Mission and Staff
Mission
The mission of the Special Collections Research Center, the principal repository for and steward of the Library's rare books, manuscripts, University Archives, and the Chicago Jazz Archives, is to provide primary sources to stimulate, enrich, and support research, teaching, learning, and administration at the University of Chicago. Special Collections makes these resources available to a broad constituency as part of the University's engagement with the larger community of scholars and independent researchers. In pursuit of its mission, Special Collections:
- Provides unique opportunities for teaching and learning
- Provides responsive, personable, and expert public service
- Builds distinctive and unique collections
- Facilitates discovery through online access to information about all SCRC collections
- Promotes access to and use of SCRC collections by collaborating with the Library, University, and Chicago-area special collections communities
- Collaborates with other Library units to promote preservation of SCRC collections
Contacting Us
Special Collections Research Center public services staff are glad to answer inquiries about hours, services, and access to the collections. For general information about Special Collections, please contact the SCRC public services staff at 773-702-8705. Questions that require consulting the collections cannot be answered by telephone. Priority for responding to these inquiries is given to students, faculty, and staff of the University of Chicago, whose questions are usually answered within 1-2 days. Questions from those outside the University of Chicago are handled as staff time permits; written responses are normally provided within 3-4 weeks. Please submit your specific questions in writing using the SCRC reference service form.
SCRC phone: 773-702-8705
SCRC email: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/ask/SCRC.html
Staff
Daniel Meyer -- Director, Special Collections Research Center, and University Archivist
Laura Alagna -- Digital Accessions Specialist
Christine Colburn -- Reader Services Manager
Judith Dartt -- Digitization Manager
Scott Erdenberg -- Collection Management Assistant
Kathleen Feeney -- Head of Archives Processing and Digital Access
Julia Gardner -- Head of Reader Services
Patricia Gibbons -- Head of Collection Management (Preservation)
Barbara Gilbert -- Reading Room Coordinator
Eileen Ielmini -- Assistant University Archivist
Ashley Locke -- Processing Archivist
Brittan Nannenga -- Archives and Manuscripts Accessions Specialist
Leah Richardson -- Reference, Instruction, and Outreach Librarian
Rena Schergen -- Administrative and Reader Services Assistant
Joe Scott -- Exhibition Specialist
Catherine Uecker -- Rare Books Librarian
