George Mason University Libraries records

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669

Summary

Extent:
110 linear ft.; 214 boxes
Creator:
George Mason University Libraries
Abstract:
The collection includes materials and reports on library planning and operations as well as special projects, programs and events.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The George Mason University Libraries records includes materials and reports on library planning and operations as well as special projects, programs and events. It is divided into eleven series and includes the Library Directors records as well as department records, planning and construction records, reports, meeting minutes, committee records, and policies and procedures. Each series is arranged alphabetically and then chronologically unless otherwise noted. Series one, three, six, seven, eight, and ten have subseries to further divide and make easily accessible the information within.

Series one, Library Director (1958-2001), consists of files created by the Library Director and is divided into six subseries; Scheduled Reports, Library Director 1958-1981, John G. Veenstra, Louella V. Weatherbee, Charlene Hurt, and John G. Zenelis. This series includes annual reports, correspondence and memorandums, and miscellaneous files collected by the Library Director. Scheduled reports 1959-1985 contains annual and monthly reports prepared by the Library Director. The first annual report of the Librarian dates from 1959. The second subseries, Library Director (1958-1981), includes correspondence, grant and project information, and management by objectives (MBOs) for library departments. The John G. Veenstra (1966-1987), series includes correspondence and memorandums many of which are concerning Special Collections and public services. The fourth subseries, Louella V. Weatherbee (1980-1985), contains documents concerning or created by Louella Weatherbee regarding library expansion, departments, and services. The Charlene Hurt (1973-1999) subseries contains the bulk of the Library Director materials. It contains files created by, or concerning, Charlene Hurt, who served as Library Director in the 1980s and 1990s, and includes information on conferences, chronological files, budgets, correspondence, Johnson Center planning, library policies, and weekly calenders. Subseries six, John G. Zenelis (1998-2001), is a short subseries with information on the Library Director search in 1998, memorandums, and a statement by the Librarian from 2001.

Series two, Correspondence and Memos (1960-1999), consists of four boxes of correspondence and memorandums, created by and pertaining to, library employees, library policies, and library departments, from the years 1960 to 1999.

Series three, Reports (1960-2007), is divided into five subseries: Budgets, Reports, Minutes, Publications, Publicity and Research. Subseries one, Budgets (1970-2001), is arranged chronologically and contains annual budgets, requests and updates. Subseries two, Reports (1960-2001), includes annual, monthly, and quarterly reports, consultant reports, surveys, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation reports, and self studies. Subseries three, Minutes (1972-2002), includes meeting minutes from division head meetings, faculty senate, graduate council meetings and others. Subseries four, Publications (1964-2007), includes the publications Added Entries, Federal One, Full Text, and Library Notes as well as brochures and other newletters produced by the Library staff. Subseries five, Publicity and Research (1967-1995), contains newspaper and magazine articles featuring the libraries at George Mason and especially the Federal Theatre Project. Research articles focus on library science, professional development, and public relations.

Series four, Committees and Collaborations (1960-2004), consists of records originating from library committees and records concerning collaborations within the University and with other institutions undertaken by the library. This series includes information on the Arlington Campus Library, Campus Wide Information Working group (CWIS), Committee on Committees, Consortium for Continuing Higher Education (CCHENV), Faculty Senate Library Committee, Friends of the Library, the Johnson Center, Liaison Librarian Program task force (LLPTF), Librarians council, Policy and Planning council, Research Planning council, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV), Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC), and many more.

Series five, Policies and Procedures (1960-2001), includes five boxes of documents on the library handbook, policies, emergency plans, computer and copier procedures and mission statements.

Series six, Buildings (1962-2004), contains building plans, correspondence, and budgets on construction and renovation projects for Fenwick library, the Johnson Center library (also referred to as University Center), Arlington Campus Library, and the Mercer Library at the Prince William Campus. This series is divided into four subseries. Subseries one, Arlington Campus Library (1978-1999), includes the proposal for the Arlington Campus Library (also known as the Metro campus) as well as blueprints featuring the Arlington building and buildings at the Fairfax campus. Subseries two, Fenwick Library (1962-2004), includes building plans, correspondence, proposals and specifications for the Fenwick Library building. Subseries three, Johnson Center (University Center) (1980-1996), includes budgets, building plans, correspondence, planning, proposals and policies relating to the Johnson Center building and library. Subseries four contains documents on the Prince William campus and Mercer Library dating from 1991-1998.

Series seven, Library departments and services (1959-2008), is divided into eight subseries each of which consists of information on a particular department of the library. Subseries one, Catalog and Databases (1979-1995), contains information on the automated library system, and the cataloging department. Subseries two, Circulation (1959-2002), includes manuals and policies for the circulation department. Subseries three, Collection Development (1964-2001) contains acquisitions information, collection development policies, and lists of audiovisual materials in the library. Subseries four, Periodicals (1963-1996), contains information on the periodicals collection. Subseries five, Reference (1976-2000), contains information on the Reference department policies and resources. Subseries six, Other Services (1969-2008), includes material relating to other services the library provides such as workshops and seminars, readings and events, library instruction, and resources. Subseries seven, Exhibits (1955-2007), contains photographs, brochures, publicity, and display materials for exhibits created by and displayed at Fenwick Library. More exhibit material can be found in Series 11 Oversize Material. Subseries eight, Special Collections and Archives (1950-2007), contains information regarding all aspects of the Special Collections and Archives including services, projects, reports, grants, forms, and collection information.

Series eight, Administrative Files (1958-2001), is divided into three subseries: Gifts, Grants, and Personnel. Subseries one, Gifts (1958-1989) contains acknowledgements of gifts received by the library. Subseries two, Grants (1966-1993), includes grant correspondence, proposals, and requests. Subseries three, Personnel (1964-1995), includes faculty information, organization charts, personnel procedures and information on volunteer programs.

Series nine, Miscellaneous (1949-2001), consists of two boxes of miscellaneous correspondence, memorandums, statistics, policies and brochures.

Series ten, Photographs, Audiovisual, Artifacts (1967-1999), includes photographs, audiovisual materials such as VHS and audio cassette tapes, and artifacts including Mason related buttons. It is divided into three subseries. Subseries one, Photographs (1967-1990) includes photographs, contacts sheets, negatives, and slides featuring library staff, as well as, the Fenwick Library and Johnson Center buildings. Subseries two, Audiovisual (1979-1999), includes VHS tapes, an audio cassette tape, a reel to reel tape and a 45rpm record featuring library related seminars and meetings, as well as, information on library technology. Subseries three, Artifacts (1990s), consists of scissors used during the Johnson Center celebration in 1993 and MasonLink buttons.

Series eleven, Oversize (1984-2003), consists of oversize exhibit related material.

Biographical / historical:

Fenwick Library, the main research library in the GMU Library System, houses most of the libraries' print collections in all disciplines including journals and maps. In addition to the print collections, the library offers resources in microform and electronic formats. Electronic resources include networked and stand-alone CD-ROMs, the libraries' online catalog, a number of databases available through the libraries' membership in various consortia, and Internet access. Reference librarians in Fenwick assist faculty with specific research projects, teach classes about information search strategies and resources, and work with specific academic departments to develop library collections. Fenwick staff also assist students at all levels -- graduate and undergraduate -- as they become more sophisticated library users throughout their careers at GMU.

The Special Collections and Archives Department in Fenwick Library collects, organizes and preserves books and other items of historical or special interest to the GMU Community; scans and digitizes some especially noteworthy materials for research use (available via the Libraries' Web Pages), and provides finding aids for identification and use of special and archival materials.

The Johnson Center Library (JCL) located in the George W. Johnson Center is an electronic gateway library that supports the informational and instructional needs of students, faculty and staff. The JCL provides access to library resources through the world wide web and Mason libraries local area network of resources. The JCL emphasizes teaching library users to use electronic resources. A variety of drop-in instructional classes on library research skills and in using electronic resources are offered. In addition, course related instructional classes are conducted by the liaison librarians for specific subject departments. Course-integrated library instruction has been developed for special populations such as New Century College, Honors Program, and University 100. The Johnson Center Library provides the following collections and services: Adaptive Technology to assist persons with disabilities, circulating Collection of undergraduate foundation materials focusing on multiculturalism, gender studies, technology, and music and education circulating collections (including graduate level). The library also features a core reference collection, curriculum collection, international newspapers, course reserves, instructional classes and media collections and equipment.

The Arlington Campus Library collects materials that support the non-law academic programs offered on the Arlington Campus of George Mason University. Resources cover a wide range of applied social science disciplinary areas, including public policy, public administration, social services, nonprofit management, business, economics and education. In addition to the core reference and circulating collections, the library serves as a depository for European Union documents and houses the University Library's collection of pre-1987 bound journals.

The Mercer Library, on the Prince William Campus, is part of the George Mason University Libraries system and provides full-access to all GMU-owned print and electronic resources. This means researchers have at their disposal, a collection of one million titles and over 250 electronic databases. The Mercer Library collection specializes in the following disciplines: Health and Fitness, Tourism, Administration of Justice, Education, Biodefense, Bioinformatics, and Computer Science.

Acquisition information:
Donated by the GMU Libraries.
Arrangement:

Organized into eleven series:

  • Series 1: Library Director, 1958-2001
  • Series 2: Correspondence and memos, 1960-1999
  • Series 3: Reports and publications, 1960-2007
  • Series 4: Committees and collaborations, 1960-2004
  • Series 5: Policies and procedures, 1960-2001
  • Series 6: Buildings, 1962-2004
  • Series 7: Departments and services, 1959-2008
  • Series 8: Administrative files, 1958-2001
  • Series 9: Miscellaneous, 1949-2001
  • Series 10: Photographs, audiovisual materials, artifacts, 1967-1999
  • Series 11: Oversize, 1984-2003

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Academic libraries--Virginia.