About the Collections
Special Collections & Archives is comprised of six areas within the library that were independently established between the 1970s and 1990s. While each group of collections has a unique history, users can access all materials in the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room. Library materials are designated for Special Collections when their format, age, scarcity, or other unusual characteristics merit special handling. Librarians and archivists in Special Collections & Archives determine what materials are added to the department's holdings. Archival collections can be found by using our Finding Aid Search, and publications via OneSearch. Archival collections are also listed in the Online Archive of California.
Collections in Special Collections & Archives have been used in several grant-funded projects on campus. These include a Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Grant Project, a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant, and others. See also our list of former directors, curators, and archivists.
More about the collection areas:
Special Collections was formally established in the early 1970s. Special Collections holds over 45,000 books and numerous manuscript and archival collections which support the University's curriculum, as well as the research interests of faculty and students on campus and beyond.
Collection Strengths
Holdings in Special Collections include manuscripts, rare books and periodicals, maps, prints, art, audio-visual resources, and other materials. Collecting is focused on several topical areas including American literature, California and the West, children's literature, the history of printing and publishing, human sexuality, music, 19th and 20th century Europe, theater and motion pictures, and United States history.
To find archival and manuscript collections in Special Collections please browse or search our finding aids, search the OneSearch, or the library's Digital Collections. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections and our Duplication Services.
The International Guitar Research Archives (IGRA) was founded in 1980 by Professor Ronald C. Purcell upon the donation of the Vahdah Olcott-Bickford Collection, and holds one of the world’s largest collections of resources documenting the lives and music and careers of guitarists, guitar composers, and related organizations. IGRA also houses one of the world’s largest repositories of guitar sheet music. With generous support from the Ronald C. and Elizabeth-ann Purcell IGRA Endowment, established in Professor Purcell's memory, and other donors, IGRA offers one student fellowship in IGRA every year.
Collection Strengths
IGRA holdings include correspondence, manuscripts, periodicals, photographs, audio recordings in numerous formats, sheet music, printed books, and other materials. Collections documenting the careers of such noted musicians as Andrés Segovia, Reginald Smith Brindle Laurindo Almeida, Vicente Gomez, Neil Anderson, Ronald Purcell and others are included.
To view collections which are a part of IGRA, please browse or search our finding aids, search the OneSearch, or the library's Digital Collections. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections and our Duplication Services.
The Old China Hands Archives was established in the fall of 1996 by Professor Robert Gohstand to preserve and publicize the heritage of the many people from other countries and cultures who have resided and worked in China. The Archives holds a growing collection of materials donated by former Old China Hands.
Collection Strengths
Holdings in the Old China Hands Archives document the varied experiences of foreigners living in China during the early 20th century. Whether government employees, business persons, missionaries, maritime or military servicepersons, refugees from Nazi Germany or Communist Russia, civil administrators, or journalists, their documentation of cultural interactions, international travel, local economies, and their own personal experiences provide a fascinating window into a turbulent phase of China's history.
To view collections which are a part of the Old China Hands Archives, please browse or search our finding aids, search the OneSearch, or the library's Digital Collections. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections and our Duplication Services.
Newsletter
For updates about the Old China Hands Archives and its activities, read our newsletter.
The Bradley Center was established in 1990 by Dr. Kent Kirkton to disseminate the visual history of Southern California with an emphasis on communities and photographers of color. Today, the Bradley Center has over one million images produced by mostly Los Angeles-based photographers that document the social, cultural, and political lives of the diverse communities of Los Angeles and the Southern California region and other locations in the U.S. and Latin America between the 1910s and the present.
Collection Strengths
Holdings in the Bradley Center consist primarily of photographic materials. They comprise one of the largest collections of African-American photographers west of the Mississippi. The collections contain rich documentation of the African-American community, especially the Civil Rights Movement and its leaders as well as local churches, politicians, musicians, entertainers, athletes, and social organizations. Collections also document myriad issues surrounding the border dividing the United States and Mexico, with a focus on immigration, human rights, globalization, and economic violence.
To view collections which are a part of the Bradley Center, please search the library's Digital Collections and finding aids. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections. For duplication and licensing requests, please email bradleycenter@csun.edu.
The University Archives is the repository for the historical papers of California State University, Northridge's administration and operation. Special Collections & Archives collects the papers of schools, colleges, departments, and auxiliary organizations on an on-going basis. The University Archives also endeavors to collect materials documenting the student, faculty, and staff experience on campus. These records are a rich resource for historical research and support current administrative needs.
Resources
To find more information about university records open for research, please browse or search our finding aids, search the OneSearch, or the library's Digital Collections. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections and our Duplication Services. See also our tutorial What are Archives? and Resources for Student Clubs and Organizations.
Transfer of Materials
Records from campus offices are designated for the University Archives by a combination of campus policy, federal and state laws, and California State University system policy. For more information, please see:
University Archives records transfers must be accompanied by a completed Records Transfer Authorization form. Please contact us at (818) 677-4594 or asksca@csun.edu with any questions about potential transfers, or to schedule a drop-off or pick-up.
Donating Personal or Non-Official Records
University Archives & Campus History endeavors to collect materials that document the experiences of students, faculty, and staff. In many cases, these materials are not institutional records but are of auxiliary and affiliated organizations such as Associated Students, KCSN, labor unions, or individual student clubs & organizations.
These materials differ from official campus records in that they are not public records but are created and owned by private groups and individuals. University Archives & Campus History would be pleased to house, care for, and make these and similar records accessible to researchers. If you would like to learn more about the archives, please contact us at (818) 677-4594 or asksca@csun.edu.
The Urban Archives was established in 1979 through the efforts of university faculty, concerned community organizations, and civic leaders. In July of 1992 it was placed under the Library's administration. Its purpose is to collect historically significant records of voluntary associations, local political figures, prominent citizens, and civic leaders who have contributed to the growth of Los Angeles County, and influenced its government and public thinking since the late nineteenth century.
Collection Strengths
Holdings in the Urban Archives include correspondence, newspapers, financial records, photographs, and other corporate and personal records. The collections document urban development in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, education, journalism in Southern California, labor and guild history, minority and ethnic communities, politicians and political movements, social services, and women in Los Angeles.
To view collections that are a part of the Urban Archives, please browse or search our finding aids, the OneSearch, or the library's Digital Collections. For more information about how to access our collections, please read more about Using the Collections and our Duplication Services.