Oklahoma State University Museum of Natural and Cultural History Records
Collection
Identifier: 1996-052
Scope and Contents
Collection contains the records of the Oklahoma State University Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Includes correspondence, including memoranda, reports, clippings, collection records, photographs, brochures, and scrapbooks. Contains information documenting the efforts to establish the Museum in 1957, its activities and collections, and the closure of the facility in 1994.
Dates
- 1938-
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the Oklahoma Open Records Act (http://www.odl.state.ok.us/lawinfo/docs/2006-LibraryLaws-PartE.pdf), and other relevant regulations. Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Oklahoma State University Libraries assumes no responsibility.
Conditions Governing Use
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, Oklahoma State University Archives will provide information about copyright owners and related information. Securing permission to publish or use material is the responsibility of the researcher. Note that unless specifically transferred to Oklahoma State University Libraries, any applicable copyrights may be held by another individual or entity. Copyright for material published by Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College/Oklahoma State University is held by the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. All rights reserved.
Further information about copyright policy can be obtained by contacting Oklahoma State University Archives by email at libscua@okstate.edu or by phone at 405-744-6311.
Finding aid © 2018 Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. All rights reserved.
Administrative History
In 1957 several faculty concerned with the need for collections of museum material and for coordinating their development established themselves as an unofficial committee to review the possible development of a campus museum. They submitted a proposal to establish a Museum of Natural and Cultural History that was approved by General Faculty in 1958. The following year the Vice President for Academic Affairs appointed Botany faculty member, Dr. H.I. Featherly, to serve as the first museum director. He was succeeded in 1966 by Dr. Bryan P. Glass, of the Zoology faculty, who in turn was succeeded in 1985 by Dr. Tracy Carter, adjunct Zoology faculty member.
The Museum operated under the auspices of the Zoology Department in the College of Arts & Sciences until 1966, when it became independent of any department. It had its own designated budget and reported directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The departments continued to operate collections of material which were primarily for instructional purposes and were funded and maintained with departmental resources. The director of the OSU Museum worked with the curators of departmental collections to maintain an informal confederation of museum facilities, sharing resources and expertise on matters such as collection maintenance and exhibit preparation. This cooperative effort was facilitated by a Museum Advisory Committee, which was first appointed in 1961. In 1990 the Museum began reporting to the Vice President for University Relations and Public Affairs. The Museum was closed in June 1994 due to lack of budget resources, and its collections were placed in inactive storage. In December 1994 the University Library accepted collection management responsibility, working with the Vice President for Business and Public Relations.
In the 1977 policy statement of the Board of Regents, the Museum’s stated purpose was: “to facilitate and enhance the teaching, research, and extension functions of the University.” It was to “serve as the University’s official repository for materials of permanent scientific or cultural value.” In subsequent years the Museum developed and enlarged its collections in areas related to academic fields of the institution. During the last ten years of operation, Museum staff placed major emphasis on preparing exhibits and enhancing natural science education in local schools.
The Museum operated under the auspices of the Zoology Department in the College of Arts & Sciences until 1966, when it became independent of any department. It had its own designated budget and reported directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The departments continued to operate collections of material which were primarily for instructional purposes and were funded and maintained with departmental resources. The director of the OSU Museum worked with the curators of departmental collections to maintain an informal confederation of museum facilities, sharing resources and expertise on matters such as collection maintenance and exhibit preparation. This cooperative effort was facilitated by a Museum Advisory Committee, which was first appointed in 1961. In 1990 the Museum began reporting to the Vice President for University Relations and Public Affairs. The Museum was closed in June 1994 due to lack of budget resources, and its collections were placed in inactive storage. In December 1994 the University Library accepted collection management responsibility, working with the Vice President for Business and Public Relations.
In the 1977 policy statement of the Board of Regents, the Museum’s stated purpose was: “to facilitate and enhance the teaching, research, and extension functions of the University.” It was to “serve as the University’s official repository for materials of permanent scientific or cultural value.” In subsequent years the Museum developed and enlarged its collections in areas related to academic fields of the institution. During the last ten years of operation, Museum staff placed major emphasis on preparing exhibits and enhancing natural science education in local schools.
Extent
7.5 Linear feet (( 6 record storage boxes) [+ a list of 7 boxes of material on loan to the Library])
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged into six series.
Series I: General Files, which includes material related to Museum operations but not to collections per se; arrangement is alphabetical.
Series A: Collection Maintenance and Collections contains data related to groups of collections and separate unnumbered acquisitions as well as policies and forms; arrangement is alphabetical.
Series B: Data Folders contains material related to specific acquisitions; arrangement is by collection number.
Series C: Accession Cards for individual items; arrangement is by accession number.
Series D: Slides and Photographs, primarily of exhibits and activity at the Museum; no particular arrangement in sheets of slide sleeves.
Series II: Oversized materials.
Series I: General Files, which includes material related to Museum operations but not to collections per se; arrangement is alphabetical.
Series A: Collection Maintenance and Collections contains data related to groups of collections and separate unnumbered acquisitions as well as policies and forms; arrangement is alphabetical.
Series B: Data Folders contains material related to specific acquisitions; arrangement is by collection number.
Series C: Accession Cards for individual items; arrangement is by accession number.
Series D: Slides and Photographs, primarily of exhibits and activity at the Museum; no particular arrangement in sheets of slide sleeves.
Series II: Oversized materials.
Location
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog or contact the Oklahoma State University Archives Reference staff.
Provenance
Transferred from the OSU Museum of Natural and Cultural History, January 1995.
OSU- related material and print and photographic material related to Oklahoma were transferred to the OSU Library’s Special Collections and University Archives, January 2000.
OSU- related material and print and photographic material related to Oklahoma were transferred to the OSU Library’s Special Collections and University Archives, January 2000.
Processing Information
Processed by Heather Lloyd, December 1996; revised April 2000.
Updated by Rebecca Perry, March 2010; January 2011.
Updated by Rebecca Perry, March 2010; January 2011.
Creator
- Title
- Oklahoma State University Museum of Natural and Cultural History Records Collection Number 1996-052
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Heather M Lloyd (revised April 2000)
- Date
- December 1996
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Oklahoma State University Archives Repository
Contact:
204 Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater 74078-1071 USA
libscua@okstate.edu
204 Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater 74078-1071 USA
libscua@okstate.edu