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 Hansen in 1956. "The first formal university record generated was the institutional charter in 1875," and there followed a steady collection of university material. 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, the Archives department was then known as the J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Library University Archives Division.
Contents
Variant names
Archives
BYU Archives
Description
Established: 1956
Abolished: 1961
Location: Provo, Utah (1956-1961)
Functions
Responsible to develop a program of record management and provide facilities essential to the care and preservation of archival materials created by B.Y.U. and the Unified Church System. The library was in charge of preserving and compiling Brigham Young University historical records in order to prepare for the centennial history.
Assets and Administrative Structure
Organized by Ralph Hansen in 1956 under the direction of Dr. S. Lyman Tyler (Director of Libraries.)
The first facility dedicated to housing documents was a 4' x 250' storage room in the Maeser Building "exposed to extremes of weather, dust, and insects." 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 (1903)
Later unit: J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Library. University Archives Division (1961-1973)
Later unit: Harold B. Lee Library. Archives and Manuscripts (1974-1991)
Later unit: Harold B. Lee Library. Special Collections and Manuscripts (1991-1999)
Later unit: L. Tom Perry Special Collections (1999)
Associated Archival Materials
Insert references to all associated materials here.
Sources
The Brigham Young University Archives, date unknown (the title suggests it was created between 1973 and 1974), (pamphlet), Information Gathered: first document was 1875 institutional charter, storage areas.
Brigham Young University centennial history, 1875-1975, p. 142-144, Information Gathered: organized under Dr. Tyler and Ralph Hansen. purposes of the archives.
Ralph W. Hansen Papers: Interview Transcript, 25 June 2006, p. 2, 9, 11-12, Information Gathered: 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.
History of the Harold B. Lee Library, 2012, URL: lib.byu.edu/services/libhistory.php, Information Gathered: J. Reuben Clark Library completed in 1961, renamed HBLL in 1973.
Maintenance Information
Record ID: EAC-2012-00006
Creator: UPB