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Special Collections Policy

Purpose

The Special Collections Department of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette University Libraries brings together a wide variety of materials representing the south and southwest Louisiana experience. Special Collections supports research for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and other scholars whose work relies on archival records, rare books, manuscripts, media, digital files, and other primary sources. The central mission of Special Collections falls in line with the mission of the University Libraries, which as an integral part of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, is to support fully the instructional and research programs of the University by providing access to information through the teaching, acquisition, organization, and preservation of information resources in all formats to the University's academic community, the region, and the state.

Scope

University Archives

The University Archives houses the archival records of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from its inception to the present. The mission of the University Archives is to preserve and provide access to the University’s records of permanent, historical, legal, fiscal, and administrative value.

These records include, but are not limited to:

  • Office of the President
  • Academic and administrative offices and units
  • Annual and operative budgets
  • Publications
  • Self-studies
  • Student organizations
  • Artifacts

Acadiana Manuscripts Collection

The Acadiana Manuscripts Collection contains collections of personal or family papers, business or organizational records, photograph collections, oral histories, and much more related to the Acadiana region and south and southwest Louisiana. While most of the manuscript collections relate to the Acadiana region of Louisiana, several have broader scopes that complement the region and culture.

Among the subjects covered in these collections:

  • Agriculture
  • Oil industry
  • Architecture
  • Education
  • Literature
  • Local and regional history
  • Politics
  • Women’s history

Collections include:

The Archives also houses reels of microfilmed Colonial Louisiana Records copied from repositories in Europe and North America.

Louisiana Room

The Louisiana Room is a division of Special Collections that contains a collection of materials relating to Louisiana and the University. Resources include agriculture, arts and literature, business and industry, education, history, politics and government, and graduate and undergraduate theses. The various materials are available through Louisiana documents, books, periodicals, maps, microforms, DVDs, CDs, phonograph records, and vertical files.

Published and cataloged materials can be found through the Dupré Library Catalog, while uncatalogued resources (Louisiana state documents, maps, and vertical files) may be found in indexes linked through Special Collections.

The Louisiana Room also includes an extensive Genealogy Collection (PDF) for researching family histories in Louisiana. A Genealogical Research Guide and Selected Bibliography (PDF) is available for user reference.

Rare Book Collection

The Rare Book Collection contains items published before 1900 and items that have intrinsic value such as limited editions or copies inscribed by the author. Topics include horticulture, architecture, and French literature and history. All holdings are listed in the Dupré Library Catalog and identified by the designation "Rare Book Room." A fully searchable list of the rare books can be found under the Rare Book Collection.

Digital Archives

The Digital Archives include digitized collections of the Acadiana Manuscripts Collection and those donated to Special Collections. These collections include digitized and born-digital materials. Special Collections provides digitization services for research and scholarly use. Digitization efforts are utilized to preserve the University's archival holdings and to increase their accessibility for the community. Special Collections also produces digital exhibits that reflect parts of collections from the University Archives and Acadiana Manuscripts Collection.

UL Lafayette Institutional Repository

UL Lafayette's Institutional Repository (IR) is an online space that brings together and provides open access to the University's scholarship and intellectual content. The repository accepts scholarship in a wide variety of formats, including PDF documents, audio/video, and images. Scholarship includes research articles, class projects, presentations, digital collections, and much more.

Other Collections

U.S. Government Information

Edith Garland Dupré Library was congressionally designated a Federal Depository Library in 1938. This means the library can provide the general public with free access to government information, in accordance with Section 1911, Title 44 of the U.S. Code (PDF). As a selective depository, Dupré Library receives over 40 percent of selections available to depository libraries through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) of the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), known formerly as the Government Printing Office. Circulation of most documents is allowed. General and specialized reference, research, and instructional services are provided. Individual or group consultations and instructional sessions may be scheduled through Instructional Services.

Government publications are located in the following areas:

  • U.S. Government Documents Collection (1st Floor near the Reference Desk) – These publications have SuDoc call numbers
  • Main Stacks (Standard shelving on all floors) – These publications have Library of Congress (LC) call numbers
  • Reference & Research Department Collection – 1st Floor
  • Microforms – 1st Floor
  • Louisiana Room – 3rd floor
  • Search online publications, databases, or federal websites via U.S. Government Information.

More information can be found under Government Documents.

Cajun and Creole Music Collection

The Cajun and Creole Music Collection (CCMC) consists of over 9,000 commercial recordings, selected unpublished or field recordings, and other music-related research materials. Formats include both analog and digital media: 78rpm, 45rpm, and LP (33 ⅓ rpm) records, 8-track tapes, audio-cassette tapes, CDs, VHS tapes and DVDs. The expanding collection also contains books, periodicals, photographs, artifacts, and other archival materials. The many different genres and styles of the Creole and Cajun musical cultures of Southwest and parts of Southeast Louisiana can be found in the CCMC.

Microforms

Microforms contain back issues of newspapers, periodicals, and other items in various formats. Microfilm and microfiche are the most common formats.

Readers which have reading, printing, and other features are available in the Reference Online Center (ROC) Lab on the 1st floor and the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room on the 3rd floor.

Locate microform materials in the Dupré Library Catalog. Materials owned by Dupré Library, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or obtained through Interlibrary Loan, for UL Lafayette students, faculty and staff may be printed at no charge. Materials from other sources may be printed for $0.25 per page.

Several databases and digital applications for historical newspaper materials are available. Most of these resources are only available to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette users.

Visit the Reference Desk on the 1st floor for assistance.

Types & Formats

Special Collections acquires a wide variety of materials in both physical and digital formats. Materials include institutional records, personal papers, genealogy, newspapers, manuscripts, government publications, audiovisual recordings, microforms, maps, graphic images, ephemera, monographic series, serials, and theses/dissertations. Special Collections will not accept digital materials in outdated formats that cannot be supported within the department. If obsolete formats are transferred from a University of Louisiana at Lafayette division, Special Collections may recommend it be taken to a different repository.

Citations and References

For information regarding reference and citation style types for archival materials, view the Special Collections Reference Citations Research Guide. The guide provides basic formats and examples for three common styles: American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style, and Modern Language Association (MLA).

Privacy

Some materials in Special Collections may contain sensitive or confidential information protected under federal and/or state privacy laws and regulations. Special Collections takes steps to identify and in some cases remove this kind of information. Therefore, materials may need to be reviewed by Special Collections staff prior to access. Information may include but is not limited to educational, medical, financial, and personnel records (i.e. Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit card numbers, drivers’ licenses, employment, and medical records, student work, and more).

Users are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to living individuals may have legal implications. Users who find sensitive or confidential information in any collection agree to immediately notify a Special Collections staff member. Users also agree to make no notes or other record of privacy protected information if found within the collections and further agrees not to publish, publicize, or disclose such information to any other party. Users assume all responsibility for infringement of right to privacy in use of these materials and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Special Collections, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, its employees, and agents against all claims, demands, costs, and expenses arising from the use of Special Collections materials.

Clientele

Special Collections is open to all researchers within and outside the University. All researchers must produce proper identification (for the University community, their Cajun Card; for outside community, a picture ID such as a driver’s license or passport) and complete, or have on file a current registration form, which is provided by Special Collections staff. When requesting archival materials, a request form needs to be filled out for each individual collection.

Staff & Services

Special Collections is made up of three professional faculty and three library specialists. Each employee helps with assisting users in finding sources for research needs. Users can make requests via in-person, email, phone, mail, and live chat. Email and mail requests are routed to the Reference Archivist, while the employee assigned at the reference desk answers live chat. Only Special Collections staff is allowed to retrieve materials from the archives and Louisiana Room (refer to the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room User Policy for more information). Special Collections reserves the right to not fulfill requests based on time, distance, cost, lack of vital information, privacy concerns, or condition of the requested material.

Geographic Areas

Special Collections acquire materials related to the Acadiana region and south and southwest Louisiana. On rare occasions, Special Collections will acquire non-Louisiana documents that either are related to Acadiana or complement the current collections.

Accessions

For all donations, donors need to complete and sign a University Libraries' Deed of Gift Form (PDF). Within this agreement, physical property rights and legal title of donated materials are assigned/transferred to Special Collections and Edith Garland Dupré Library, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. It is the intent of Special Collections to make the materials available for research on an unrestricted basis, and donors have the option to allow materials to be digitized for preservation purposes and/or inclusion on the University’s Institutional Repository (IR) and the Louisiana Digital Library. Donors may also set limiting conditions on donations and can choose how copyright is transferred. All Deeds of Gift are signed by the donor and submitted to the University's Office of Operational Review for approval.

Departments and units within the University may transfer materials to the University Archives. They must fill out and sign an Internal Transfer Form (PDF). This form describes the records being transferred, the departments they originate from, and any confidentiality or privacy conditions. This form is approved by the Head of Special Collections.

Special Collections may decline certain gifts if they duplicate already-held materials, if their condition would require extensive preservation, or if they fall outside the scope of its collections.

Deaccessions

Items may be deaccessioned from collections for various purposes. In order to deaccession items, a Deaccession Form needs to be filled out, explaining what the item(s) is, what collection it came from, the purpose for deaccessioning, and the method of removal. The methods of removal include returning the item(s) to the donor(s) and discarding; this decision must be made based on the original Deed of Gift and/or Transfer Agreement. If discarding, the staff member recommending deaccession needs to state how the item(s) will be discarded and must include the name of someone who will witness the discarding. The staff member must sign the form and get signed approval from the Head of Special Collections, the Assistant Dean of Technical Services, and ultimately the Dean of the Libraries. Once all three signatures are acquired, the item(s) can be removed from the collection.

Loans

All materials in Special Collections are non-circulating, meaning they cannot be taken out of the department. Certain materials may be loaned out on a case-by-case basis. In these cases, users must complete loan request forms with signed permissions by the Head of Special Collections. Users must return the materials by a decided-upon date. If requesting Louisiana Room materials, the Reference Archivist must sign the request forms in addition to the Head of Special Collections. Users accept full responsibility for any loss or damage incurred. No reproductions or other disposition may be made of this material without the written permission of the Head of Special Collections. Items may not be displayed or reproduced without the express written consent of the Head of Special Collections and in keeping with federal copyright laws and/or donor agreements (view the University’s Digitization and Photoduplication Policies and Procedures for more information). If the Head of Special Collections is not present to sign forms, then forms must be signed by the Assistant Dean of Technical Services. If the Assistant Dean of Technical Services is not present, then the forms must be signed by the Dean of the Libraries. Users must request loans and sign forms in person at Special Collections; loan requests will not be accepted for remote user.

Digitization & Photoduplication

Special Collections offers photocopying and digitization services. Users may photocopy and scan materials in the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room, or they may request the Digitization Archivist to provide digital copies. To photocopy materials, users must go to the Circulation Desk to obtain a Copy Card. Special Collections will not provide a card to photocopy. For digitization requests, users must complete a Digitization Request Form. The request is then forwarded to the Digitization Archivist.

View Dupré Library’s Digitization and Photoduplication Policies and Procedures for policies on scanning, copyright, fees, and publishing of Special Collections materials.

Records Management

Records management is carried out by the Records Management Officer. View Records Management for more information.

Acquisitions

Special Collections materials are acquired almost exclusively through donations. The department does not purchase collections or items unless there is an unusual significance that is vitally complementary to the archives. The department accepts materials on loan or deposit, though usually with the understanding that they will be donated at a specified later date. The department also encourages monetary donations through the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation to help with acquiring needed supplies for processing and preservation.

Affiliations

Special Collections is closely aligned with the following:

Special Collections is also a member of the Louisiana Digital Consortium and contributes materials to the Louisiana Digital Library.

Contact

Scott Jordan | Senior Instructor, Interim Head of Special Collections, and Digitization Archivist
(337) 482-5702 | scott.jordan@louisiana.edu

[ Last Revised on July 23, 2024 ]