Did you know that October is American Archives Month? The month-long event, first celebrated in 2006, serves as an opportunity for archivists, like those of us working in Special Collections & Archives, to spotlight our repositories and collections. Here at Wright State University we collect and preserve material related to the Wright Brothers, aviation (both civil and military), the history of the Miami Valley, and, of course, Wright State.
Our collections include photographs, letters, diaries, organizational records, business records, blueprints, audio-visual recordings, microfilm, maps, and so much more! We serve the Wright State community (students, faculty, and staff) and researchers, near and far, seeking historical material. We receive inquiries and/or visits by genealogists, historians, journalists, writers, reporters, local historians, students, architects, etc., from all over Ohio, the United States, and the world. So far this year, we have received international requests from Chile, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland).
Our reading room is open to the public and located on the 4th floor of Dunbar Library. The hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5pm and Wednesday evenings (during the semester) until 9pm. Stop in to conduct research, view our current exhibits, browse the books and journals, and/or grab your Wilbear stamp.
This Wednesday, October 3, SC&A staff will be participating in the National #AskAnArchivist Day on Twitter. If you have questions about our collections, the archives profession, or just want to say hello, look for @WrightStArchive on Twitter.
If you are curious about the Archives or want to start researching, feel free to give us a call at 937-775-2092, send an email to archives@libraries.wright.edu, or visit us on campus.