Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

WUOM records, 1914-1982 (majority within 1940s-1960s)

33.25 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 437 GB

Online
University of Michigan radio station, founded 1948. Administrative records documenting the development of radio broadcasting at the University of Michigan; radio scripts, transcripts of talks given by faculty, publicity, scrapbooks, and photographs; and sound recordings of radio programs produced and broadcast by WUOM, as well as recordings of various University conferences, ceremonies, etc.

The records of radio station WUOM document the development of radio broadcasting at the University of Michigan from the 1920s through the 1960s. The bulk of the material dating from the founding of the campus radio station WUOM in 1948. The records include administrative files; scripts, publicity material, course guides and other program related material; and recordings of select broadcasts. the WUOM records are organized into three subgroups: Paper Records (including visual materials), Audio Materials (sound recordings) and Printed Material. The content description and arrangement idiosyncrasies of each are presented below. Though the dates of the current accession continue only into the early 1980s, with the bulk of materials concentrated in the 1940s-1960s, WUOM is a continuing unit of the university, and future accessions are anticipated.

Collection

Susan Wineberg papers, 1900s-2018 (majority within 1977-2003)

85.4 linear feet (in 88 boxes) — 2 oversize folders

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.

Collection

Horace L. Wilgus Papers, 1878-1935

4.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 14.3 MB (online)

Online
Professor of law at University of Michigan, and specialist in corporation law. Correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, notes, and manuscripts of books and articles, relating to his professional career, Ann Arbor, Michigan organizations and issues, particularly progressive political movements and prohibition, including the Michigan Anti-Saloon League, the anti-trust movement, and the 1912 Progressive Party; also photographs.

The Horace L. Wilgus papers include correspondence, speeches, clippings, notes, manuscripts of books and articles dealing with his professional career, the many Ann Arbor organizations and issues in which he was interested: particularly progressive political movements and prohibition, including the Michigan Anti-Saloon League, the anti-trust movement, and the 1912 Progressive Party. The collection also includes University of Michigan Law School course materials, family genealogical information, and a small series of photographs, many of them of his home on Washtenaw Ave. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Collection

Washtenaw County Historical Society records, 1827-2014

17.5 linear feet (in 18 boxes) — 1 oversize folder (UBPl)

Local historical society for Washtenaw County, Michigan Organizational records and collected historical materials.

The Washtenaw County Historical Society records include collected historical documents and photographs relating to the people, events, and history of the county, its cities and townships. There are also administrative records of the organization, including minutes of meetings, subjects relating to Society programs and projects, and financial miscellanea.

Collection

Vice President for Development (University of Michigan) records, 1948 - 2004

54 linear feet

Online
Records of University of Michigan office (and its predecessor administrative offices) responsible for external fund raising and development activities, including subject files of development officials Arthur Brandon, Lyle Nelson, and Michael Radock; staff files; and photographs.

The records of the Vice President for Development date from 1948 to the present and measure 39.5 linear feet. They reflect the basic concerns of the office for these four decades: preserving and improving the university's public image and planning major fundraising efforts. Unfortunately, both activities are incompletely documented. In the area of public relations the records tend to discuss how immediate problems will be dealt with, rather than overall conceptions of the university's image. The thought behind the innovative fundraising devices created or employed by the office is sometimes recorded through consultant reports, but in general is not well documented.

The manuscript records have been divided into two subgroups, one representing the records of the vice president (or senior staff person, for those years in which there was no vice presidency), the other containing records created by the development office. The Vice Presidents subgroup has been divided by the name of each person who has held the office: Arthur Brandon, Lyle Nelson, and Michael Radock. Researchers should note that since Nelson and Radock used their predecessor's files for some time before inaugurating their own records, the relationship between office tenure and file dates is not an exact one. The Development Office subgroup contains records of that office and its subsidiary units. Several accessions of Development Office records received in 1989 and 1990 have been grouped together as Development Office subgroup: 1989-1990 accessions.

Collection

University Planner's Office (University of Michigan) records, 1940-2014

48 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 58.5 GB (online)

Online
The University Planner's Office oversees the master planning, site planning, and site design for the university. The records consist of correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes, reports, architectural drawings, and photographs spanning the years 1840 to 2014.

The records of the University Planner's Office consist of 48 linear feet, 72.3 GB of digital files, and one oversize volume. Records contain correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes, reports, architectural drawings, and photographs spanning the years 1840 to 2014. The records document the role of the University Planner's Office in campus planning on the University of Michigan campuses and in conjunction with the City of Ann Arbor.

Collection

University Housing (University of Michigan) records, 1923-2011

47.5 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 2 microfilms — 1 oversize folder — 12.7 GB

Online
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and other materials relating to administration of the office; include files relating to operation and naming of University dormitories, especially detailing the establishment of housing policy and the resolution of housing controversies; information on small group housing and off-campus housing with individual files on fraternities and sororities; also files concerning the occupational status and treatment of Japanese-Americans working for the University during World War II, and concerning the housing and training of military personnel on campus during the war.

The records of the Housing Division provide documentation on development and administration of the university's dormitory system, off-campus housing and student life. The records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, and other materials relating to administration of the office; include files relating to operation and naming of University dormitories, especially detailing the establishment of housing policy and the resolution of housing controversies; information on small group housing and off-campus housing with individual files on fraternities and sororities; also files concerning the occupational status and treatment of Japanese-Americans working for the University during World War II, and concerning the housing and training of military personnel on campus during the war.

Collection

University Architect's Office (University of Michigan) records, circa 1950-1989

20 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes

In-house architectural office of the University of Michigan. Records include project files for new University buildings, and additions to, and alterations of, existing structures; include files for Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint sites and off-campus projects with documentation for numerous medical-related buildings; contain minutes, correspondence with University officials, architects and contractors; photographs, brochures and conference notes; also data sheets relating to specific building projects, including cost, size, names of architects and contractors, and construction period.

The records of the University Architect's Office consist of twenty (20) linear feet and three oversize volumes. Records include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, architectural drawings, and photographs spanning the years from 1950 to 1989. The records document the numerous construction and renovation projects undertaken by the university on the Ann Arbor campus as well as on the Dearborn and Flint campuses. The materials are arranged in two series: University Architects and University Buildings Files. The bulk of the records are comprised of building files

There are three oversize volumes of photographs regarding the Administration Building (LS&A Building), Mary Butler Markley Hall, and the Outpatient Clinic of the University Hospital, which have been removed to an oversize location.

Collection

Undergraduate Library (University of Michigan) records, 1957-1982

2 linear feet — 1 oversize volume (2 scrapbooks)

University of Michigan library devoted to service to undergraduate students. Annual reports of the library and its sub-units, minutes of staff meetings, and scrapbook dealing mainly with the library's opening during academic year 1957/58; and photographs.

Records of the Undergraduate Library include two linear feet of documents, a few photos and one oversize scrapbook, collectively dating from 1957 to 1982. The documents divide themselves into two categories, annual reports and staff minutes. Reports include those of the Undergraduate Library as a whole (1957/58 to 1981/82) arranged chronologically, and those of the various sub-units within the Library, arranged alphabetically by unit name. Staff meeting minutes are complete from 1957 to 1981.

One scrapbook deals largely with the library's opening in academic year 1957/58; the second volume is dedicated to the retirement of Rose-Grace Faucher, Library director 1963-1981.

Collection

Stephen M. Ross School of Business (University of Michigan) records, 1916-2017

143.2 linear feet (145 boxes) — 168.67 GB (online) — 21 oversize items — 1 archived website

Online
Dean's files of R. A. Stevenson, 1944-1960, with some earlier files of deans Edmund E. Day and Clare E. Griffin; dean's files of Floyd A. Bond primarily 1960-1979, but including earlier and later materials; administrative records concerning faculty matters, alumni activities, students, course offerings, conferences, and programs sponsored by the school, and the operation and construction of the school's building; records relating to special bureaus within the school, particularly the Bureau of Business Research, the Bureau of Hospital Administration, and the Bureau of Industrial Relations; miscellaneous files of Stevenson, including University of Minnesota records, speeches, and board of directors materials from Lear, Incorporated; miscellaneous personal files of Floyd Bond concerning other organizational activities; audiovisual material including photographs and negatives of faculty, conferences and meetings, buildings, and school functions; dean's files of Gilbert A. Whitaker, 1925-1991; architectural records; the Ross School of Business website, 1996-ongoing; and records of Development and Alumni Relations, primarily created by Frank C. Wihelme, including committee meeting material, information related to capital campaigns, and records of the William Davison Institute.

The records of the Ross School of Business (1916-2017), measure 143.2 linear feet, 154.33 GB, 21 oversize items, and 1 archived website. Materials include papers from deans of the business school, committee documents, The records also include audiovisual materials including photographs, slides, videos and sound recordings.

The Ross School of Business (University of Michigan) records documents the administration and operation of the Business School; its organizational structure; news and events; people including deans, faculty, and staff; educational program; fundraising and development; and physical spaces. The records include administrative records of committees, correspondence, topical files, audiovisual material such as photographs and audiotapes, architectural drawings, and the School's website.

Collection

Secretary (University of Michigan) records, 1845-1953 (majority within 1908-1944)

9 linear feet

Correspondence and other files of University of Michigan Secretary Shirley W. Smith and of Controller and Assistant Secretary John C. Christensen. The files document university operations, relations with the state legislature, business and financial matters, buildings and grounds, and such university events as the graduation commencement. The files also relate to the university's struggles during the Depression to maintain its facilities and to provide employment for deserving students as seen in its relations with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the National Youth Administration. There are also earlier collected files of treasurers George S. Baker and James H. Wade.

The records of the University of Michigan Secretary, although including earlier materials from the mid-nineteenth century, are in fact the files of secretary Shirley Wheeler Smith and of controller and assistant secretary John C. Christensen and date primarily from 1908 to 1944.

The secretary was the official who performed much of the detail work involved in the administration of the university. The files of the secretary and of those individuals who worked under him pertain to matters of operations, relations with the state legislature, business and financial dealings, building and grounds, and management of university-wide events (particularly commencements). Within these files, the researcher will also find documentation of the university's struggles during the depression to maintain its facilities and to provide financial aid through employment to deserving students. This information will be found in a topical files series under the headings Federal Emergency Relief Administration and National Youth Administration.

The miscellaneous folders in this record group that fall before the period when Smith was secretary consist of collected materials accumulated by the university's treasurer and pertain to financial dealings of the university (land transactions, bequests, etc.)

Collection

School of Social Work (University of Michigan) records, 1935-2010

36 linear feet — 2.35 GB — 2 digital audiovisual files

Online
Records of the School of Social Work (formerly the Institute of Social Work) include minutes, correspondence, curriculum records, and topical files, concerning the activities of the University's social work program under the direction of Robert Kelso, Arthur Dunham, Federle Fauri, Phillip Fellin, Harold R. Johnson, and Paula Allen-Meares.

The records document the founding and development of the School of Social Work from its inception as the Institute of Health and Social Sciences (later renamed as Institute of Public and Social Administration) in 1935, to its subsequent reorganization as the School of Social Work in 1951. The proposed merger with Wayne State University in 1950 is also well documented. The strength of this record group consists of 59 years of minutes (1935-1994), which include proceedings from executive, faculty, and curriculum committees.

Collection

School of Public Health (University of Michigan) records, 1909-2015 (majority within 1941-2004)

8.74 GB (online) — 97 linear feet (in 98 boxes)

Online
Teaching and research unit of the University of Michigan. Records include dean's files, administrative records, minutes, also records of the school's program in Public Health Nursing and records of the Association of Schools of Public Health.

The records of the School Public Health include Dean's files of Henry F. Vaughan, Myron Wegman, Richard Remington, John Kirscht, June E. Osborn and Noreen M. Clark; files concerning the Association of Schools of Public Health; records of the school's Program in Public Health Nursing; institutes and inservice courses; records regarding school-wide issues and departmental affairs, including accreditation and program reviews; committee and faculty meeting minutes; building construction records; and files relating to state and national public health issues such as PBB contamination, poliomyelitis, and AIDS; including materials concerning public health in Detroit.

Collection

School of Nursing (University of Michigan) records, 1891-2010 (majority within 1940-1993)

112 linear feet — 2 oversize folders — 1.24 GB

Online
Established in 1891 as the University of Michigan Training School for Nurses, the School of Nursing offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees and continuing education in nursing specializations including medical-surgical nursing, psychiatric mental health nursing, and nursing administration. The record group includes administrative and topical files of the dean, committee and faculty records, photographs, and research area files.

The physical records of the School of Nursing measure 112 feet, 2 oversize folders, and 1.24 GB (online), with an additional 9 feet of material in records center storage. Physical records date from 1891 to 2010, although the great majority of the material was created after 1940 by the current School of Nursing; the School of Nursing website has been archived since the early 2000s.

Only fragmentary records of the school's two predecessor units are found in the collection. Reflecting the source of the material, the collection has been arranged into broad subgroups, the titles of which usually reflect the dean from whose office the records originated.

Collection

School of Dentistry (University of Michigan) records, 1873 - 2020

40.5 linear feet (in 41 boxes) — 1 oversize volume — 1 oversize folder — 1.3 GB (online)

Online
The School of Dentistry is a teaching and research unit of the University of Michigan. Records include administrative files, faculty meeting minutes, curriculum and education, subject files relating to dentistry and to the professional interests of the school's faculty; and photographs and films.

The School of Dentistry record group spans the years from 1873 to 2010, but does not comprehensively document the entire span. The records are fragmentary, providing only a partial picture of the School of Dentistry. Documentation reflects the tenures of various deans with scattered documents from the late 1800s and more detail in the period 1920-1990. The records give some insight into the development of dentistry as a profession, and the training and education of dental students. The records, comprised of 40.5 linear feet, 1 oversize volume, 1 oversize folder, and 1.3GB, have been divided into 10 series: Educational Information, Administration, Black Dentistry Conference, Organizations, Surveys, Photographs and Audiovisual Materials, Department Chairpersons' Meetings, Faculty Meetings, American Dental Association Accreditation, Dental Research Institute, and Website.

Collection

Safety Department (University of Michigan) photograph collection, 1969-1970

0.3 linear feet

Surveillance-type and other photos of student demonstrations at the University of Michigan.

Photographs and negatives, 1969-1970, showing student unrest on the University of Michigan campus and nearby. Includes protests over interviews conducted on campus, Black Action movement, the ROTC takeover, vandalism and other demonstrations of protest.

Collection

Plant Extension Services (University of Michigan) records, 1907-1996

3 linear feet — 20 tubes (blueprint tubes)

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

Collection

Photo and Campus Services (University of Michigan) photographs, 1960-1987 (majority within 1969-1970, 1980-1984)

1.25 linear feet (in 2 boxes)

The University of Michigan Photo and Campus Services is a comprehensive photographic unit established to meet the needs of the schools, colleges, departments, and other units within the university as well as individuals within the university community. In existence since 1948, the unit officially became part of News and Information Services in 1997. Services include photographic reproduction and studio and location photography.

The photographic images in the Photo and Campus Services record group represent a small portion of the images created by the unit. The photographic materials are divided into three series based on format: Slides, Portrait Negatives, and Photographs.

Collection

Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design (University of Michigan) records, 1947-2010 (majority within 1981-1999)

7.0 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 830 MB

Online
The first classes in art at the University of Michigan were offered in 1906 by the Department of Architecture. In 1926, a program in decorative arts was housed in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Art evolved as a discipline, moving through the colleges of engineering and architecture to become the School of Art, an autonomous institution, in 1974. It became the School of Art & Design in 1996. The records focus on the evaluation and review of the program in the 1970s and early 1980s during the budget crisis faced by the university. The records also contain minutes of the Executive Committee and the Faculty Committee, from the mid-1970s to 1999.

The School of Art & Design records are composed of six series: Topical Files, 1970-1987; Committees; Correspondence; Topical Files, 1980-2000; Visual Materials; and Website. There is a separate collection of printed material. The majority of the records document the years from 1975 to 1999, a crucial period in the school's history as it was formally established as a school in its own right and later experienced serious budget reductions.

Collection

Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the University (University of Michigan) records, 1935-2007 (majority within 1987-2004)

36.5 linear feet — 650 MB (online)

Online
Executive office at the University of Michigan serving as liaison between the Board of Regents and the executive officers of the university. Coordinates and manages policy and governance matters for and facilitates communication between the two bodies. Responsible for coordinating the business affairs of the Board of Regents and maintaining official Board records. Includes records from Secretaries Richard L. Kennedy, Roberta Palmer, Lisa Tedesco, and Sally Churchill.

The Vice President and Secretary of the University records group (36.5 linear feet) dates from 1935-2007, with the majority of records dating from 1987-2007, and starts with Secretary Richard L. Kennedy. The majority of the records are from secretaries Kennedy and Lisa Tedesco. The collection includes records related to the performance of the various functions of the Secretary and consists of four major series: Functions and Roles of the Secretary, Board of Regents, Secretaries of the University, and Topical Files.

Collection

Office of the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Operations (University of Michigan) records, 1925-2006 (majority within 1989-1999)

17 linear feet

Online
Records of unit responsible for facilities management and regulatory compliance at the University of Michigan. Includes minutes, correspondence, reports, proposals, and archived websites.

The records of the Office of the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Operations are contained in two series, Topical and Archived Website.

Collection

Office of Research (University of Michigan) records, 1911-2013 (majority within 1950-2010)

323.5 linear feet (In 324 boxes) — 1 oversize volume — 157 MB (online) — 4 digital video files

Online
Officially established in 1959, the Office of Research supports and administers large interdisciplinary projects called research centers and administers research institutes. The record group includes individual vice president's files, central office files, staff files, financial records, administrative files, committee and task force documents and reports, special event files, and project and institute files.

The records of the vice-president for research date from 1911 to 2013 and measure 323.5 linear feet, 1 oversize box and 157 MB of digital materials. The records document the activities of the office overseeing grant funded research at the University of Michigan and offer some insight into the range of research undertaken at the university. Records include administrative files of vice-presidents, including correspondence, memoranda, and budgetary material relating to research projects and grants of university units and departments; and photographs.

The organization of the records, particularly the early accessions, reflects the tenure of the successive vice presidents for research. Later accessions included files of associate vice-presidents and senior staff officers as well topically organized files that spanned the tenure of several vice presidents. The records are organized into the following series:

  1. A. Geoffrey Newman -- Boxes 1-15, 70-71
  2. Charles Overberger -- Boxes 15-69
  3. Charles Overberger/Warren Sussman -- Boxes 72-87
  4. Linda S. Wilson,-- Boxes 88-100
  5. William C. Kelly -- Boxes 102-105
  6. Central Files -- Boxes 108-127, 180-210, 266-275, Boxes 277-301, Boxes 311-322
  7. OVPR Staff Files -- Boxes 128-134
  8. Julie Ellison -- Boxes 135-136
  9. Marvin Parnes -- Boxes 137-146
  10. OVPR Financial and Administrative Files -- Boxes 147-148
  11. Administrative Files -- Boxes 149-150, Boxes 323-324
  12. Committees and Task forces -- 151-164
  13. Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project and Ford Nuclear Reactor -- Boxes 165 --166, 218-219
  14. Special Events, Symposiums, and Promotional -- Boxes 167-170, 275
  15. Presidential Initiatives Fund -- Boxes 171-179
  16. Contractual Restrictions Requests (PAF-R's) -- Boxes 213-216
  17. Michigan Life Science's Corridor -- Boxes 216-218
  18. Discretionary Fund -- Boxes 220-264
  19. Indirect Waivers -- Boxes 265
  20. Research Faculty Appointments -- Boxes 276, Box 322
  21. Washington D.C. Office -- Boxes 302-310
Collection

Office of Ethics and Religion (University of Michigan) records, 1860-1991

16.3 linear feet — 1 oversize volume

University of Michigan office established in 1973 to counsel students in matters of faith and morality, successor to several organizations concerned with student religious activity. Records are mainly of predecessor organizations, the Student Christian Association (1860-1937) and the Student Religious Association (1937- 1956), but does include some records of the Office of Religious Affairs (1956- 1973) and of successor organization, the Office of Ethics and Religion (1973- 1991); also records of component and related organizations, including the University of Michigan chapters of the Young Men's Christian Association and the Young Women's Christian Association and the Association of Religious Counselors.

Although the name given to this group of records is the University of Michigan Office of Ethics and Religion, the researcher should note that the records consist primarily of predecessor organizations, the Student Christian Association (SCA), the Student Religious Association (SRA), and the Office of Religious Affairs, as well as component and ancillary organizations such as the University of Michigan Young Men's Christian Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, the Association of Religious Counselors, and the Christian Federation Advisors.

The record group begins with a summary history of the organization written by C. Grey Austin and entitled A Century of Religion at the University of Michigan (1957). Covering the period up to the establishment of the Office of Religious Affairs, this history provides solid information about the role of religion at the university and the activities and restructuring of the SCA and the SRA. Written by the same individual who wrote the sections on the two organizations in The University of Michigan; An Encyclopedic Survey, this volume is more detailed than those summaries and should be consulted first for background information.

Collection

Observatory (University of Michigan) records, 1855-1985

18 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 350 architectural drawings

Records of astronomical observatories operated by the University of Michigan including the Detroit Observatory on the Ann Arbor campus (1855-), the Lamont-Hussey Observatory (Bloemfontein, South Africa, 1928-), the McMath-Hulbert Observatory (Portage Lake, Michigan, 1935-1979), the Portage Lake/Peach Mountain Observatory (Dexter, Michigan, 1948-. Records include correspondence files, administrative files, observation notebooks, photographs and architectural drawings.

The University of Michigan Observatory records include those of the Lamont-Hussey Observatory, the McMath-Hulbert Observatory, the Peach Mountain Observatory, the Angell Hall Laboratory, the Department of Astronomy, and records of faculty members. Documentation consists of correspondence, astronomical and meteorological observation records, financial records, reports, scrapbooks and blueprints. The collection is divided into seven series: Correspondence, Observatories, Department of Astronomy, Scrapbooks and Clippings, Observation Charts and Notebooks, Photographs, and Blueprints.

Collection

News and Information Services (University of Michigan) photographs, 1946-2006

125.5 linear feet

Ten series of negatives, slides and copy prints documenting all aspects of University of Michigan life and activities, includes prints used in the University Record.

The News and Information Services Photographs document many aspects of university and community life, particularly activities of the administration, faculty, departments, and students beginning in 1946 and continuing into the early 1980s. Photographs were, for the most part, made by the staff of the News Service (later Information Services and now News and Information Services) for use with university press releases, or upon request of individuals with the university, or for outside media with special interests in university personnel or activities.

The record group presently consists of 10 series (A-J).

The series are comprised primarily of black and white negatives and contact sheets, although Series E includes six linear feet and one oversize box of prints, most of which are 8" x 10" black and white images, and Series H includes color transparencies. There are also prints in Series I, Series J, slides in Series E and I, and a 16 mm film in Series I. Color negatives become more frequent in the late 1980s.

The original order and file headings created by News and Information Services have been retained wherever possible. Thus, the several lettered series reflect various organizational schemes used in the past.

Collection

Museums (University of Michigan) records, 1863-1976 (majority within 1930-1970)

4 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

The Museums was comprised of the Museums of Anthropology, Zoology, and Paleontology, the Herbarium, and the Museum of Natural History (formerly, the Exhibit Museum). The record group consists of committee files; records related to the construction of the Museums building, including correspondence with architect Albert Kahn; topical files of directors including Alexander Ruthven and Carl Guthe; and topical files of Irving G. Reimann, prefect of exhibits.

The records of the University of Michigan Museums measure four linear feet (and one oversize folder) and date from 1863 to 1976. The great majority of the material, however, falls between 1930 and 1970. The files have been arranged alphabetically.

The bulk of the material consists of files created from two sources: various committees involved in the Museums' governance or Irving Reimann. The committee records are detailed and are particularly complete for the Operating Committee (1945-1956). This committee's documentation is supplemented by various other committee records.

Most of the records created by Reimann relate to the planning or construction of exhibits, as well as the public role of the Museums. This material makes up the bulk of the non-committee files, supplemented by an extensive run of reports (1935-1969). A few records created before Reimann's appointment also exist. These are generally items authored by either Guthe or Ruthven. Of particular interest from Ruthven's era are files (located under "Building") discussing the construction of the Museums building between 1925 and 1928. Records include substantive correspondence between Ruthven and the building's architect, Albert Kahn. Guthe is represented by the Works Progress Administration's Michigan Museum project (located under "Works Progress Administration, Statewide Museum Project").

Collection

Media Resources Center (University of Michigan) films and videotapes, 1930s, 1948-1986

2500 films and videotapes (approximate)

Online
The television production studio and media services unit of the University of Michigan, commonly referred to as "Michigan Media." It was formed in 1978 through the merger of the university Television Center and the university Audio-Visual Education Center. The Television Center began producing educational programs for broadcast on commercial and public stations in 1950. The Audio-Visual Education Center produced films for the university and operated a film distribution library. The Media Resources Center closed in 1986. The collection consists of documentary type film and video and film and video of television programs produced by the Media Resources Center and its predecessors.

The University of Michigan Media Resources Center Films and Videotapes collection consists of "archives" film footage produced or collected by the Center and television programs and films produced by the Center. The "archives" films are divide into three series; Archives Film (Series AF), Film File (Series AF) and Audio-Visual Education Center Film File Series AVEC Film File. The television programs are organized based on the

Archives Films

The "archival films": consist of documentary style, 16mm film footage of a variety of University of Michigan events, buildings, and personalities. The series originated in 1959 when the Television Center began a project to create a "university film archives." Some of this footage was shot for the purpose of being incorporated into television programs, but much of the filming was done simply to create a film record of the university. Filming was done on a regular basis through about 1972. After that date the Michigan Media collection includes comparatively few "archival" films.

The subject matter of the archival films falls into several broad categories:

  1. Series AF -- Archives Films and Series FF -- Film File
    • Ceremonial - including footage of awards ceremonies, inaugurations, graduations, building groundbreakings and dedications
    • Campus scenes - buildings and construction sites, students on the Diag, and general activity on campus
    • Athletic events and marching band performances
    • Student activities -- including protests, fraternity/sorority activities, homecoming, course registration, and social events.
    • Faculty and administrator interviews
    • Visiting dignitaries and participants in special programs and conferences on campus.
    • Films collected by the Television Center - these include several films from the 1920s and 1930s
  2. Series AVEC Film File
    • Original footage shot for use in Audio-Visual Education Center films

Films in the three archival series range from a few minutes to more than an hour in length. The films may be negatives, original positives, or work prints. Some are identified as "trims," i.e. original footage edited out of finished productions. The work prints have often been cut and spliced and portions may be missing. Several titles were originally recorded on either two- or one-videotape reels or directly on 3/4-inch videotape cassette.

The early films, ca 1953-ca.1963, are generally black and white. After 1963 color film is more common. Many of the films, especially, from the early years, are silent. For some of these there are accompanying 16mm magnetic sound tracks or 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audio tapes.

The film description part of the finding aid is arranged by series film number or titles. Film numbers were assigned by the Television Center in an approximate chronological order. The description of individual films is based on a card File created by the Television Center and on a viewing of each film by Bentley staff.

The descriptive record for each film includes the film number; title; date; a brief summary of the content of the film; a listing of significant persons appearing in the film; and technical information on the color, sound, polarity, and length of the film.

The films are stored in canisters, usually on a core rather than a reel. A film number generally refers to an individual film title. There is sometimes more than one film number in a canister and occasionally more than one film number on a single reel or core. Alternate versions of a title are indicated by a lower case letter.

The Television Center gave the films titles which are more or less descriptive. These titles have been retained except for a few instances in which a more descriptive title was assigned or in which a uniform title was created for all parts of a multi-reel film. The individual reels of multi-part titles are designated by a lower case letter, e.g. 98a, 98b, 98c. For some titles the may be more than one film, possibly a negative, positive, work print, or other version. A few tittles have been digitized and are available on DVD and streaming files.

The listing for each film or program in includes a Title, date of production, and abstract/summary of the content of the film and ,when available, the names of persons or organizations featured in the film. University of Michigan faculty and staff are identified by departmental or administrative affiliation (e.g. Peter Gosling, UM-Geog. A list of abbreviations used is included in the Additional Descriptive Data Section of this finding aid.) Technical information for the films is provided in the format: Original: 16mm film, pos, b/w, sil, 343, 00:09:35. The order of the information is:

  1. Format -- film / videotape / magnetic sound track
  2. Polarity -- neg (negative) /. Pos (positive) / wp (work print)
  3. Color -- b/w or color
  4. Sound -- silent / sound / sof (sound on film)/ at (accompanying 1/4-inch audiotape)
  5. Length -- expressed in feet (footage value is sometimes an estimate)
  6. Running time -- in the form 01:33:25 (hours:minutes:seconds)
  7. (in cases where there are several versions of a title, there may be multiple values for each category)

Television Programs and AVEC Films

The Television Programs consist of 16mm kinescope films and two-inch and 1-inch videotapes of programs produced by the Center for distribution to commercial and educational television stations. The collection represents only a portion of the television programs produced by the Center. There were no extant copies of some programs when the library acquired the collection.

The films and videotapes in the Michigan Media collection were appraised and only a portion have been selected for permanent retention by the Bentley Historical Library. A number of appraisal criteria were used in determining which television programs and films were retained:

  1. subject matter relating to the University of Michigan;
  2. subject matter relating to the state of Michigan;
  3. subject matter of general, national interest;
  4. participation of prominent UM faculty or staff;
  5. participation of prominent Michigan personalities;
  6. participation of persons of national or international significance;
  7. programs marking significant technical or artistic developments at Michigan Media;
  8. award winning programs.

The television programs are organized by series created by the Center. The series for the most part reflect different type of programming the Center produced, from the earliest "telecourses" to the independent programs produced under the title "Understanding Our World". to the multi-part programs that were the core of the "University of Michigan Television Hour. See the History section for details on the different series.

The description for individual programs includes the title and date of the program, a unique id number, and an abstract of the content of the program with listing of the host and guests on the program. A program may exist in one or more formats: kinescope negative, kinescope positive and 1-inch or 2-inch videotape. Technical information for each program is recorded in the format16mm kinescope film, neg. #511, Pos. #665, 2-inch video #458. (the negative number was treated as a production and for some programs recorded originally on videotape a negative was not actually produced). The television programs were generally either twelve, fifteen or thirty minutes in length Most are black and white and all have sound.

In 2009 a selection of television programs and films and tapes were digitized. for each tape or film selected a preservation Beta SP tape was made as well as a DVD use copy and a streaming file (mpeg4 and Flash). For some films a high resolution digital copy was made as well (mpeg2). The finding aid lists the original format(s) and the derivative formats for the digitized items.

Collection

Media Resources Center (University of Michigan) records, 1948-1987, 1948-1987

35 linear feet — 2500 items

The television production studio and media services unit of the University of Michigan, commonly referred to as "Michigan Media." It was formed in 1978 through the merger of the university Television Center and the university Audio-Visual Education Center. The Television Center began producing educational programs for broadcast on commercial and public stations in 1950. The Audio-Visual Education Center produced films for the university and operated a film distribution library. The Media Resources Center closed in 1986. The record group consists of administrative records including Broadcasting Committee minutes, annual reports, unit review material, correspondence, and budget material; scripts for television programs and films; press releases; telecourse outlines and study guides; and brochures and catalogs; also photographs; and films.

The records of the University of Michigan Media Resources Center document the production of educational television programs and films at the University of Michigan, 1950-1988. The collection includes administrative records, scripts, press releases and program summaries, photographs, and films and videotapes. This finding aid describes in detail the paper and photograph portion of the collection and briefly describes the film and videotape. A companion finding aid entitled "University of Michigan. Michigan Media. Program Descriptions" provides detailed descriptions of the films and videotapes in the collection. The Program Description finding aid is stored at the reference desk in the reading room of the Bentley Historical Library.

Collection

Marsal Family School of Education (University of Michigan) records, 1904-2012 (majority within 1950-1998)

79.25 linear feet (in 85 boxes) — 5 GB (online)

Online
School records consisting of executive committee and faculty meeting minutes, subject files concerning in part promotion and tenure decisions, teacher certification, programs in Detroit Public Schools, the School's accreditation review in 1973-1974, and the University's review of the School in 1982-1984. Topical files of various deans and administrative officers, notably James B. Edmonson, Willard Olson, Carl F. Berger, Frederick W. Bertolaet, Cecil Miskel, Joan Stark, and Charles F. Lehmann; and information on programs and departments at one time administered by the School, including Department of Physical Education, Fresh Air Camp, Bureau of School Services, and vocational education.

The School of Education records consist of executive committee and faculty meeting minutes, subject files concerning in part promotion and tenure decisions, teacher certification, programs in Detroit Public Schools, the School's accreditation review in 1973-1974, and the University's review of the School in 1982-1984. Topical files of various deans and administrative officers, notably James B. Edmonson, Willard Olson, Carl F. Berger, Frederick W. Bertolaet, Joan Stark, and Charles F. Lehmann; and information on programs and departments at one time administered by the School, including Department of Physical Education, Fresh Air Camp, Bureau of School Services, and vocational education.

Collection

Library (University of Michigan) records, 1837 - 2013 (majority within 1920 - 2000)

297.3 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 1 oversize folder

Online
The University Library system at the University of Michigan provides information resources and services to faculty, students, staff, and the public, and is comprised of undergraduate, graduate, and subject-oriented divisional collections. The record group includes administrative files of library directors, reports, committee files, financial records, photographs, and publications.

The records of the library of the University of Michigan document the development and administration of the central library. The records include topical files, miscellaneous correspondence and reports, and business record books, 1886-1916; include files of librarians/directors/deans Theodore W. Koch, William W. Bishop, Warner G. Rice, Frederick H. Wagman, Richard Dougherty, Robert M. Warner, Don Riggs, William A. Gosling, and Paul Courant; also assorted papers of earlier librarians, Andrew Ten Brook and Raymond C. Davis.

  1. The records are organized into elleven subgroups:
  2. Assistant Director for Technical Services, 1984 - 1999
  3. Associate Director for Public Service Files, 1976 - 1998
  4. Associate Director for Technical Services, 1979 - 1986
  5. Associate Director's office, 1982 - 1989
  6. Audio - Visual Materials, 1954 - 2001
  7. Collection Development Office, 1949 - 1986
  8. Deputy Director's Office, 1980 - 1991
  9. Directors Office, 1905-2013
  10. Human Resources, 1956 - 2001
  11. Miscellaneous Records, 1837 - 1985
  12. Other Offices and Programs, 1904 - 2004
Collection

Law School (University of Michigan) records, 1852-2010

121 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 4 oversize folders — 2 folders — 1 drawings (outsize; roll of architectural drawings and blueprints) — 2.1 GB (online) — 11 digital audio files — 1 digital video file

Online
Records of the Law School document the evolution of legal education at the University of Michigan as well as tenures of various deans and faculty. Documentation includes historical and class files; student organizations and activities; planning and construction of Law School buildings; information on William W. Cook and his bequest; topical files; deans' correspondence; reports and minutes. Also included are materials related to the Thomas M Cooley and William W. Cook lecture series and portraits of faculty and students, photographs of activities of the Judge Advocate General's School held at the Law School during World War II, the construction of the Law Quadrangle and Law Library addition, and student activities.

The Law School Records begin in 1852 and span the years through the end of the twentieth century. The records document the history of legal education at the University of Michigan, the administration of the Law School, and the lives of some of the scholars who have studied and taught there.

The physical arrangement of the records reflects the various accessions of material that have been received from the Law School over the years. This finding aid is structured to reflect the intellectual organization of the records - continuing series and like materials have been brought together regardless of when the records were transferred to the library. The Summary Contents List provides and overview of the organization of the records.

There are eight major series in the record group: Historical and Class Files (1865-1974); Deans of the Law School (1852-1999); Faculty Files (1859-1994); Student Files (1894-1996); Law Quadrangle and William W. Cook, (1919-1938); Law School Lecture Series; Committee of Visitors and Audio/Visual Materials.

Collection

Law School (University of Michigan) Photograph and Artwork Collection, 1870-1994 (majority within 1900-1950)

1.0 linear foot (in 4 boxes) — 3 items

Portraits, photographs, and artwork previously displayed in the University of Michigan Law School, featuring prominent alumni, faculty, notable figures in the legal profession, and images of the Law School grounds. Also, records concerning art owned by the Law School, including surveys, inventories, reports, and scattered information on specific portraits.

The University of Michigan Law School Photograph and Artwork Collection contains portraits of faculty, alumni, and notable legal figures as well as several inventories of the art, and documentation requesting portraits, risk management measures, and decisions to remove much of the artwork.

The records are arranged into four series: Documentation, Individual Photographs and Portraits, Other Artwork and Documents, and Oil Paintings.

Collection

Financial Operations (University of Michigan) records, 1837-2004 (majority within 1915-1990)

35 linear feet — 52 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Records generated by administrators and offices charged with the financial activities of the University, including Secretary and Vice-President Shirley W. Smith and Controller and Assistant Secretary John C. Christensen; include general University financial records; records of land; trust fund records; proposed development and construction projects; operating records of buildings, divisions and other units.

The records of Financial Operations date from 1837 to 1982, primarily after 1910. The 27 linear feet of manuscript material, 52 oversized volumes and one reel of microfilm reflect not only the financial records normally associated with an accounting office, but also the broad range of subjects which became a concern under the leadership of Shirley Smith. What would eventually become Financial Operations may have served as a records storage office for many of the other units under Smith's control. In any event, Financial Operations became the guardian of a wide variety of records, documenting the University in a number of ways not normally expected of an accounting service.

Of particular note, the collection contains a variety of different record formats. Bound materials, in the form of books, are included in the boxes and when numbering more than one, are listed in the finding aid as multiple volumes. The collection also contains oversized volumes, in the form of large accounting books. These oversized volumes are numbered and stored separately. They are listed in the finding aid where intellectually appropriate, and designated by volume number. Enclosed in this finding aid is an index of the oversized volumes, organized by number, and their contents.

The collection is divided into six series: General University Financial Records; Trust Fund Records; Records of Land, Proposed Development and Construction; Operating Records of Buildings, Divisions and other Units; Miscellaneous Reports, Studies and Volumes; and Accounting Office Records.

Collection

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (University of Michigan) records, 1909-2016

227 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 51 oversize volumes — 283 GB

Online
Central administrative office responsible for financial management of the University of Michigan and fiscal policy with oversight for the general fund and trust budget. Unit has undergone several name changes: Vice President in Charge of Business and Finance (1935-1966); Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (1966-1993); Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (1993- ). Includes administrative records reflecting oversight of the university's financial assets, preparation of annual budgets, fiscal policy, investments and expenditures, and various financial issues. Documentation includes topical files, university budgets, and trust fund records. Includes files of office holders Shirley Wheeler Smith, Robert P. Briggs, Wilbur K. Pierpont, James Brinkerhoff, and Farris Womack, Chandler Matthews, Robert Kasdin, and Timothy Slottow.

Measuring 227 linear feet, 1 oversize folder, 51 oversize volumes, and 283 GB (online), the records of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer document the fiscal history of the university beginning from 1909. At least since the 1950s, the vice president has taken responsibility for the creation of university policy in areas requiring special fiscal knowledge as well as for the preparation of the university's general fund and trust budgets. Other activities, such as policing actual expenditures or the day to day operations of specific service units within the university reporting to the vice president, have been delegated to subordinate offices.

Reflecting this division of responsibility, the records of the vice president document major fiscal issues facing the university and the preparation of the university's annual budgets. Some of the records are office files. However, the office also retained many key bound financial documents including an official set of the university's annual budgets.

The records are organized into six series: Central Topical Files; Supplemental Files; Assistant to the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Associate Vice President for Finance; University Budgets, Accounts and Reports; and Photographs. Most series are further divided into several subseries, reflecting different accessions. There is considerable overlap in date span of the topical files of the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Files created by one Vice President were sometimes retained for use by his successor(s) and transferred at a much later date than the bulk of his records.

Collection

Engineering Communications & Marketing (University of Michigan) records, 1860-2010 (majority within 1960-2000)

33.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 1 oversize volume

Unit of the University of Michigan College of Engineering responsible for producing print and multi-media publications for the college. Records include administrative files and publications, photographs, videotapes, and other material produced for internal and external use to document and illustrate research, faculty, staff, students and alumni of the College of Engineering.

The record group Engineering Communications & Marketing contains records documenting the history of the University of Michigan College of Engineering, particularly the photographic history of the college. Documentation includes memos, correspondence, written scripts for special events, photographs, slides, contact sheets, negatives, one cassette recording and one compact disc. The record group is divided into five series that reflect the Office's original filing arrangement: Historical, Office Files, Coded Files, Visual Materials, and Faculty Background Files.

Collection

Division of Research Development and Administration (University of Michigan) records, 1919-1996

42.5 linear feet

The records of the Division of Research Development and Administration (1919-1996) encompass the DRDA and all of its predecessor organizations, including the Department of Engineering Research, the Engineering Research Institute, the University of Michigan Research Institute, and the Office of Research Administration. Record types include correspondence, topical subject files, research grant files, meeting minutes, financial records, and photographs.

The records of the Division of Research Development and Administration (1919-1996) encompass both the DRDA and all of its predecessor organizations. The papers have been divided into seven major series: Governing and Oversight Bodies (1919-1964), Staff and Committee Records (ca. 1922-1979), Administrative Files (1922-1972), Correspondence Files (1943-1972), Willow Run Laboratories (1946-1966), Directors' Files, and several boxes of Research Grant Files on microfilm. There are also four smaller series: the Engineering College Research Council (1959-1961), Review of the DRDA - Report to Harold Shapiro, 1980, Engineering Research Institute - miscellaneous research reports, Photographs, and Programmed Research Information System at Michigan (PRISM) Reports.

Collection

Buildings and Grounds Department (University of Michigan) records, 1913-1956 (majority within 1922-1924)

3.5 linear feet (in 5 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

Photographs, negatives, and lantern slides of university buildings, including photos of each building owned by the university in 1923, and detailed construction photos of Angell Hall, West Medical Building (later renamed C.C. Little Science Building), Central Heating Plant, University Hospital (Old Main). Also includes houses surrounding campus, heating tunnels, and Buildings and Grounds vehicles, horse teams, employees and equipment.

The record group for the Buildings and Grounds Department is primarily comprised of visual materials that document the construction projects which the department oversaw. The bulk of the records are from the 1920s, with the photographs composing the largest portion of the collection. Non-original images of some university buildings from the 1800s are also included.

The records are arranged into six series: Architectural Drawings, Photo Albums, Photographs, Lantern Slides, Glass Plate Negatives, and Topographical Maps.

Collection

Board of Regents (University of Michigan) records, 1817-2016 (majority within 1899-2016)

286 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes — 20 oversize items — 298.4 MB (online) — 1 oversize folder

Online
The University of Michigan's highest governing body is the Board of Regents. The Regents deal with virtually every aspect of university policy and campus life. The records of the Regents reflect this broad range of interests and authority. This record group contains exhibits from meetings beginning in 1899. These exhibits are the most complete record of the actions of the Regents, supplementing and detailing the published minutes Proceedings of the Board of Regents. Additional documentation in this record group includes manuscript minutes, 1837-1870, correspondence, material by and about the Regents, photographs, audio recordings of meetings, 1977-2011, and material on recent presidential searches.

As the official governing body of the university, the Regents deal with virtually every aspect of university policy and life. The records of the Regents--which includes exhibits of Regents' meetings, topical files, correspondence files, audio and visual material, and archived web content--reflect this broad range of interests and authority. But while the documentation is wide-ranging, it is not continuous. Certain types of records are continually before the Regents, particularly information regarding salaries, leaves of absence, appointments to faculty positions, and formal approval of degrees conferred upon students. More often, however, the Regents are presented with a specific problem and asked to resolve it through the creation of policy. After the creation and successful implementation of a policy, the situation which caused the issue to arise is usually no longer a matter of Regental concern. The Regents' records reflect this pattern of action. Issues arise, are resolved, and then are supplanted by new concerns.

Collection

Assistant to the President (University of Michigan) Records, 1913-1986

44 linear feet (in 58 boxes)

Files concerning honorary degree recipients, University commencements, the Honors Convocations, and various University fellowships and scholarships; topical files of Frank E. Robbins, Erich Walter, Robert N. Cross, Herbert Hildebrandt, Richard L. Kennedy, William Cash, Jr., and James Shortt; and photographs

The Assistant to the President records contain file related to university commencements (1930-1965), honors convocations (1922-1966), the sesquicentennial celebration of the founding of the university in 1817, university fellowships, gifts, and prizes; correspondence and biographical sketches related honorary degree recipients, and State of the University Addresses. Also included are minutes of the meetings of the university's executive officers (1968-1982), dean's conferences (1951-1985), presidents' conferences (1965-1968), and topical files generated by the office (1933-1980). These records were generated during the tenures of Frank Robbins, 1921-1953; Erich Walter, 1953-1966; Herbert Hildebrand, 1966-1970; Richard Kennedy, 1970-1974; and William Cash, 1970-1983.

Collection

College of Architecture and Urban Planning (University of Michigan) student publications, 1924 - 1988

70 volumes (in 3 boxes)

Student papers written for courses in architectural history research, mainly about Michigan architects, buildings and communities.

The records consist of student papers prepared for courses in the University of Michigan College of Architecture and Design (later Architecture and Urban Planning), primarily for classes in architectural history research; topics concern the architecture of specific Michigan communities, the architecture of historical buildings and homes, and studies of types of structures in Michigan; papers include historical description and appended visual material. Many of the papers include photos, postcards, and other illustrations relating to the architecture of specific Michigan communities, prominent historical buildings and houses in the state, and types of structures

Collection

University of Michigan Architectural Drawings, 1838-1979

17 oversize folders (in 3 blueprint cabinet drawers) — 1 blueprint

Blueprints, renderings, and blue-line prints of original University structures, and additions to, and alterations of existing structures. Architects and architectural firms represented include: Albert Kahn, Alexander J. Davis, Pond and Pond, C. William Palmer, and William LeBaron Jenney.

This collection of University of Michigan architectural blueprints, renderings, and blueline prints has been drawn together from different sources. The provenance is not always clear, though most of the sheets probably originated with the Buildings and Grounds Department of the University. The collection is selective and does not include all campus buildings. Significant buildings are included, however, as are important architects and architectural firms. Represented in the collection are the works of Albert Kahn, Alexander J. Davis, Pond and Pond, the Chicago architectural firm, C. William Palmer, William L. Jenney, and York and Sawyer of New York.

Collection

Taubman Medical Library records, 1966-1980

2 linear feet

Records, 1966-1980, related to the planning and construction of the Taubman Medical Library, which is located in the University of Michigan's Medical Center area and serves the University's Medical and Health Information communities.

The collection consists of the library's Planning Phase (1966-1977) and Construction Phase (1978-1980). The papers concerning the planning phase include building programs, designs, architectural programs, questionnaires, proposals, consultant reports, and notes and correspondence. The construction phase files contain the minutes of the building construction meetings and the library-moving project.

Collection

George Robert Swain photographs and papers, circa 1870-1947 (majority within 1913-1947)

20 linear feet (in 34 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

University of Michigan staff photographer, 1913-1947 and commercial photographer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Collection includes some manuscript material but is primarily photographic prints and negatives made by Swain. Photo subjects include university buildings, faculty, and student activities, archeological expeditions to the Near East and, Ann Arbor scenes and landscapes form his travels in the western United States and Canada.

The papers and photographs of George R. Swain mainly document Swain's accomplishments as university photographer at the University of Michigan from 1913 to 1947. Researchers should note, however, that this is only a sampling of the photographer's work during these years. The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan has an extensive collection of Swain's archaeological negatives and prints, and researchers interested in his full career will want to also look at the Kelsey collection. The Bentley Library material, while including several folders of fine photographs Swain made on his travels with Professor Frances Kelsey, for the most part documents Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan.

The collection at the Bentley Library consists of three series: Miscellaneous Papers; Photographers Log; and Photographs (prints; negatives; and lantern slides. Since the bulk of the collection is comprised of early twentieth century images of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, the materials will be of most interest to researchers searching for visual documentation of this part of the state in that time period. There are very few materials beyond the visual, although the lengthy captions attached to many overseas images and the essays, diaries, and letters, are extremely interesting and offer insight into how Swain approached his craft, both as a professional photographer and in his personal work.

Collection

Sam Sturgis photograph collection, 1860s-1970s

10 linear feet (11 boxes including 1 oversize box)

Photographs collected by Sam Sturgis and Hazel Proctor of Ann Arbor, Michigan; including businesses, street scenes, buildings, people, and activities in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Chelsea, Dexter, Dixboro, Manchester, Saline, and Ypsilanti, Michigan. (Copy negatives and copy prints.)

The Sam Sturgis collection consists of photographic prints and copy negatives of Washtenaw and Livingston County life from the 1860s through the 1970s. Collected by Ann Arbor photographer Sam Sturgis and Ypsilanti banker Hazel Proctor from a variety of known and unknown sources, the collection represents many aspects of life in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Chelsea, Dexter, Dixboro, Manchester, Saline and Ypsilanti. Main subject categories include churches, schools, businesses, buildings, University of Michigan buildings, staff, students and campus life, streets, panoramic views, rivers, recreation and family life, including residences, men, women, and children. Evolving modes of transportation, such as railroads, interurban streetcars, automobiles, and airplanes are also depicted.

Prints and negatives are divided into two parallel series, with negative use restricted to Bentley staff for preservation and security purposes. Each series is arranged alphabetically by city or town and, within each geographical grouping, in the order in which Sturgis collected the items. Sturgis began donating his collection to the Bentley in 1966, and, as items continue to be received, numbering is continued within each geographical grouping, in the original collecting and numbering order established by Sturgis. While some numbers were originally intended by Sturgis to designate the origins of the item, if known, this information has also been added to the item description under the heading "source" to facilitate patron and staff use. The Bentley does not hold a complete set of prints and negatives. Information on the current availability of both prints and negatives is included in each item listing.

Each photograph has a unique identifying number. The "Sturgis Number" consists of a one or two-letter series code, followed by a numerical number with decimal or alphanumeric number, such as AA 267.21 or AA 35A. the collection is arranged by city as follows

City Sturgis Code Number of Images
Ann Arbor AA ca. 1500
Brighton BB 148
Chelsea C 156
Chelsea-Manchester CM 119
Dexter D 124
Dixboro DI 45
Manchester M 123
Saline S 57
Ypsilanti Y 150

An item list of all photographs with description, date (if known), source and photographer, if known, follows the summary contents list on page three of the introduction.

Information on whether the photograph has been published and therefore has further information provided elsewhere is also included in each item description. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs listed as "published" have been published in a series by the Ann Arbor Federal Savings Bank (AAFSB), with editorial supervision by Sam Sturgis and Hazel Proctor. Availability of the respective print and negative concludes each item entry.

The following books, published by the AAFSB in the early 1970s, are annotated with Sturgis' photograph numbers and may be used as a partial guide to the collection. While two copies of each publication are available for consultation in the reading room, only one of each set has annotations. Descriptive captions in these publications as well as the annotated numbers may differ from actual photograph numbers and other information about the photographs. Any reference to these annotations should be verified with the item lists and vice versa to assure accuracy because of occasional inconsistencies. The AAFSB publications with Bentley call numbers are listed as follows:

  1. Proctor, Hazel. Old Ann Arbor Town. 1974. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 A216.5 P964
  2. Sam Sturgis. Memories of Old Ann Arbor Town, 1967. Copies 1 and 2 annotated. EC 2 A613.5 S935
  3. Proctor, Hazel. Old Brighton Village. 1974. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 B856.3 P964
  4. Proctor, Hazel. Old Chelsea Village. 1972. Copy 2 annotated. EC2 C516.5 P964
  5. Proctor, Hazel. Old Dexter Village. 1973. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 D526.5 P964
  6. Proctor, Hazel. Old Manchester Village. 1974. Copy 2 annotated. EC 2 M268.5 P964
  7. Proctor, Hazel. Old Saline Village. 1975. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 S165.5 P964
  8. Proctor, Hazel. Old Ypsilanti Town. 1974. Copy 2 annotated. EC 2 Y86.5 P964
Collection

Arthur W. Stace papers, 1927-1950

3 linear feet

Newspaperman, editor of the Ann Arbor News. Correspondence, reports, photographs, and other materials largely concerning his newspaper career with Booth Newspapers, Inc.

The Stace collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Ann Arbor News and Booth Newspapers; Topical files; and Other materials. The collection documents his career as a newspaperman with Booth Newspapers and the Ann Arbor News.

Collection

Stanley P. Smith scrapbook, 1913-1917

1 oversize volume

University of Michigan Class of 1917 graduate, member of the Druids, the University of Michigan honorary society, and of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. Scrapbook containing photographs, dance cards, and event programs.

Scrapbook contains photographs of the Alpha Phi chapter house exterior and of its interiors, group portraits and photographs taken during social and sporting events, and chapter activities; also select chapter publications, dance cards, event programs, and other ephemera. The scrapbook also contains Smith's portrait and his U.S. Army Signal Corps enlistment papers.

Collection

Arthur Whitmore Smith papers, 1893-1954 (majority within 1930-1954)

1 linear foot

Professor of Physics at the University of Michigan. Correspondence and other papers relating to his research in physics, and his interest in his family genealogy and his activities with the Sons of the American Revolution in Michigan.

The papers of Dr. Arthur Whitmore Smith consist of correspondence and other papers relating to his research in physics, and his interest in his family genealogy and his activities with the Sons of the American Revolution in Michigan. The papers are arranged in four series: Biographical Information, Genealogical Activities, Physics Research, and Photographs.

Collection

Shepard family papers, 1807-1934

3 linear feet — 1 folder — 1 oversize folder

John F. Shepard family; diaries, photographs, recipes and correspondence concerning family matters and nineteenth century farm life; also professional correspondence, student notebooks and lecture notes of John F. Shepard.

Although the Shepard family papers (1807-1934) cover three generations, the bulk of the materials are from John F. Shepard. The earliest correspondence is primarily addressed to his father Arthur, and to his grandfather John from family members and relatives. The letters deal with health, crops, and relatives. There are also letters from John F. Shepard's wife Berenice to her mother Mary Barnes (maiden name Van Valin) and from Berenice's father Charles to her mother. The Barnes and VanValins lived in Marshall, Michigan.

The John F. Shepard papers include professional correspondence from 1911 to 1934, mostly relating to University building plans. There are also minutes (1921-1925) of the Committee of Five on the Comprehensive Building Program, as well as Shepard's student notebooks from philosophy and psychology courses taught by James R. Angell and James H. Tuft at the University of Chicago, and by Alfred H. Lloyd and Walter B. Pillsbury at the University of Michigan.

The photographs are mainly of his wife's family, many from the late nineteenth century.