Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The Bentley Historical Library houses the Michigan Historical collections, which documents the history of Michigan; and the University Archives and Records Program, which maintains the historical record of the University of Michigan. Founded in 1935 as the Michigan Historical Collections, directors of the library include Lewis G. Vander Velde, F. Clever Bald, Robert M. Warner, Francis X. Blouin, Jr., and Terrence J. McDonald. The records include administrative files, correspondence, meeting materials, files on exhibits, archived websites, images, audio-visual media, and documentation of special projects such as the Vatican Archives project.

The records of the Bentley Historical Library were received in six main accessions 1991, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2014. Together the records comprise 79 linear feet, plus two oversize boxes, and oversize folder, three flat file drawers, and more than 16 GB of data spanning the years 1935-2014. The researcher should consult the summary box list on page vii for a quick overview of the materials in the collection.

Records, 1907-1996, of Plant Extension Services, liaison unit concerned with the monitoring of new construction projects and the expansion and renovation of existing buildings at the University of Michigan. Minutes of construction meetings, summary financial statements, site and building plans and proposals, blueprints, and visual materials; including files relating to the Detroit Observatory and the Natural Science Building; include undated sketch of North Campus, unsigned, but attributed to Eero Saarinen.

Plant Extension office records include detailed minutes of construction meetings, monthly reports, summary financial statements, site and building plans and proposals, and blueprints. The material is arranged alphabetically, usually by building name. Among the blueprints are files relating to the Detroit Observatory and the Natural Science Building and an undated sketch of North Campus, unsigned, but attributed to Eero Saarinen

Susan Wineberg is a historian of Ann Arbor, Mich., and historic preservationist. She became involved in historic preservation in 1974 and has served as a commissioner on the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission (1982, 1984-1988) and as a member on its committees since 1977. Wineberg also has authored books and articles on historic buildings in Ann Arbor and been active in other local organizations. The collection includes correspondence, articles, brochures, clippings, printed ephemera and realia, photographs, and subject files relating mostly to Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Michigan historic properties and businesses.

The Susan Wineberg Papers document local efforts to research and protect historic properties in the Ann Arbor area. The collection is a rich source of information for the history of many buildings and areas in Ann Arbor. Wineberg has assembled clippings, stories, records, and photocopies of pictures about local preservation, conflicts over preservation laws, and historic buildings. The collection documents not only Wineberg's involvement in historic preservation, but also the activities of governmental and community organizations that have sought to preserve Ann Arbor's heritage and encourage adoption of their sense of responsible development. Moreover, the records reveal the evolution of historic preservation since the 1970s. They document the debates within the community between those who favor governmental measures that aim to protect the city's historic properties and those who view such protective ordinances and regulations as an intrusion on individual property rights. Additionally, several of the series document the history of Ann Arbor, Detroit, Washtenaw County, and Michigan through collected photocopies, photographs, and assorted ephemera.

The collection is organized into 18 series: Personal Files, Ann Arbor Historic District Commission, Ann Arbor Historic Preservation and Development Materials, Audio Materials, Visual Materials, Research / Reference files, Printed Ephemera and Realia, Printed Ephemera and Realia, 1969-2004, Collected Historical Materials, and Washtenaw County Historical Society. The rest of the collection is arranged into series based on when they were received by the Bentley, and as such there may be some overlap in subject matter.