Harold B. Lee Library. University Records Management

University Records Management (1997-2013) in the Harold B. Lee Library worked to help facilitate the preservation of the records of Brigham Young University.

In 1997 the Records Management program became a separate department under the new Special Collections Division. Marcel Ramjoue (1997-2012) was the Department Chair for University Records Management. The work done by University Rerecords Management is done for legal and financial purposes. Relevant and important historical documents are sent to the University Archives for preservation. Records Management also helps all University departments with the assessment, preservation, and destruction of all departmental records.

There are many ways to store records; Records Management used electronic storage, e-mail, micrographics, digital imaging, microfilm, hard copy, and other formats to store records. Storage for the departmental records is provided through the Records Center until the inactive records are either archived with University Archives, or disposed of.

University Records Managements was managed by a Department Chair who reports to the Assistant University Librarian for Special Collections. The AUL for Special Collections reports to the University Librarian. University Records Management was located on the sixth floor of the Harold B. Library.

University Archives and Records Management (1991-1997) in the Harold B. Lee Library worked to advise and teach information, protocol, and skills to members of the University community and preserve University records.

In 1990 Records Management was transferred from Information Systems Services to the Library. In early 1991 Records Management and University Archives merged to make a new department, University Archives and Records Management. The chair of this new department was Maralyn Harmston (1991-1996) and she was replaced by Marcel Ramjoue (1996-1997). The University Archive and Records Management department was charged with providing the most efficient means of dealing with all types of records. Records that were of importance for legal, financial, or historical purposes were stored and archived in the University Archives. Records that were irrelevant were disposed of.

University Archives and Records Management consisted of Archives, Imaging, and the Records Center. The Records Center functioned as a part of University Archives and Records Management. The Records Center retrieved and stored records from the University offices that solicited these services.

Records Management (1990-1991) at the Harold B. Lee Library worked to collect, evaluate, preserve, or destroy records from all University departments.

Records were solicited from all BYU offices, and those that were of historical, financial, or legal importance were kept and sent to the Archives in the Library. Records that were not of historical, financial, or legal relevance were disposed of.

In 1990 Records Management was transferred from Information Systems Services back to the Library. Records Management, in an interim period from 1990-1991, functioned separately from other Library Departments and reported directly to the University Librarian. The Records Manager was Maralyn Harmston (1990-1991). In 1991 Records Management merged with University Archives and became a separate department.

Records Management (1982-1990) at Brigham Young University was a program created to educate other members of the University community about the principles and resources available for Records Management. Other objectives were to take the records from all University departments and either store them or destroy them according to their value to the University.

The Records Center, as a part of the Records Management program, retrieved and stored the records that were solicited by Records Management. In 1982, after officially establishing a Records Management Program, the jurisdiction of the program was transferred from the Library to Media Services. R.C. Wood was appointed Manager of Records Management (1982-1985). In 1985 Records Management was transferred from Media Services to the Information Systems Services Division. The Records Managers were R. C. Wood (1985-1988) and Maralyn Harmston (1988-1990).

Between 1982-1990 Records Management was run by a Records Management Manager. In 1982-1985 Records Management functioned under the supervision of the Executive Director for Media Services and from 1985-1990 it functioned under the supervision of the Executive Director of Information Systems Services.

The University Archives Division (1961-1973) in the J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Library was put into place to to preserve University records of worthy value, such as: correspondence, financial reports, annual reports, minutes of meetings, photographs, records of policy and procedure as well as anything of historical value to the University.

When the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library was completed in 1961, the Brigham Young University Archives were moved into the new library. Naomi Rich, the head librarian, oversaw the first half of the library's move, and Ralph Hansen oversaw the completion of this move. The University Archives were then referred to under the name of the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library until 1973 when the library was renamed the Harold B. Lee Library.

As part of the University Archives Division, a limited records service functioned and was directed by the University Archivist. The University Archivist and Manuscripts Librarian was Ralph W. Hansen (1961-1962). Delbert Roach (1963) worked as University Archivist when Ralph Hansen left and then Hollis J. Scott took over as University Archivist (1963-1973).

The Archives conducted a storage and retrieval service for University Departments who lacked the space to store material. Student records, student ward records, and material printed on campus were held in Archives. For significant material, indexes were created. Detailed outlines of the material contained in a collection were made and cataloged with descriptions of the office which created it, the contents, and subject tracing.

Archives served as a thesis binding agent for students. Student thesis', however, were shelved in Special Collections and the stacks, not in Archives. Archives microfilmed materials for the library, for faculty members, for patrons of other institutions, and scholars. Also, Archives conducted tape-recorded oral interviews with former BYU students, pioneers, and other individuals.

Prior to the building of the museum on campus, Archives served as a sort of museum. They held old trophies, coins, historical items like peace pipes and mementos from the Pacific islands as well as labor union records, and flags.

Archives was located in Room 112 on the first floor of the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library in 1968. For patrons to read the materials located in the archives, the material was brought from Room 112 up to Special Collections on the 4th floor of the library because the facilities were better there. Archives had five part time students who spent about 20 hours a week each to arrange all the materials, catalog, index, and provide services. Brother Newbern Isaac Butt worked full time in Archives. Hollis J. Scott was Assistant University Archivist in 1968. The University Archivist reported to the Director of Libraries.

The University Archives (1973-1974) in the Harold B. Lee Library preserved records that documented the history of the University and its people, especially concerning their impact on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its society.

In 1973 the J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library was renamed the Harold B. Lee Library. The University Archives were then identified with the Library name change. University Archives did not exist long under this name. In 1974 University Archives and the Manuscripts Department were combined to create Archives and Manuscripts. University Archivist: Hollis J. Scott (1973-1974).

Archives included letters, memoranda, minutes, reports, journals, financial and legal documents, speeches, audio and video recordings, artists' sketches, photographs, research, class notes, syllabi and examinations. Other items that were archives were writings, musical compositions, maps, architectural sketches, theses, dissertations, and faculty and university publications.Part of the Archives’ objective was preserve the records of the University itself. This was accomplished mostly through a limited Records Management program that functioned under the University Archives and a Records Center. The Records Management program solicited records from all University Departments, but especially retiring deans, department chairmen administrators, and then determined whether to keep or dispose of them. The Records Center was used to retrieve records and then store them as determined by Records Management in the University Archives.

Archives and Records Management reported to the Director of Libraries. The Archives Reading Room was located in room 5030 of the Harold B. Lee Library. University Archives was housed in room 5072 in the Harold B. Lee Library. The items could be accessed through the library catalog.

The Department of Archives of Manuscripts (1974-1991) at the Harold B. Lee Library was divided into many areas of research including Photo Archives, Arts and Communication Archives, Archives of the Mormon Experience, Utah and the West Archives, Women's History Archives, Mesoamerican Archives, and Literary Archives. Primary source materials were collected, preserved, and arranged in all of these areas of focus. These materials were made available to patrons.

The J. Reuben Clark Jr. Library Archives department and the non-University Archives/Manuscripts department were formally united administratively in 1974 after the Library's name was changed to the Harold B. Lee Library in 1973. The department was then known as the Harold B. Lee Library, Archives and Manuscripts Department. In the 1980's a financial crisis hit private schools, resulting in a loss of support staff at the archives. The Chair or Head of the Department was Dennis Rowley (1974-1991) and the Curator of Special Collections was Chad J. Flake (1973-1991). In February 1991 Special Collections merged with the Department of Archives and Manuscripts to form the Department of Special Collections and Manuscripts.

Patrons who wished to use the materials within the Archives and Manuscripts department were required to complete an application form, with a statement of intention and photo ID, as well as have an interview with a full time staff member. There were three levels of access to Archives and Manuscripts: Single Access in which beginner level researchers were given approval for the use of one item at a time. Single Access patrons needed separate approval for each new collection requested. Next was Limited Access where more experienced patrons could use any unrestricted collection related to their topic without additional approval, and last was Open Access where mature scholars from BYU's faculty or other institutions were given approval to use any unrestricted collection regardless as to whether it related to their topic or not. Every patron's research was recorded on that patron's permanent registration and application form.

A limited Records Management program continued to function within the Department of Archives and Manuscripts, soliciting, collection, storing, and disposing of records from various University departments. In 1978 because of a shortage of space, the Records Center was moved outside the library, into the Heber J. Grant Building. It still functioned under the direction of the University Archivist. The Curator of Archives and Manuscripts reported to the Curator of Special Collections under the Director of Libraries. Full-time staff consisted of: the Curator, two University Archives people, the University Archivist, an Assistant to the University Archivist, a Union Pacific Micrographics Center coordinator, a cataloging and accessioning professional, two subject archives professionals, and one departmental secretary/office manager. Part-time staff consisted of 43 students who assisted in multiple divisions of the Archives department.

From the guide to the University Records Management records, 1970-2012, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)