen University Archivist and Manuscripts Librarian {1956-1961}) http://lib.byu.edu/sites/sc/files/2008/06/sc-department-history.pdf

Ralph W. Hansen papers, 2006 (MSS 6737): interview transcript, (archives kept in Maeser crawl space before department created in 1956; Naomi Rich--head librarian--oversaw first half of library move in 1961, Ralph Hansen oversaw second half)

Maintenance Information

Record ID: EAC-2012-00006

Creator: UPB