Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The Miscellaneous Records, 1837-1948 subseries is comprised of a body of material transferred to the archives on an item or folder basis. The unusual character of the transfer reflects upon the peculiar worth attached to many of the records. This small subseries contains miscellaneous records from the period 1837 to 1948. A run of faculty circulation records from the period 1864 to 1904 (boxes 70-71) offers a window onto the changing research interests of various faculty members as the university was developing into a major research institution. Also included in this series are the files of correspondence between University President Harry B. Hutchins and Library Director Theodore Wesley Koch from 1910 to 1920 which document decisions made about the library's budget, acquisitions, and administrative policies (box 69).

The Miscellaneous, 1869-1985 subseries also represents a body of disparate material transferred to the archives as a unit and arranged in an arbitrarily determined alphabetical order. Dating from 1866 to 1985, it is notable for its run of University Library Committee minutes (1866-1954), which detail library acquisitions and book funds for the period (box 147)

(1986 accession)

The Correspondence Card Index is an index to the correspondence files of library directors (boxes 149-154). This card file functions as an index to correspondence received from about 1911 to 1985, and is arranged alphabetically. Headings include both proper names and subject terms. The card directs the user to a particular folder title and year.