Peace Resource Center Barbara Reynolds Memorial Archives Future Collections Storage and Growth

FAIN: PG-280956-21

Wilmington College, Ohio (Wilmington, OH 45177-2473)
Tanya Maus (Project Director: January 2021 to January 2026)

A collections space assessment for the Wilmington College Peace Resource Center Barbara Reynolds Memorial Archives (PRC BRMA). Currently, the PRC BRMA is housed in a two-story 1891 Victorian home. The PRC was founded in 1975 by Barbara Reynolds, a Quaker nuclear disarmament activist who lived in Hiroshima, Japan, from 1951–1969. Earle Reynolds, her husband, was a scientist with the U.S. Atomic Bombing Casualty Commission from 1949 to 1954. During the 1950s and ’60s, through her experiences in Hiroshima, Reynolds became a vocal advocate for the rights of atomic bombing survivors, as well as for the elimination of nuclear weapons throughout the world. The collection contains correspondence by American nuclear disarmament proponents during this era. A 2018 needs assessment and 2019 Preservation Assistance Grant have shown that the aging building is vulnerable to fire and other disasters, has significant challenges in maintaining a stable preservation environment, and has limited space for growth, with few protections for materials and artifacts from unintentional or intentional harm from users. The building is also not ADA compliant. As a result, with the support of the institution, the PRC BRMA seeks to identify a suitable and sustainable location for its collection.

This project will realize a collections space assessment of the Wilmington College Peace Resource Center Barbara Reynolds Memorial Archives (PRC BRMA) as the basis for a permanent solution for its collections needs.