While located in the same building, Special Collections and Swisher Library are parallel pillars of information access that work together to support the Jacksonville University mission, community, and academic standards. Read the following to discover how the two departments work together and how Special Collections provides some unique opportunities to the Jacksonville University community.
Swisher Library
Swisher Library is Jacksonville University's main library. Inside students will find information, services, and support typical of most higher education and public libraries, not limited to:
- Browsable library stacks of recreational and educational book and audiovisual materials that can be checked-out and returned to the library by JU students, faculty, and staff
- Browsable online catalog of physical and digital materials
- Consistent rotation and purchase of new materials to meet community interests and curricular standards
- Computer lab and printing stations
- Research assistance services through Librarian-supported LibGuides, programming, and one-on-one reference appointments
- Inter-Library Loan (ILL) program
- Individual and group study rooms
- Digital Media Lab
- Comfortable study spaces
Jacksonville University students and faculty use Swisher Library services, materials, and staff to support and supplement the educational objectives and opportunities available on campus.
Special Collections
Special Collections stewards unique, typically one-of-a-kind materials to represent all facets of Jacksonville University history, activities, student life, community engagement/impact, and cultural legacy. Certain collections also support Jacksonville University curriculums by providing students with hands-on research experience with historical materials on a wide range of topics. Special Collections seeks to acquire and provide community access to materials that help engage students with historical research, artistic creation, and foster a sense of connection with Jacksonville University history, with an eye directed towards its future. A subsection within Special Collections is the University Archives. The University Archives primarily collects manuscript and digital materials from all Jacksonville University departments and affiliated student organizations to document campus functions, procedures, and history.
Some Swisher Similarities:
- The Special Collections Coordinator provides reference and research assistance for JU students and faculty through scheduled appointments.
- The Special Collections Coordinator can help faculty incorporate primary source materials into their curriculum or host classes in the Reading Room for special lectures.
- Special Collections' Archives Student Assistant Program (ASAs) currently has opportunities available for Spring 2025 (typically 1-3 slots per semester). Visit Handshake to view and apply for the ASAs job listing. ASAs will collaborate with the Special Collections Coordinator to complete short-and-long-term projects that are centered around current collections and includes skill development in archival processing, digitization, and information management. The Swisher Library runs the Circulation Student Workers Program (CSAs). CSAs work with Swisher Librarians to help students access various services and programming, such as borrowing materials, accessing study rooms, and catalog search assistance. CSAs develop skills in customer service, library cataloging/shelving systems, and information discovery.
Some Swisher Differences:
- Special Collections are comprised of "collections" or related groupings of multimedia materials that were often created for use by an individual, family, business, or other organization. When kept together, these materials can be used to confirm basic historical facts or events or to explore more complex issues and relationships related to historical, cultural, political, or religious contexts (...to name a few!).
- Special Collections selectively collects materials. Our decision to acquire new collections is based on many factors not limited to: the size of the collection, physical condition of materials, content of materials, relationship to currently housed collections, storage needs/costs, technological requirements for use, and identification of institutions better suited to collect, connect, and care for the materials.
- Special Collections rarely acquires individual artifacts or materials, except in unique circumstances at the discretion of the Special Collections Coordinator.
- Special Collection materials are "unique" or in other words, they are one-of-kind objects or extremely rare. That means if something happens to the materials, they cannot be replaced by an exact copy or reproduced commercially.
- Special Collection materials are often donated by alumni, community members, or topical collectors.
- The University Archives subsection of Special Collections receives administrative materials from different Jacksonville University departments and affiliated student organizations to comprehensively document its administrative procedures, student life, and university history.
- Special Collections materials are not browsable and the offices are closed to the general public.
- Collections' descriptions and materials lists can be found on Special Collections' "Finding Aids" page.
- Special Collections materials are not (typically) identified or organized by Library of Congress classification unlike Swisher Library materials.
- Special Collections materials cannot be borrowed and returned by patrons.
- Research appointments and materials requests are required for access to the Special Collections Reading Room and collection materials.
- Patrons must adhere to Reading Room Policies, which are in place to protect Special Collections' materials from preventable mishandling, damage, and theft that could permanently restrict or prohibit future access by other patrons.
- Collection materials may be fragile or significantly damaged, restricting or precluding patron access and direct handling.
- The content on certain legacy audiovisual materials may not be accessible due to lack of required playback or format migration technology.
- Certain materials may be restricted from patron access due to privacy-based concerns that seek to protect sensitive information and respect donor-community traditions or preferences.
While these differences may feel unnecessarily restrictive or unwelcoming, please note that Special Collections is dedicated to providing the Jacksonville University community with as much access to our collections as possible. Our restrictions are in place to ensure the ethical care and long-term stewardship of valuable historical and community materials for current and future Jacksonville University generations. We welcome all researchers and hope to see you soon in the Reading Room and our email inboxes! Please visit the Researcher Q&A tab to schedule Appointment and Materials Requests.
