Collecting Policies
Access to the collections is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or by
appointment with the Archivist. For information about finding aids visit the Archives
webpage, http://wheatoncollege.edu/archives/manuscripts-special-collections/
I. ARCHIVES
The Archives consists of the non-current historical and administrative records of Wheaton
Female Seminary, Wheaton College, and the Alumnae/i Association, as well as associated
nonofficial records and papers that relate to the history of the institution. Publications of
the College, records of the founding of Wheaton Female Seminary and of the Board of
Trustees, administrative records, and photographs, sound recordings, films, and videos
form major portions of the collection.
The collections do not circulate, although limited photocopies are available by request.
With a few exceptions, the collections are organized into record groups that correspond to
the hierarchical and functional organization of the College, and kept chronologically,
alphabetically, or by subject within each group.
An outline of the types of materials that are considered archival follows. It should not be
considered as a definitive list, but rather a general listing to use as a guide. It includes
"official" as well as "unofficial" records that we wish to collect.
OFFICIAL RECORDS
1. Organizational Papers
a. Acts of Incorporation
b. Charters and Statutes
c. By-laws and regulations
2. Minutes of Meetings: record copies, including agendas
a. Board of Trustees, including Executive and other committees
b. President
c. Administrative Officers
A. Divisions and departments
d. Faculty
e. Committees, and committee-like groups
3. Correspondence and Memoranda: record copies, sent or received
(Same listing as MINUTES...)
4. Legal Papers, Contracts, Agreements, etc.: implying or imposing legal
obligation on the part of the College (same listing as MINUTES...)
5. Financial Papers: record copies
a. Ledgers, Journals, Cash books
b. Auditors' records
c. Budget, with justifications
6. Reports: record copies
(Same listing as MINUTES...)
7. Functional/Subject Records: record copies
(Same listing as MINUTES...)
E.g.Buildings & Grounds: correspondence, memoranda, maps, blueprints,
descriptions, etc.
Communications: correspondence, memoranda, press reports, clippings,
photographs, etc.
8. Publications: 3 copies of each
a. Announcements, circulars, bulletins, programs, Histories
b. Catalogs, handbooks, directories
c. Official periodicals
E.g. Wheaton/Alumnae Magazine, Wheaton New/Wire, Wheaton Week, etc.
9. Speeches, Addresses, Sermons, etc.
Tapes, transcripts, drafts of addresses at Convocation, Commencement,
Lecture Series, etc.
10. Special Events/Celebrations/Anniversaries
Histories, background/planning material, photos, programs, memorabilia, etc.
for inaugurations, anniversaries, dedications, commencement/reunion, etc.
11. Student /Alumnae/i Records
12. College Government Association
Minutes, reports, posters, programs, financial records, etc.
13. Student Clubs/Activities
Minutes, reports, posters, programs, financial records, etc.
14. Alumnae/i Association and Clubs: (Retain at local level, if not in Archives)
a. Minutes
b. Correspondence
c. Financial Records
d. Functional/Subject Files
e. Reports
f. Publications, programs, etc.
UNOFFICIAL RECORDS
1. Illustrative Materials
Photographs, portraits, drawings, posters, postcards, slides, movies, etc.
2. Publications
Of alumnae/i, students, faculty, administrators and staff
3. Memorabilia
Correspondence, scrapbooks, clippings, songs, class albums, pictures, rings,
etc.
4. Contemporary Comment on College: if not otherwise in correspondence
Reminiscences, oral histories, etc.
5. Biographical Material
On students, alumnae/i, faculty, administrators and staff
6. Local History and Regional Materials
As convenient for research - should be in historical society or library
7. Personal Papers
Of administrative personnel, faculty, alumnae/i
AUDIO VISUAL COLLECTIONS
In addition to textual resources, the Gebbie Archives houses important audio-visual
material related to the history of the College. These include early recordings of Wheaton
concerts and radio broadcasts, tapes of meetings and lecture series, and early promotional
films. A growing collection of videotapes record annual events such as Commencement.
Videotapes and cassette tapes may be used on Archives equipment; reel-to-reel tapes must
be transferred to cassette before they can be used.
II. SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Wheaton’s Special Collections consist of historical manuscript collections, rare books, and
College-related furniture, clothing, jewelry and other objects and memorabilia. These
items do not circulate except on very rare occasions, and then only with the permission of
the Archivist.
HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS
The purpose of the Historical Manuscript Collections is to preserve, organize, and make
accessible to researchers, the records, manuscripts, and objects that relate to gender issues
and women’s history, as well as other selected materials of general historical significance
and interest. The College will acquire the latter types of materials should they be deemed
worthy of permanent preservation because of their inherent historical value, and
considered appropriate for inclusion in Wheaton’s Historical Collections. The collecting
policies of other institutions will be considered before each potential accession, with the
aim of ensuring the preservation of the material in the appropriate location. The College
Archivist & Curator of Special Collections, in consultation with the College Librarian, will
administer the collecting program for the Historical Manuscript Collections.
1. General Acquisition Guidelines for the Historical Manuscript Collections
a. Although there may be occasional notable exceptions (such as the Helen
Wann Piper W1939 Fund in Support of the Historical Collection on Women),
archival and manuscript material shall be acquired by gift rather than
purchase.
b. Under no circumstances will a College official appraise the monetary value
of archival and manuscript materials or objects; in cases where such a
determination is necessary an appraisal will be made by an independent
appraiser, contracted for and funded by the donor.
c. The Archives & Special Collection’s Deed of Gift agreement shall be the
legal instrument governing the donation and transfer of ownership of
materials to the Gebbie Archives & Special Collections.
d. Selected materials will be considered for placement “on deposit” or loan to
the Archives & Special Collections. By such an arrangement Wheaton College
will assume physical custody of the materials without transfer of ownership.
The Gebbie Archives & Special Collections Loan Agreement form will govern
such materials.
e. Items from an accessioned collection that do not relate to the purpose of
Wheaton’s collections may be returned to the donor, deposited or distributed
elsewhere within the College, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with
the provisions of the Deed of Gift, or at the discretion of the College Archivist
& Curator of Special Collections.
2. Description of the Historical Manuscript Collections
These collections are predominately made up of the personal papers of alumnae/i,
faculty, trustees, presidents, and founders of Wheaton College, and other significant
historical records and manuscripts of various organizations and individuals. They
include correspondence, speeches and sermons, manuscripts of publications, diaries,
teaching materials, research files, photographs, scrapbooks, albums, and other
memorabilia. In addition, Wheaton’s Special Collections is the official repository for
the archives of several non-Wheaton organizations, including the Southeastern
Massachusetts Cooperating Libraries (SMCL) Consortium, and the southeastern
Massachusetts branches of the American Association of University Women (AAUW).
A small Brontë collection, and several non-Wheaton related diaries and journals are
also part of the historical manuscript collections. Finding aids for the manuscript
collections are being developed.
BOOK COLLECTIONS
Wheaton’s special book collections include several thousand valuable books dating from
the earliest period of printing in the 15th century to important first editions and beautifully
illustrated books of the 20th century. Most of the rare books have been gifts from friends
of the College. The collections are distinguished for their private press editions, fine
bindings, and works on education, gender issues and the role of women. The special book
collections, used in library displays and in teaching, provide a great depth and richness to
the holdings of the Wallace Library. New additions come from gifts or purchases supported
by endowed funds. The Archives and Special Collections staff periodically conducts shelf
readings of the Special Collections.
1. Children’s Collection
Children’s literature of historical value or containing valuable illustrations is
collected. The Library builds this collection by gift and purchase. The Children’s
Collection is arranged by size, and within each size alphabetically by main entry.
The size is marked on the shelf list cards. For most of the books, bibliographic
entries appear in the HELIN Online Catalog under the subject heading “Children’s
Collection.” The books do not circulate.
2. Historical Collection on Women
Books written about or for women, women’s education, and gender issues, ranging
from the 17th to the present century are collected. Some reprints and newly
published books are included in this collection, but most of these would be classed
and shelved with the Library’s circulating materials, reflecting the College mission to
integrating women’s studies into the curriculum. Manuscript materials, including
diaries, journals, and family papers are also collected. Titles that fit the collection’s
subject matter are added by purchase, gift, or transfer from the circulating collection.
Founded by President J. Edgar Park in 1929, this collection is supported by the
Helen Wann Piper W1939 Fund. The collection is classed according to the Library of
Congress system and does not circulate. Bibliographic entries for these books
appear in the HELIN Online Catalog individually and under the subject heading
“Historical Collection on Women.” Comprehensive collections on women are
available at the nearby Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America at
Radcliffe College, and the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. This collection is
shelved in the Archives Reading Room.
3. Larcom Collection
Founded in memory of Lucy Larcom, an influential and beloved teacher of English
composition at Wheaton from 1854-1862 and from 1865-1867, this collection
contains books by and about Lucy Larcom, and volumes from her personal library.
The books do not circulate. Bibliographic entries for these books appear in the
HELIN Online Catalog individually and under the subject heading “Larcom
Collection.” A related manuscript collection, containing diaries, letters, and drafts of
poetry, is shelved with the Historical Manuscript Collections.
4. Restricted Collection/Room
The largest of the special collection contains rare and/or valuable books, as well as
autographed copies of books (“association copies”). Many of the books in the
Restricted Collection are very old and extremely fragile, and none of them circulate.
Bibliographic entries appear in the HELIN Online Catalog for individual books and
under the subject heading “Restricted Collection.”
5. Seminary Library
This collection, together with the Seminary Text-book Collection, made up the
Library of Wheaton Female Seminary. Additions to this collection are made
occasionally when particularly aged, valuable, or fragile volumes with Seminary
Library bookplates or stamps are identified in the circulating collection; usually such
books are reclassified for the Restricted Collection. The volumes are shelved
according to the Dewey Decimal Classification system, as they were during the
Seminary era. The entire collection is shelved in the Merrill Room. The books do
not circulate. Bibliographic entries are found only in card files in the Archives
Reading Room.
6. Seminary Text-book Collection
This collection, together with the Seminary Library, constituted the Library of
Wheaton Female Seminary. This is a representative sample, by no means complete,
of the books that were required for use at the Seminary; the titles were listed in the
19th century Seminary catalogues. Additions to the collection are made by gift. The
books are shelved by main entry, and do not circulate. Bibliographic entries are
found only in card files in the Archives Reading Room.
7. Senior Honors Theses
All Senior Honors Theses and Master’s Theses are catalogued and are shelved in the
Archives Reading Room. They are each assigned a number and are shelved in that
order (chronologically by the graduating year and alphabetically by author within
each year). The theses are the original, unpublished works of honors students in
various disciplines, and do not circulate. Only limited portions of theses may be
photocopied, unless the thesis contains written permission to photocopy.
Bibliographic entries for theses written after 1976 appear in the HELIN Online
Catalog.
8. Paul H. Smart Collection
This collection was established in 1967 with a generous gift from Mr. Smart (former
member of the Library Visiting Committee and son of the former College Trustee
and acting President George T. Smart) of private press editions from his personal
library. Appropriate private press publications and fine bindings are placed in this
collection as they are acquired by gift or identified in the circulating collection. The
books are shelved alphabetically by the name of the press, and sub-filed
alphabetically by main entry. This collection contains its own oversize area. These
books do not circulate. Bibliographic entries appear in the HELIN Online Catalog for
individual books, and under the subject heading “Smart Collection.”
9. Wheaton Collection
The Wheaton Collection is comprised of works by faculty, administrators, and staff
written, researched or published while they were employed at Wheaton; and works
by alumnae/i whenever they were written. The Library adds to this collection by
gift and purchase. None of these volumes circulate. The collection is in the Archives
Reading Room, and is shelved alphabetically by the surname of the Wheaton-related
author. A subject entry under the heading “Wheaton Collection,” sub-filed
alphabetically by the name of the Wheaton-related person is included in the HELIN
Online Catalog for books added to the collection after 1976.
ANTIQUES & MEMORABILIA
The Wheaton Archives maintains an extensive collection of antique objects, which are
associated with the Seminary, College, or individuals connected with the institution.
DUPLICATES
Duplicate Wheaton publications, such as Nikés, Wheaton Magazines, Rushlights, and
President’s Reports, and duplicate volumes from the special collections are stored in
the locked area of the Periodicals Mezzanine and in the Greenaway Room closet. A
set of duplicate Nikés, which may be borrowed, is maintained in the Workroom. A
location list is maintained in the inventory files.