SC&A in OneSearch

A majority of the rare books and archival collections can be found when searching the Library's OneSearch. If you don't find what you're looking for, please contact SC&A staff for help finding materials not currently described in OneSearch.

• How do I limit my search to only include SC&A material?
  • Do a general search in OneSearch

  

  • From the search results page narrow down your results by using the facets on the left-hand side
  • Under "Library" select "WU-Special Collections & Archives" (see image below)

  

• How do I search for resources from a particular book collection?
  Materials that are part of a specific collection can often be searched by the collection name, for example, the "Kallir Family Collection" or the "Nathan Comfort Starr Collection of Arthuriana." Simply type the phrase, including the quotation marks, as a keyword search.

• How do I find an artists' book in SC&A?

  Option 1

  • Do a general search for "artists' books" in OneSearch
  • Narrow your search to Special Collections & Archives from the question above

  
  

  Option 2

  • Go to the Advanced Search option of OneSearch
  • Type in "artists' books" and "special collections" in the two search fields (see image below)
    • If you want to only search the artists' book collection at Wesleyan, click the "Wesleyan Books & Media" button at the top of the screen

  

• How do I do additional searches only searching SC&A material?
  • From the search results page use the left hand facets to select "WU - Special Collections & Archives"
  • Once selected, hover your mouse over the left hand of the selected facet until a lock appears
  • Select the lock to lock your facet for future searches

• Are all the archival collections available in OneSearch?
  No, we are constantly adding material to our collection and describing collections for researchers. For the most complete list of collections, see our Archival collections page or contact sca@wesleyan.edu for help finding out what other collections might suit your research topic.

Types of Resources in SC&A

• What student publications does SC&A have?
  We have many different student publications available for researchers. Many can be found in OneSearch, but please contact sca@wesleyan.edu for a full listing.

• Does SC&A have Olla Podridas (yearbooks) and the Argus?

  We have full runs of the Olla Podridas (yearbooks) and the Argus available to view in SC&A during our open hours.

  If you'd like to look at them at other times or check them out, the majority are available in Olin Library on floor 3A. Along with the Olla Pods and Argus, you can also find Wesleyan University course catalogs and university bulletins there.

• I'm looking for information on campus buildings, Wesleyan departments, student groups, or events on campus.
  We have lots of information available in the archives regarding the history of Wesleyan. To start, we often suggest looking at the Wesleyan vertical subject files. These can be looked at when SC&A is open without an appointment and include newspaper clippings, fliers, correspondence, photographs and general information. We often have additional information, but these are a great place to begin your research.

• I'm interested in doing work on the history of Middletown or genealogical research.

  Because we focus on documenting the history of Wesleyan University, our resources for genealogists are limited but we are happy to answer any questions you might have. Our collection has some information about the history of Middletown, Connecticut, as well as biographical information for some students, faculty, and administrators.

  • Consult the library's Middletown History Resources Guide
  • Family history researchers may wish to consult with the Godfrey Library in Middletown, Connecticut, which specializes in genealogy.

General Questions

• How do I request material to view in SC&A?

  Visit our Using the Collections page for more information on what to do before and during your visit to SC&A.

  Some of our collection is stored off-site, and while we try to retrieve items the same day you want to visit, sometimes that isn't possible. For best results, please give us as much advance notice as you can.

• I want to see something I saw when my class visited SC&A.
  If you want to see an item that was shown in class, it’s helpful to request it using the information from the resource list. Often these items have been reshelved, so it is best to email a request in advance to sca@wesleyan.edu.

• Can I request an item if it's not for a class?
  Of course! We're here for all research purposes whether for the classroom, professional, or personal. Please don't hesitate to come in and ask about holdings that interest you.

• I'm starting on a paper/project and want to know what SC&A might have to help me.
  We're happy to help! You can always email sca@wesleyan.edu to set up a Personal Research Session with one of our staff. If you know you're primarily interested in our book collections you can email Suzy Taraba, or for archival collections email Amanda Nelson.

• I'm looking for film related material.
  There is the Ogden and Mary Louise Reid Cinema Archives at Wesleyan, which is separate from Special Collections & Archives. For questions and requests related to film and television history please contact Joan Miller for more information.

Theses & Dissertations

Wesleyan University theses and dissertations in the library collection fall into three main groups:

• Undergraduate honors theses
• M.A. theses
• Ph.D. dissertations

Wesleyan University has awarded masters' degrees since 1892 and Ph.D.'s since 1965. Honors theses represent research prepared by seniors in Wesleyan's Honors program. The earliest Honors theses, formerly called "distinction," date from the mid-1930's.

One archival copy of each honors thesis and dissertation is received by Special Collections & Archives, where it is treated as a manuscript. It does not circulate and must be read in the Special Collections & Archives reading room.

• How do I search for a thesis/dissertation?

  Most theses and dissertations that SC&A holds can be found in OneSearch by searching the author or title.

  Many honors theses from 2007 onward, and graduate theses and dissertations from 2013 to the present, are available as full text in WesScholar, Wesleyan's institutional repository. Additional queries about theses and dissertations should be directed to Special Collections & Archives staff. 

• How do I request a copy of a thesis/dissertation not available online in WesScholar?

  You first need to fill out and submit a Request for Reproduction form.

  In order to make a copy of an undergraduate of M.A.L.S. thesis, the author's permission needs to be on file before we are permitted to copy/digitize any or all of the thesis. If it is not already on file, we will contact the author and request permission. Please allow time for this process when requesting physical or digital copies.

  Some graduate theses and dissertations, depending on their subject area, also have circulating copies in the main library and can be requested through Interlibrary Loan. The OneSearch record will indicate if multiple copies are available.