Established in 1978, the Michigan Tech Archives is an actively used repository that collects and preserves historical and cultural records of Michigan’s historic copper mining district (the “Copper Country”) and Michigan Technological University to support education and research by University faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students. The Archives strives to be the first and best resource for historical information about the Copper Country and Michigan Technological University.
Permanent professional staff 2
Permanent support staff 1
Grant-funded professional staff 1 (2-year position)
Federal work-study student workers 0.8 FTE
Public hours 35 hours/week
Annual reference transactions 4,377 (in person and electronic)
Class instruction sessions 21 annually
Materials used in reading room 15,071 items
Collections 931 manuscript collections
Collections in cubic feet 7,985 cf
Keweenaw Digital Archives 9,132 images
The Keweenaw Digital Archives is a searchable online database of historical photographs providing a detailed look at the lives of copper miners and their families in Michigan’s historic copper mining district. Users can search for images by keyword or browse subject headings. The site allows visitors to add comments and information to photographs in the archives, create a personal web album of images, and purchase prints and digital scans.
Archives Travel Grant Program 26 funded researchers, 1997-present
This travel-to-collections grant program provides up to $750 to support research in the Archives. Funded by the Friends of the Van Pelt Library, the program increases awareness of the Archives’ collections and encourages use of some lesser-known resources by scholars. Visiting scholars give public talks on their research topics, ranging from the role of fraternal orders in Lake Superior mining communities, the development of company housing at Hecla Location near Calumet, to the transformation of former mining districts into vacation and tourist destinations after World War II. The Archives has sponsored visiting scholars from throughout the United States and as far away as Sweden and England.
Archives web page: http://www.lib.mtu.edu/mtuarchives/
Archives blog: http://blogs.mtu.edu/archives/
Keweenaw Digital Archives: http://digarch.lib.mtu.edu/
Digital Exhibits: http://www.lib.mtu.edu/mtuarchives/exhibits