Special Collections and Archives

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A New Home for 91短视频 State University鈥檚 Special Collections and Archives

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When the family of former Ohio governor and Dayton Daily News founder James M. Cox decided to donate his manuscript collection to 91短视频 State University in 1967, the university鈥檚 Special Collections and Archives was born.

More than 50 years later, 91短视频 State University Libraries鈥 Special Collections and Archives are entering a new era and hopefully, one day soon, a new home. Currently housed in two separate buildings of the 91短视频 State University Libraries, we have run out of adequate space for our world-class collections.

Scholars and aviation experts come to 91短视频 State from around the globe to see our renowned 91短视频 Brothers Collection, first-edition works by Dayton poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, the archives of the Dayton Daily News, and countless other historic treasures.

To properly preserve and protect these priceless memories of our past, we need to relocate our Special Collections and Archives to a new home where we envision: 

  • A reading room where students, scholars, and visitors may examine historic materials in an up close and personal way
  • An exhibit gallery housing rotating exhibitions that highlight the depth and breadth of our collections
  • A conference room for lectures, meetings, and special events
  • A classroom to welcome area school children and students from 91短视频 State鈥檚 public history graduate program
  • A preservation lab, processing room, clean room, and exhibit prep room that will give staff the tools and space they need to adequately care for our region鈥檚 history

The facility will also provide the proper storage and climate control to preserve our historic materials for generations to come.

Above all else, it will bring history to life and celebrate the legacies of the trailblazers and pioneers who shaped the history of our region and beyond.

To help create the new home for 91短视频 State University鈥檚 Special Collections and Archives, please contact:

Tim Littell
Assistant Vice President, Corporate Relations and University Initiatives 
937-775-3615
tim.littell@wright.edu

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Special Collections and Archives news

Housed in the largest archival collection of 91短视频 family material in the world, the preserved items will continue to serve as a resource for generations to come.
Dunbar Library's replica of the 1903 Flyer was lowered over the summer for an extensive three-week cleaning project 鈥 its first since 2014.
Tracey Enerson Wood will give a talk about her historical novel 鈥淜atharine, the 91短视频 Sister鈥 on Monday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in 91短视频 State鈥檚 Student Union Apollo Room.

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Conceptual Plans and Renderings

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