Archives Service Center

The Archives Service Center (ASC) is one of the main repositories within the University Library System at the University of Pittsburgh and houses collections of various manuscripts, media, maps, and other materials of historical, social, and scientific content. It houses and functions as the repository for collections that document and describe the history of the Western Pennsylvania region, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the city of Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh.^[1]

Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
40.4499°N 79.8952°W / 40.4499; -79.8952
Location	7500 Thomas Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 United States 412-648-3232, United States
Type	archives and collections
Branch of	The University of Pittsburgh Library System
Access and use
Access requirements	none; handicap accessible, requesting access prior to visiting is recommended; restrictions apply to what can be brought into the reading room
Population served	digital collections are accessible globally; archive contents are open to the public
Other information
Website	http://www.library.pitt.edu/archives-service-center

Overview

Some of the history of Pittsburgh and the western Pennsylvania region has been documented by primary sources such as manuscripts, books, maps, personal diaries, audio recordings, photographs, and other materials from the past. The ASC collects material related to the history of this region. The holdings in the collections span over a hundred years, primarily from the mid-19th century to the late 20th century. Some of the content is digitized and accessible online. Content published before 1923 is in the public domain, or the rights belong to the university.^[2][3]

Major collections

View of men in line at the pay car of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company

Some of ASC's major collections include:

• Labor^[4][5]
• University Archives^[6]
• Audio-visual Materials^[7][8]
• Politics and Local Politics^[9]
• 20th Century Urban Renewable
• Women's History^[10]
• Business and Industry^[11]
• Social Action^[12][13]
• Ethnic Groups in Pittsburgh^[14]
• Civil Rights^[15]

Usage

Coal mine maps stored in the University of Pittsburgh archives

Often, when the estate of a notable person dies, the family donates historical documents, physical objects, photographs, and other materials that they wish to have preserved. One such donation consisted of the mining maps of Western Pennsylvania. Many of the coal mining companies are no longer in business and have closed or sold coal mines in the Western Pennsylvania region. These maps were determined to be of historical value and are now housed in the archives. Individuals and organizations that research drilling, 'fracking', and the foundations of buildings, roadways, and other structures often visit the ASC to examine the maps to establish the safety and accuracy of their projects. The ASC received canvas maps charting the existence, location, and status of working coal mines and closed mines. These maps, some as long as 10 meters, are stored in a climate-controlled section of the archives.^[16] The Archive Service Center has worked to add content from its collections to Wikipedia.^[17]

References

1. "Archives Service Center". pitt.edu.
2. Sostek, Anya (22 May 2014). "Manuscript Society gets a new look at some very old writings in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
3. Rare and Special Collections from the Membership of the Association Research Libraries, "Celebrating Research" Association of Association Research Libraries, 21 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036
4. "Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System for Labor". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
5. "Archives Services Center University Library System University of Pittsburgh". CMU Computer Club. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
6. "Guide to collections documenting the History of the University of Pittsburgh". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
7. "Audio and Visual Collections and Holdings". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
8. Niederberger, Mary (15 June 2015). "Jazz musician Erroll Garner's materials donated to Pitt library". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
9. "Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
10. "Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
11. "Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
12. "Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System". Archives Service Center, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
13. Hanzel, Igor (2010). Studies in the methodology of natural and social sciences. Frankfurt am Main New York: Peter Lang. ISBN 9783631608654.
14. "Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System". Retrieved 25 November 2015.
15. "University of Pittsburgh Archives Service Center - The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories". The Library of Congress, The American Folklife Center. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
16. Hopey, Don (January 19, 2009). "Pitt Archivists Uncover the Past with Old Mining Maps". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
17. Galloway, Ed (2014). "Increasing the Discoverability of Digital Collections Using Wikipedia: The Pitt Experience". Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice. 2: 84–96. doi:10.5195/palrap.2014.60. Retrieved 2016-02-23.