The University Archives collects, preserves, and provides access to records that document the history of San José State University.
The University Archives are collections in SJSU Special Collections & Archives that contain records and papers related to the history and activities of San José State University and its precursors: the California State Normal School, the State Teachers College at San Jose, San Jose State College, and California State University San Jose. Included are the records of departments, student organizations, and administrative offices; faculty papers; and collections of materials focused on a particular activity, event or topic related to some aspect of SJSU history. Beyond the historical Master’s Theses that are cataloged and considered part of the rare book collections, the papers and publications of students and former students are not currently collected by SJSU Special Collections & Archives, though may in some cases be included in the Institutional Repository. For information on the collecting scope of the Institutional Repository, visit SJSU Scholarworks.
The collections in the University Archives are organized according to an established Record Group Schema that takes into consideration the administrative and educational structure of the SJSU system. The schema was established in 2008 during a massive “Survey and Cataloging Project” that was a two-year grant project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The schema was intended to be used beyond the initial two-year project, and has consequently developed and evolved along with the growth of the university collections.
The record groups are broadly organized by university offices and divisions but include several record groups that are outside of this structure, such as those that were created based on format (oral histories) or people or topics (Normal School Principals & Early Presidents). The record groups are subdivided into smaller groups or collections with the Division of Academic Affairs representing a significant portion of the University Archives’ collections.
Record Group Schema
Additional record groups may be developed as the University Archives continues to acquire new materials, and the structure of the university continues to grow and change.
In addition to collecting institutional records, the University Archives is prioritizing the identification and acquisition of records that document the following aspects of SJSU history: