Collecting Areas
Collecting Policy
The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives serves as the repository for rare, unique, and historic materials in the University Libraries at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Over the course of the University’s history, Special Collections and University Archives has built collections of manuscripts, books, photographs, oral histories, textiles, and other formats in a number of specialized areas. These areas have been chosen with faculty and other specialists and in response to various opportunities to obtain primary research materials. Many of them continue to be focuses for targeted collecting.
Through these collections the department supports the research, teaching, and service mission of the University. The collections are non-circulating and maintained in closed stacks. Exhibits from materials in Special Collections and University Archives are created by the department and are rotated several times a year. The collections support a wide range of researchers, including undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and other researchers whose work relies on primary resource materials, rare books, and manuscripts. Acquisitions that do not fall into existing collecting areas sometimes are made in anticipation of new emphases.
Collecting Rationale
Special Collections and University Archives primary responsibility is to serve the needs of the University’s students and faculty and preserve the institution’s history. It seeks to collect in subject areas receiving sustained attention within the University community. Special Collections and University Archives mission is also to support the non-UNCG scholarly community. Thus, it seeks to build collections in areas not well covered by other repositories.
Types of Materials Collected:
These materials include manuscripts, correspondence, diaries, photographs, administrative records, scrapbooks, and other records of historical importance to support the mission of the University. The department does not collect secondary or reproduction source material such as microfilm or photocopies of original materials.
Collection Area--University Archives
The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives is the repository for the historical records of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Materials date from the founding of the University in 1891 and include the records of the presidents and chancellors, Boards of Trustees, faculty and student committees, societies and organizations, and many of the University's academic departments and administrative offices. Besides paper records, this collection includes extensive holdings of photographs, scrapbooks, student publications, postcards, artifacts, and textiles.
Collection Area--Rare Books
The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections actively collects unique and historic books for research and instruction. In the area of authors collections, the library has strengths in George Herbert, Randell Jarrell, and Lois Lenski. Additionally, the Rare Books collection has strengths in: Book Binding & Book Arts, Children’s Literature, Home Economics, Physical Education and Dance, Women’s Literature, and Military History (including women in the military).
Collection Area--Manuscripts
The Manuscripts collection concentrates on documenting the history, cultural life, economics, and politics of the North Carolina Piedmont. Some of our collecting concentrations include creative writing, civil rights, women's studies, human rights, theatre, nursing, physical education, and dance.
Collection Area--Cello Music Collection
The Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives has internationally known collection of cello music books, manuscripts, records, and sheet music. The collection includes such influential cellists as: Elizabeth Cowling, Maurice Eisenberg, Bernard Greenhouse, Fritz Magg, Rudolf Matz, Janos Scholz, Luigi Silva, and Laszlo Varga.