About the OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center in the Commons

We've been here since February 14th, 2009 and we could not be happier to be part of the Flickr Commons!

OSU SCARC on Flickr?

For nearly a hundred and fifty years, Oregon State University has been guided by a three-fold mission of research, teaching, and serving the our communities. We like to think broadly when we think of the word “community”-- our neighbors are local, national, and international-- and our position as one of only two American universities to hold the Land Grant, Sea Grant, Space, and Sun Grant designation allows us to think up, down, and all around. We are also a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive university, and nationally known for our top tier programs in Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, and Pharmacy, which means that the students and faculty at OSU do a lot of research and writing. To learn more, please visit the “OSU SCARC on Flickr” page.

The University’s rich heritage is reflected in our great archival collections, and we are thrilled to use Flickr to give you a peek into some of the images in our photographic collections pertaining to the history of forestry and natural resources in the Pacific Northwest. Hopefully, you’ll like what you see and will want to know more-- or you might find out that you already know more and want to share! In either case, please contact us with questions, ideas, or information at scarc@oregonstate.edu.

OSU SCARC in the Commons?

What will you find in SCARC Commons page? In February 2009, we jumped into the Flickr Commons with a variety of images from one of our latest collections, the papers of Dr. Gerald W. Williams. This collection is chock full o' images, with more than 24,000 in a variety of formats; however, time passed, our eyes wandered, and brand new collections and sets were born. One thing remains the same: we have continued to celebrate the rich history of our university and our state.

So why do some of the photos say "OSU Archives" instead of "SCARC"?

Long story...

The Special Collections & Archives Research Center was formed in 2011 with the merger of the Oregon State University Archives and the OSU Libraries Special Collections. The OSU Archives was founded in 1961 with the intention of acquiring and preserving historical materials relating to the University. The department was expanded in 1966 to include one of the first records management programs of its kind. After several locational and organizational changes, the University Archives joined the University Libraries on September 1, 2000. A quarter century after the University Archives opened its doors, the OSU Libraries Special Collections was established as a repository for the University’s growing rare book and manuscript collections and officially received its first major accession that same year. Over the following twenty-five years, the department grew to include a score of collections documenting the life and work of scientists and historians.

Today, the Special Collections & Archives Research Center lives on the 5th floor of the Valley Library, housing more than 1,000 archival collections and tens of thousands of rare books and fine bindings. SCARC is committed to promoting public access to the department’s holdings through tours, educational opportunities, and community outreach and continues to support and develop a robust, publicly-available web presence including Oregon Explorer, the University History portal, and Linus Pauling Online, among other resources.

Like What You See?

Learn more about our department and check out other photos in our other Flickr account. You’ll find other historic pics and behind the scenes shots of archivists in action -- plus people, places, and events that are making history at OSU right now.

Still Can’t Get Enough?

Check out some of our other resources. We love them and you just might too.

•Check out our social media empire page

•Explore our web site

•Take a look at our digital collections