The Special Collections and Archives works to support the research and teaching programs of the College, enhance the Curry Library general collection, and provide opportunities for researchers to receive insight into the history of the College. The collection has three main points of focus: history of the institution, local history, and history of Missouri Baptists. In its effort to retain a prominent collection of the history of the College, the Library will collect materials on the development of William Jewell College, non-active faculty, staff, and alumni, and notable events associated with the College. The Library may choose to collect tangible materials from alumni and faculty, provided that the Library is indeed the most suitable home for the collection. To support the preservation of local history, the Library will collect materials about the founding of Liberty and its constituents. Lastly, the Library will collect materials about the history of Baptists in Missouri, which will be housed in the William E. Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies.
Purpose:
The mission of the Archives of the Charles F. Curry Library is to collect, protect, arrange, and preserve materials related to William Jewell College in order to provide researchers with information about the rich history of the College and the City of Liberty. Futhermore, as part of its work with the W.E. Partee Center for Baptist Historical Studies, the Archives is further tasked with collecting, arranging, and preserving materials related to the history of Missouri Baptists and to provide a repository for Missouri Baptist Church histories.
Scope of the Collection:
The following section describes materials which are encompassed within the scope of the collection of the Archives and the W.E. Partee Center, as well as which materials are not encompassed as part of the collection. The scope of the collections determines the kinds of materials which the Archives staff are authorized to collect, arrange, and preserve. Furthermore, the scope of the collections determines what materials may be donated to by members of the William Jewell College community, the Liberty community, and the Missouri Baptist community.}
Scope of the Archives Collection:
- Minutes, agendas, and pertinent correspondence of councils, offices, and committees
- Information on founders; deeds of land and building of WJC and the town of Liberty
- Office files of the Presidents, administrators, deans; correspondence of significance with faculty and students
- Newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and press releases
- School records: student records, school catalogues, information on major programs of study, honors, awards, and scholarships
- Photographs of college events, buildings, faculty, administration, students, and organizations
- All student and faculty publications including: newspapers, pamphlets, papers, magazines, and books
- Materials on the history of William Jewell College: documents and books about the history and events of the college
- Materials from student and faculty events: programs and publications
- Records of WJC athletic teams
- Biography files for alumni, faculty, Presidents, staff, trustees, and visiting persons of note
- Personal papers and notable correspondence
- Select financial and business records
- Special collections donated by alumni
Specific Special Collections:
- Capps-Truman Collection
- Retired Brigadier General and Mrs. Jack Capps gave this collection of letters from Harry and Bess Truman, and books by and about Mr. Truman, to the college in 2006. Some of the books are signed by the author or by Mr. Truman. The collection also contains some photographs. Copies of this collection are permitted at the discretion of the Archivist.
- Herget Collection
- Dr. John F. Herget, former president of William Jewell College and an 1895 alumnus, presented this collection of Limited Editions Club books to the college in 1948. Dr. Herget was president of the college from 1928-1942. The collection includes books printed on special paper, illustrated by a talented artist, or bound in a unique fashion. Copies of this collection are not permitted, and this collection is non-circulating.
- Hubmaier Collection
- This is a collection of the writings of Dr. Balthasar Hubmaier, an Anabaptist, who was burned at the stake in Vienna in 1528 because of his religious beliefs. The collection consists of 6 bound volumes of photographs of the original German works. These photographic documents were collected by Dr. W. O. Lewis, former commissioner of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society of Europe, from libraries in Berlin, Vienna, and Czechoslovakia. Dr. George D. Davidson, former head of the Foreign Language Department at Jewell, created an English translation of Hubmaier’s works in 1939. The English and German editions are also available on microfilm. Copies of this collection are permitted, where possible.
- Hull Papers
- William R. Hull, Jr., a former Congressman from the Sixth Missouri District, donated his collection of personal and political papers from his years in the 84th to 92th Congresses. The papers were divided between Park College and William Jewell College. Jewell’s collection consists of 1080 folders, 14 scrapbooks, and a complete set of microfilm. Copies of this collection are permitted, per the discretion of the Archivist.
- Jewelliana
- Archival records of the college as well as articles and books published by alumni and faculty are kept in the Jewelliana Collection. Some items included are college catalogs, newspapers, directories, yearbooks, alumni and staff newsletters, student handbooks, special events programs, biography and history files, and photographs. Copies of this collection are permitted.
- Lois Lenski Collection
- Miss Lois Lenski, well-known writer and illustrator of children’s books, presented books and original illustrations to Curry Library in 1958. The Lois Lenski Collection may be exhibited by William Jewell College, and with the permission of the College. No copies of original works are permitted.
- Littleford Collection
- Mr. Frank Littleford donated his collection of books and magazines to the library in the 1980’s. Although many of the items are about the Civil War, the collection includes materials related to several world conflicts involving the United States. Copies of this collection are permitted.
- Missouri Collection
- The Missouri Collection, established in 1970, emphasizes western Missouri history. Special emphasis is given to acquiring material on Clay County and Liberty. Items include books, articles, newspapers, pamphlets, and maps. Copies of materials are permitted.
- Payne Military Collection
- Mr. Houstin Payne, a former officer in the U.S. Strategic Tactical Air Force department of photo intelligence in England and a 1932 alumnus of the college, gave this five volume collection of maps charting movement of American troops in the European theater during World War II. Maps include rare aerial reconnaissance photographs of German bomb installations, daily records of road and reconnaissance attacks and attacks on enemy installations, captured monthly data on German bomb production, bomb launchings and targets in England. Copies of this material are permitted.
- Settle Collection
- Mrs. Pauline Sharp, a 1937 alumnus of the college, gave the Settle Collection to the library in 1974 in honor of her father, Rev. Raymond W. Settle, a 1922 alumnus of the college. The collection includes books, periodicals, manuscripts and photographs covering various aspects of Western Americana. Copies of the collection are permitted per the discretion of the William Jewell College Archivists. Approval must be granted by the Archive prior to publication.
- Valentine Collection
- Ms. Irene Renfer Valentine, a 1955 alumnus of the college, gave this collection of autographed children’s books to the library. Copies of these materials, in part, are permitted at the discretion of the Archivist.}
Scope of the W.E. Partee Center Collection
The Partee Center is a repository for Missouri Baptist materials that provides programs to assist all Missouri Baptists in their own preservation and planning needs. Copies of materials are permitted, per the discretion of the Partee Center Manager.
- Minutes, publications, photographs, and histories of Baptist associations
- Books on the history, doctrines, and beliefs of the Baptist faith
- Missouri Baptist Church and Association histories and record books
- Personal documents of or about notable Baptists related to Missouri Baptist history and Missouri newspapers, journals, and other publications relating to Baptist history
Materials Not Collected:
- Detailed financial records
- Genealogical histories
- Materials that do not support the mission of the archives
- Materials that are beyond the Library’s capabilities to house and preserve
- Materials that are a better fit for another organization’s mission
GIFT ACCEPTANCE POLICY
Donated items accepted by William Jewell College should meet the guidelines established by the Charles F. Curry Special Collections and Archival Collections Development Policy. They should clearly relate to the history of William Jewell College or the mission of the Special Collections. Manuscript, archival, and book or published items are acceptable for the archival collection. If the condition of the donated item is so poor as to inhibit use, it may be rejected as a gift. The Curry Library accepts gifts from individuals, groups, and institutions. The library does not actively solicit archival or special collections, but accepts appropriate donations.
As the accession process on a donation begins, it may be rejected if there are already numerous copies of the gift item. The Library follows a general rule of maintaining two copies of published materials on hand but is not required to accept multiple copies that it deems redundant. The Library reserves the right to deaccession multiple copies at a later date. Artifacts that relate to the history of the College or local history are accepted on a limited basis. The items will become a part of the College’s artifact collection. The items are available for displays in the Library and for library users to view when requested in the Archives Reading Room.
William Jewell College reserves the right to refuse any gift donation on the basis of content, format, size, or condition. The Special Collections and Archives have a limited amount of space and minimal preservation capabilities. Some donated collections may be refused if they can be better preserved and would be more accessible at another institution.
When a donation is received, items will be sorted by library staff to determine if the donation is appropriate for the collection. If the materials fit both the collection and donation policies, a deed of gift will be filled out to transfer ownership to the Library. If not all materials are deemed desirable, they will be set aside and the donor will be given the opportunity to retrieve the items that will not be included in the collection.
DEED OF GIFT POLICY
A Deed of Gift form should be filled out at the time of donation. The form requires a description of the donated material, name, and address of the donor, a library rights statement and the date and signature of staff member accepting the gift. The staff member completing the form should provide the donor with a copy of the completed form. This form will be used at the discretion of the archive librarian. For more valuable collections, a more extensive legal Deed of Gift form may need to be established in cooperation with the William Jewell College Office of Advancement. The Curry Library does not provide monetary evaluation of the gift for tax purposes or other reasons. The Deed of Gift form is kept with the accession record for the item(s) donated.
