SJSU Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) acquires, preserves, arranges, describes, and provides access to its rich, diverse holdings of manuscript collections, institutional records, rare and unique books, and other primary sources to support the diverse teaching and research needs of students, faculty, and the larger SJSU community. SC&A is the central repository for the history of SJSU and has a large collection of university, faculty, and student publications, administrative records, photographs, and ephemera. Special Collections often have no explicit ties to SJSU history but are acquired for the purposes of scholarship and instruction in subject-collected areas, such as California State Politics, Civil Rights and Social Activism, Chicana/Chicano History and Culture, Women’s Studies, LGBTQ+ Studies, California and U.S. History, and other topics of local, regional, and national significance.
Questions about donations of books or special collections may be sent to Craig Simpson, Director, Special Collections & Archives, 808-408-2061, craig.simpson@sjsu.edu. Questions about donations pertaining to University Archives may be sent to Carli Lowe, University Archivist, 808-408-2343, carli.lowe@sjsu.edu.
Subjects and Formats:
Of particular interest are materials of archival value (i.e., evidential, informational, administrative, fiscal, and/or legal value) pertaining to, and in no particular order:
SC&A is dedicated to acquiring materials that enhance our department’s strengths as well as increase the diversification of our holdings, in formats as well as subjects. Common formats sought by researchers or instructors include:
SC&A Does NOT Collect:
Records Management:
University Archives collections, such as academic department records or faculty papers, are typically evaluated and acquired according to SC&A’s Records Management Program, under the purview of the University Archivist, and according to separate-if-overlapping policies established by the SJSU Records Management Advisory Council (RMAC).
The Acquisition Evaluation Process:
Disclaimer:
Please bear in mind that collection development is a complex process. A “no” does not reflect negatively on the quality of the collection, or one’s emotional attachment to the materials. We understand that correspondence, photographs, artifacts, and other items may carry with them a deep resonance to whom they may have belonged, or the personal or historical era they represent. Sometimes it is a matter of finding the right repository, the right home. If we have suggestions, we will offer them.