Special Collections and University Archives: A Basic Introduction: E. Services & Other Activities

Hours: 
Monday-Friday 8am-5pm & By Appointment

Contact us:
Email: specref@vt.edu
Telephone: 540-231-6308
Information for Visitors

Find us online!
Website: http://spec.lib.vt.edu
Blogs:http://vtspecialcollections.wordpress.com/
and https://whatscookingvt.wordpress.com

Staff

Aaron Purcell, Director, Special Collections
Marc Brodsky, Public Services and Reference Archivist
Kira Dietz, Acquisitions and Processing Archivist
Jeff Flanagan, Project Archivist
John Jackson, Archives Assistant
Tamara Kennelly, University Archivist
Laurel Rozema, Processing and Special Projects Archivist
Sam Winn, Collections Archivist
Anthony Wright de Hernandez, Community Collections Archivist

The primary purpose of Special Collections is to collect, preserve, arrange, describe, and provide access to unique historical materials and significant research collections. To support and complement this primary mission, we engage in many other activities and offer several services. 

Reference Services

• Reference inquiries may be submitted in person, by telephone, or by email via the departmental account, specref@vt.edu. We do our best to reply in a timely manner.

Scanning and Copying

• A photocopier is available in the Reading Room for patron use on a by-donation basis. The physical condition of a given item may limit an item's availability to be photocopied as will any stated restriction in a manuscript collection's finding aid. 
• Scans of materials may be requested, though adequate time, in part determined by the volume of the request, should be allowed for the production of these scans. The physical condition of a given item may limit an item's availability to be scanned as will any stated restriction in a manuscript collection's finding aid. These, too, are provided on a by-donation basis.
• Digital audio files, primarily from our Oral History collections may also be requested. Files will be provided in an mp3 format, again, on a by-donation basis.

Compliance with copyright restrictions on use of photocopies and scans are the responsibility of the patron. Special Collections reserves the right to refuse to accept a request to make copies or scans if, in its judgment, fulfillment of that request would involve violation of copyright law. Permission/order forms are available from Special Collections. 

Instructional Services

Special Collections has for many years been involved in an effort to make our department—its materials and their accessibility—known across all elements of campus. To that end, an active program of instruction through university courses has been developed, and instructional sessions both to introduce Special Collections and to enrich more specific topics are available to all instructors. For more information on these services or to request a session, contact Special Collections directly (see contact information to your left) or use the request form on the Library's webpage.

Though we do many sessions for the History and English departments, as one might expect, we have also provided instruction to classes in Art History, Architecture, Africana Studies, Appalachian Studies, Cinema, Engineering, Forest Resources, Humanities, Horticulture, Public Administration, Science and Technology Studies, and others. We  continue to offer sessions to  K-12 classes from time to time, as well.

Outreach and Exhibits

Special Collections maintains an active schedule of in-house exhibits. We are also engaged in a busy program of collaborating with other campus departments and, on occasion, off-campus institutions.

Blogs

The department maintains two weekly blogs, each with the aim of increasing the Collections' online profile and to have some fun promoting our materials: 

• What's Cookin'@ Special Collections?! is devoted to the History of Food and Drink collections and is brought to you by archivist Kira Dietz.
• The departmental blog, In Special Collections @ Virginia Tech, features posts on a full range of subjects and is produced by the staff of Special Collections.