What is the collection policy for Special Collections and Archives?
Answer
Special Collections and Archives (SC&A) is a department of the Goucher College Library whose primary responsibility is to serve the research needs of Goucher College’s faculty, students, and staff. The collection development policy for the SC&A describes the guidelines by which department staff, the Goucher College community, and other potential donors may make informed decisions about appropriate materials for gift and transfer to the department.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Decisions to accept materials will be informed by the SC&A staff with regards to subject area, available resources to care for and provide access to the collection, the availability of physical storage space, and availability of similar collection material at another institution. SC&A will accept materials including printed works, manuscripts, archives, artifacts, ephemera, photographs, artwork, audio-visual, and some born digital materials.
Collection Strengths
The unique historical materials held within the department are accessible to college offices and departments, faculty, students, and visiting researchers according to published rules for their use. The collections are split in two distinct areas: the college archives and the special collections.
College archives – official records of Goucher College.
Special collections - non-official historical materials that relate to the College and the local community, support the curriculum, document the activities and research interests of its faculty, students, and alumnae/i, and anticipate future research needs.
SC&A collects original rare and unique materials in the following primary areas:
- Goucher College history, including works by Goucher College students, faculty, staff, and alumnae/i
- Jane Austen and the Regency Period
- Performing Arts, including dance and dance history; costumes; and theater, dance, and opera programs
- Musical scores, especially featuring choreography
- Maryland and Baltimore history and literature
- Early English language work 16th – 19th century
- Peace and social justice studies
- Women’s studies including activism, college life, co-education, equal rights, and women’s health
- History of books and printing
- Book arts
- Mark Twain (early editions)
- Books with research or reference value that support existing collections.
- Books with fine bindings, unique formats, and fine press publications
Contact for Potential Collection Donation
Kristen Welzenbach, Assistant Director for Library Services and Curator for Special Collections & Archives
410-337-6370
Kristen.welzenbach@goucher.edu