University Archives, Special Collections, and the Radford Rooms

The Radford University Archives serves as the official and final repository for the historical records of Radford University from its establishment in 1910 to the present time. The Radford University Archives' mission is:

• To collect, evaluate, organize, describe, preserve, and make available records of permanent administrative and historical value created or received in connection with the transaction of the affairs of Radford University, as defined in the Archives Collection Development Policy (http://lib.runet.edu/archives/CollectionPolicy.htm);

• To serve as a research center for the study of the University's history by the University population and the scholarly community at large;

• To provide reference and information services to assist in the University's administration and operations;

• To promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, programs, and goals of the University and its development;

• To facilitate the efficient management of the recorded information produced by the University's units and offices;

• To provide adequate facilities for the retention, preservation, processing, and research use of such materials.

Description of Collections

The University Archives is the repository of the following broad categories of documents:

• Official records of the University's Board of Visitors and its predecessor oversight bodies as they relate to Radford University since its establishment in 1910; the records of the Student Government Association; and the records of the faculty, staff, and administrative senates;

• Official records from the offices of the President, Vice-Presidents, Dean of Students and academic deans. These include the official and personal papers of President John Preston McConnell (1911-1937); the official papers of Presidents David Wilbur Peters (1937-1951), Charles Knox Martin, Jr. (1952-1972), Donald Newton Dedmon (1972-1994), and Douglas Covington (1995-2005 ); and of Dean of Women M'Ledge Moffett (1920-1962);

• University-sponsored publications, for example the Grapurchat and Tartan student newspapers, the Radnor and Beehive yearbooks, course catalogs, and student handbooks;

• Photographs of academic and student life, buildings, and campus activities from 1913 to the 1980s;

• Materials that document the history of Radford's geographical area, for example, the ledgers of Ingles Ferry and the records of the Virginia Iron Coal & Coke Company.

Access to Collections

The Radford University Archives is located in Rooms 534 and 536 on Level 5 of the Library. The Archives will be open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The holdings of the Radford University Archives do not circulate; researchers wishing to make use of materials are required to do so in the Archives research areas under the supervision of Archives staff.  The Archives has indexes to the records of the University's Board of Visitors, Presidents John Preston McConnell and Douglas Covington, the Grapurchat (the student newspaper from 1921 to 1978) and the Virginia Iron, Coal and Coke Company.  Additional indexes of holdings will be made available on the McConnell Library web site as those holdings are processed. Permission to publish from any unpublished documents, beyond the bounds of "fair use", must be obtained from the holder of copyright. It is the researcher's responsibility to secure that permission. For further assistance, contact the Reference Desk.

Special Collections

The Library's Special Collections, located in a secured area on Level 1, consist of archival copies of certain Radford College and Radford University publications. In addition, the Library's Special Collections contain certain materials requiring special protection or security due to their high monetary value or susceptibility to theft; fragile condition; irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind nature; or unusual historical value. Items located in Special Collections are cataloged and may be identified by searching the Library's online public access catalog (http://lib.runet.edu). Items in Special Collections may be requested at the Reference Desk and are restricted to use in the Library. For further assistance, contact the Reference Desk at 831-5696.

The Radford Rooms

The Radford Rooms occupy a suite of adjoining rooms located to the right of the Library's main entrance on Level 3. These rooms serve as a focal point for making publicly accessible materials relating to the history of Radford University. On display are a number of items associated with John Preston McConnell, the first president of the University (1911-1937), as well as rare panoramic photographs of the entire student body and faculty taken from the 1910s to the 1930s, a Highlander band uniform, and unique photographs of student life. Copies of the Beehive (the university's student yearbook), Radford University Master's theses, and the publications of RU faculty and staff are also shelved in the Radford Rooms. Of special note is the collection of Boehm porcelain bird sculptures, donated to the university in memory of Marjorie Pearson Glenn, an alumna of the class of 1932. The Radford Rooms are open for viewing during all hours the Library is open. For further assistance, contact the Reference Desk.

Gifts and Donations

The Library encourages the donation of materials that are in keeping with the subject scope of the Archives collection, a complete description of which may be found in the Radford University Archives Collection Development Policy.  Any donation requiring special handling, storage, or cataloging beyond the resources and facilities available to McConnell Library requires approval from the Archivist prior to acceptance. Gifts of materials with mixed historical value may be accepted if the Archivist has the right to discard or otherwise remove items that are not within the subject scope of the collection.

For more information about the Radford University Archives, contact the Reference Desk at 831-5696 or email: refdesk@radford.edu.

6/2005