Guide to the George Mason University Libraries records,1949-2008 George Mason University Libraries R0095

Guide to the George Mason University Libraries records,1949-2008

A Collection in
Special Collections and Archives
Collection Number R0095


[logo]

George Mason University Libraries

2006 and 2011 By George Mason University Libraries. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Special Collections and Archives Staff

Repository
George Mason University. Special Collections and Archives.
Collection number
R0095
Title
George Mason University Libraries records 1949-2008
URL:
http://sca.gmu.edu/finding_aids/
Physical Characteristics
110 linear ft.; 214 boxes
Creator
George Mason University Libraries
Language
English
Abstract
The collection includes materials and reports on library planning and operations as well as special projects, programs and events.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

George Mason University Libraries records, Collection #R0095, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University.

Acquisition Information

Donated by the GMU Libraries.

Processing Information

Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff.

Historical Information

Fenwick Library, the main research library in the GMU Library System, houses most of the libraries' print collections in all disciplines including journals and maps. In addition to the print collections, the library offers resources in microform and electronic formats. Electronic resources include networked and stand-alone CD-ROMs, the libraries' online catalog, a number of databases available through the libraries' membership in various consortia, and Internet access. Reference librarians in Fenwick assist faculty with specific research projects, teach classes about information search strategies and resources, and work with specific academic departments to develop library collections. Fenwick staff also assist students at all levels -- graduate and undergraduate -- as they become more sophisticated library users throughout their careers at GMU.

The Special Collections and Archives Department in Fenwick Library collects, organizes and preserves books and other items of historical or special interest to the GMU Community; scans and digitizes some especially noteworthy materials for research use (available via the Libraries' Web Pages), and provides finding aids for identification and use of special and archival materials.

The Johnson Center Library (JCL) located in the George W. Johnson Center is an electronic gateway library that supports the informational and instructional needs of students, faculty and staff. The JCL provides access to library resources through the world wide web and Mason libraries local area network of resources. The JCL emphasizes teaching library users to use electronic resources. A variety of drop-in instructional classes on library research skills and in using electronic resources are offered. In addition, course related instructional classes are conducted by the liaison librarians for specific subject departments. Course-integrated library instruction has been developed for special populations such as New Century College, Honors Program, and University 100. The Johnson Center Library provides the following collections and services: Adaptive Technology to assist persons with disabilities, circulating Collection of undergraduate foundation materials focusing on multiculturalism, gender studies, technology, and music and education circulating collections (including graduate level). The library also features a core reference collection, curriculum collection, international newspapers, course reserves, instructional classes and media collections and equipment.

The Arlington Campus Library collects materials that support the non-law academic programs offered on the Arlington Campus of George Mason University. Resources cover a wide range of applied social science disciplinary areas, including public policy, public administration, social services, nonprofit management, business, economics and education. In addition to the core reference and circulating collections, the library serves as a depository for European Union documents and houses the University Library's collection of pre-1987 bound journals.

The Mercer Library, on the Prince William Campus, is part of the George Mason University Libraries system and provides full-access to all GMU-owned print and electronic resources. This means researchers have at their disposal, a collection of one million titles and over 250 electronic databases. The Mercer Library collection specializes in the following disciplines: Health and Fitness, Tourism, Administration of Justice, Education, Biodefense, Bioinformatics, and Computer Science.

Scope and Content

The George Mason University Libraries records includes materials and reports on library planning and operations as well as special projects, programs and events. It is divided into eleven series and includes the Library Directors records as well as department records, planning and construction records, reports, meeting minutes, committee records, and policies and procedures. Each series is arranged alphabetically and then chronologically unless otherwise noted. Series one, three, six, seven, eight, and ten have subseries to further divide and make easily accessible the information within.

Series one, Library Director (1958-2001), consists of files created by the Library Director and is divided into six subseries; Scheduled Reports, Library Director 1958-1981, John G. Veenstra, Louella V. Weatherbee, Charlene Hurt, and John G. Zenelis. This series includes annual reports, correspondence and memorandums, and miscellaneous files collected by the Library Director. Scheduled reports 1959-1985 contains annual and monthly reports prepared by the Library Director. The first annual report of the Librarian dates from 1959. The second subseries, Library Director (1958-1981), includes correspondence, grant and project information, and management by objectives (MBOs) for library departments. The John G. Veenstra (1966-1987), series includes correspondence and memorandums many of which are concerning Special Collections and public services. The fourth subseries, Louella V. Weatherbee (1980-1985), contains documents concerning or created by Louella Weatherbee regarding library expansion, departments, and services. The Charlene Hurt (1973-1999) subseries contains the bulk of the Library Director materials. It contains files created by, or concerning, Charlene Hurt, who served as Library Director in the 1980s and 1990s, and includes information on conferences, chronological files, budgets, correspondence, Johnson Center planning, library policies, and weekly calenders. Subseries six, John G. Zenelis (1998-2001), is a short subseries with information on the Library Director search in 1998, memorandums, and a statement by the Librarian from 2001.

Series two, Correspondence and Memos (1960-1999), consists of four boxes of correspondence and memorandums, created by and pertaining to, library employees, library policies, and library departments, from the years 1960 to 1999.

Series three, Reports (1960-2007), is divided into five subseries: Budgets, Reports, Minutes, Publications, Publicity and Research. Subseries one, Budgets (1970-2001), is arranged chronologically and contains annual budgets, requests and updates. Subseries two, Reports (1960-2001), includes annual, monthly, and quarterly reports, consultant reports, surveys, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation reports, and self studies. Subseries three, Minutes (1972-2002), includes meeting minutes from division head meetings, faculty senate, graduate council meetings and others. Subseries four, Publications (1964-2007), includes the publications Added Entries, Federal One, Full Text, and Library Notes as well as brochures and other newletters produced by the Library staff. Subseries five, Publicity and Research (1967-1995), contains newspaper and magazine articles featuring the libraries at George Mason and especially the Federal Theatre Project. Research articles focus on library science, professional development, and public relations.

Series four, Committees and Collaborations (1960-2004), consists of records originating from library committees and records concerning collaborations within the University and with other institutions undertaken by the library. This series includes information on the Arlington Campus Library, Campus Wide Information Working group (CWIS), Committee on Committees, Consortium for Continuing Higher Education (CCHENV), Faculty Senate Library Committee, Friends of the Library, the Johnson Center, Liaison Librarian Program task force (LLPTF), Librarians council, Policy and Planning council, Research Planning council, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV), Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), and many more.

Series five, Policies and Procedures (1960-2001), includes five boxes of documents on the library handbook, policies, emergency plans, computer and copier procedures and mission statements.

Series six, Buildings (1962-2004), contains building plans, correspondence, and budgets on construction and renovation projects for Fenwick library, the Johnson Center library (also referred to as University Center), Arlington Campus Library, and the Mercer Library at the Prince William Campus. This series is divided into four subseries. Subseries one, Arlington Campus Library (1978-1999), includes the proposal for the Arlington Campus Library (also known as the Metro campus) as well as blueprints featuring the Arlington building and buildings at the Fairfax campus. Subseries two, Fenwick Library (1962-2004), includes building plans, correspondence, proposals and specifications for the Fenwick Library building. Subseries three, Johnson Center (University Center) (1980-1996), includes budgets, building plans, correspondence, planning, proposals and policies relating to the Johnson Center building and library. Subseries four contains documents on the Prince William campus and Mercer Library dating from 1991-1998.

Series seven, Library departments and services (1959-2008), is divided into eight subseries each of which consists of information on a particular department of the library. Subseries one, Catalog and Databases (1979-1995), contains information on the automated library system, and the cataloging department. Subseries two, Circulation (1959-2002), includes manuals and policies for the circulation department. Subseries three, Collection Development (1964-2001) contains acquisitions information, collection development policies, and lists of audiovisual materials in the library. Subseries four, Periodicals (1963-1996), contains information on the periodicals collection. Subseries five, Reference (1976-2000), contains information on the Reference department policies and resources. Subseries six, Other Services (1969-2008), includes material relating to other services the library provides such as workshops and seminars, readings and events, library instruction, and resources. Subseries seven, Exhibits (1955-2007), contains photographs, brochures, publicity, and display materials for exhibits created by and displayed at Fenwick Library. More exhibit material can be found in Series 11 Oversize Material. Subseries eight, Special Collections and Archives (1950-2007), contains information regarding all aspects of the Special Collections and Archives including services, projects, reports, grants, forms, and collection information.

Series eight, Administrative Files (1958-2001), is divided into three subseries: Gifts, Grants, and Personnel. Subseries one, Gifts (1958-1989) contains acknowledgements of gifts received by the library. Subseries two, Grants (1966-1993), includes grant correspondence, proposals, and requests. Subseries three, Personnel (1964-1995), includes faculty information, organization charts, personnel procedures and information on volunteer programs.

Series nine, Miscellaneous (1949-2001), consists of two boxes of miscellaneous correspondence, memorandums, statistics, policies and brochures.

Series ten, Photographs, Audiovisual, Artifacts (1967-1999), includes photographs, audiovisual materials such as VHS and audio cassette tapes, and artifacts including Mason related buttons. It is divided into three subseries. Subseries one, Photographs (1967-1990) includes photographs, contacts sheets, negatives, and slides featuring library staff, as well as, the Fenwick Library and Johnson Center buildings. Subseries two, Audiovisual (1979-1999), includes VHS tapes, an audio cassette tape, a reel to reel tape and a 45rpm record featuring library related seminars and meetings, as well as, information on library technology. Subseries three, Artifacts (1990s), consists of scissors used during the Johnson Center celebration in 1993 and MasonLink buttons.

Series eleven, Oversize (1984-2003), consists of oversize exhibit related material.

Arrangement

Organized into eleven series:

Series 1: Library Director, 1958-2001 Series 2: Correspondence and memos, 1960-1999 Series 3: Reports and publications, 1960-2007 Series 4: Committees and collaborations, 1960-2004 Series 5: Policies and procedures, 1960-2001 Series 6: Buildings, 1962-2004 Series 7: Departments and services, 1959-2008 Series 8: Administrative files, 1958-2001 Series 9: Miscellaneous, 1949-2001 Series 10: Photographs, audiovisual materials, artifacts, 1967-1999 Series 11: Oversize, 1984-2003

Related Material

Special Collections and Archives holds the George Mason University records.

Index Terms

Adjunct Descriptive Data

George Mason Universtiy Libraries records

Series 1: Library Director, 1958-2001

This series consists of files created by, or collected by, the Library Director. This series is divided into six subseries and is arranged alphabetically, then chronologically. Subseries include scheduled reports, Library director 1958-1981, John G. Veenstra, Louella V. Wetherbee, Charlene Hurt, and John G. Zenelis.

Back to Top
Series 2: Correspondence and Memos, 1960-1999

Contains correspondence and memorandums pertaining to library employees, policies, and departments. Arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 3: Reports and Publications, 1960-2007

This series is divided into five subseries: Budgets, reports, minutes, publications, publicity and research. It includes annual budgets, annual, monthly, and quarterly reports, consultant reports, surveys, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation reports, self studies, meeting minutes from division head meetings, faculty senate, graduate council meetings and others, publications created by the libraries and also publicity about the libraries including articles on the Federal Theatre Project. Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 4: Committees and collaborations, 1960-2004

This series consists of files originating from library committees and files concerning collaborations within the University and with other institutions undertaken by the library. Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 5: Policies and procedures, 1960-2001

Includes the library handbook, policies, emergency plans, computer and copier procedures and mission statements, for Fenwick library. Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 6: Buildings, 1962-2004

Contains building plans, correspondence, and budgets on construction and renovation projects for Fenwick library, Johnson Center library (also referred to as the University Center), Arlington Campus Library, and the Mercer Library at the Prince William Campus. The series is divided into four subseries and is arranged alphabetically and then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 7: Library departments and services, 1959-2008

This series is divided into eight subseries each containing information on a particular department of the library. Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 8: Administrative files, 1958-2001

This series is divided into three subseries; gifts, grants, and personnel. Arranged alphabetically, then chronologically.

Back to Top
Series 9: Miscellaneous, 1949-2001

This series includes miscellaneous correspondence, memorandums, statistics, policies and brochures.

Back to Top
Series 10: Photographs, audiovisual, artifacts 1967-1999

This series includes photographs, audiovisual materials such as VHS and audio cassette tapes, and artifacts including Mason related buttons.

Back to Top
Series 11: Oversize 1984-2003

This series consists of exhibit related material.

Back to Top