| Description of library facilities: | The Hurst Collection consists of personal papers, field notes, and correspondence of C.T. Hurst, noted archaeologist of western Colorado. This material is not indexed.
His library contains a large collection of published scientific articles with an emphasis on zoology, biology, and archaeology. The materials are dated between 1927 and 1948. The Hurst slides were taken during his 12 archaeological expeditions, many to the southwest corner of Montrose County, between 1928 and 1949. The articles and slides may be accessed via the computer in the library's reading room.
The General Archives are made up of college archives and historical memorabilia related to Western State College and the Gunnison area. The college archives are not indexed; the historical memorabilia has an index in the Jensen Room.
The photograph collection contains pictures of people, places, and events relating to WSC. It also contains a limited collection of historical photos of the area. The photographs are supplemented by slides. The Endner slides consist of slides relating to the Gunnison area as well as a large number taken in Mexico and Central America. The Bradford slides are 250 slides of Colorado Western Slope wildflowers. The Bradford slides may be accessed via the computer in the library's reading room. The Endner slides have a paper index.
The Western Colorado Collection includes published and unpublished materials related to the history and prehistory of Western Colorado that advances the scholarship and curriculum of the College community.
The Western Colorado Collection was created to:
1. Preserve and ensure continuing access to published and unpublished accounts of the history of the geographic area in which Western State College is located.
2. Enhance the value of the Library's collection to scholarship and the College curriculum.
The materials in this collection are defined according to geography, chronology and subject. They are chosen broadly and selectively.
1. Geographically, the materials pertain primarily to the counties of Gunnison, Hinsdale, Chaffee, Delta, Saguache, Montrose, Pitkin and Ouray with selected supporting materials from the nearby counties of Lake, Mesa, San Juan and parts of Mineral, San Miguel, Garfield and Rio Blanco. (See attached map)
2. Chronologically, the materials cover all periods of history from prehistory to the present.
3. By subject, the collection includes history and prehistory of Western Colorado including social, cultural, economic, political, literary, geology, botany, natural history and other materials relating to the geographic areas defined above.
The Western Colorado Collection is located in the Helen A. Jensen Room on the second floor of the Savage Library.
Selection of materials within the scope of the Western Colorado Collection will be made by the Library staff, which welcomes suggestions from Savage Library users. Appropriate materials will be purchased as funds allow and to the extent justified by actual use of the collection. Donated materials may be accepted for the collection when appropriate and in good condition. When an item is selected for the collection and it may receive heavy use, every effort will be made to obtain a copy for the general book collection.
Materials in the Western Colorado Collection may be identified by searching the Library's automated catalog. They do not circulate on- or off-campus. Exceptions will be made by the Director or his/her designee. Patrons need to plan to use the collection during its posted hours. |