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A preservation assessment of the university’s special collections and archives, along with an on-site workshop for staff on the care, handling, and storage of historical research materials. The collection comprises 18,000 books, 200,000 photographs, and 5,400 linear feet of archival records and personal papers focusing largely on the history and culture of Cedar Falls, Waterloo, and surrounding communities in Iowa’s Cedar Valley region.  Highlights include the papers of longtime U.S. senator, and UNI alumnus, Charles Grassley, along with prominent literature faculty members, including writer Robert James Waller and poet James Hearst.

This project will improve preservation in Special Collections & University Archives at the University of Northern Iowa, supporting future research, teaching, and outreach. The Manuscripts Collection and University Archives are the focus, consisting of over 5,400 linear feet of items with strengths in the Cedar Valley community and university history. The collection includes materials that reflect humanities research, teaching, and creation; records from area groups supporting engagement in the humanities; and items that reflect local political, social, and economic activities. The collections provide documentary evidence of experiences from diverse perspectives on campus and across the region. The grant would provide a site visit, report, and workshop that will identify priorities for improved policies and practices in material storage, handling, and preservation to align with professional standards after decades of neglect. The project dates are January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.