This week the Cal Poly MultiCultural Center celebrated the opening of their new center in the University Union. As part of the celebration, we are highlighting the MultiCultural Center collection in the University Archives. History of the MultiCultural Center The…
Written by Courtney Thompson two months ago
Dexter: Cal Poly’s First Library
In anticipation of Kennedy Library’s renovation, let’s take a walk down memory lane and reminisce about Cal Poly’s first library building, the Walter F. Dexter Memorial Library. Cal Poly had a library space since the campus opened in 1903. The…
Written by Hailey Koetz two months ago
Student peer teaching: LibRATs in the building
“Is this the second floor?” A man asked the three LibRATs on shift. He stopped in front of the research help desk looking confused before one of them asked if he needed help. “Where can I find this,” he said,…
Written by Courtney Thompson two months ago
Happy Valentine’s Day from Special Collections and Archives
Valentine’s Day seems to have polarized Cal Poly’s student body for decades. While some students are enthusiastic on the prospects of love, others mark its existence as the “most depressing day of the year.” For the past 100 years, the…
Written by Hailey Koetz four months ago
Archives and Archiving in the Digital Age: What do you do with your 1996 CD-ROM?
Kennedy Library houses many things. It is a second home to thousands of students and an office to its staff and faculty. The library is also home to Special Collections and Archives, the official repository for university records, campus history,…
Written by Charlie Williams five months ago
SLOmecoming: A look at Cal Poly’s Homecoming traditions
Charlie Williams (BA, ‘19) and Courtney Thompson (MA, ‘20) are student assistants in Special Collections and Archives. They curated an exhibit on Homecoming traditions through Cal Poly’s past. The original exhibit was placed on the second floor of Kennedy Library and…
Written by Ella Worley six months ago
Spooky Season in Special Collections
Halloween is upon us, so we’ve dug up some spooky (and a few not-so-spooky) books in Special Collections and Archives to set the tone. Everything previewed below, plus a few extra titles, are available at Special Collections and Archives on the…