The Chattanooga History Collections have been in good hands since the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library and the Chattanooga Public Library acquired them in June 2017.
Professional archivists and librarians have preserved, inventoried and provided access to the collections, which contain thousands of items, including photographs, textiles and industrial equipment that document Chattanooga’s storied past.
Six exhibits have been curated from the collections and archivists have utilized the collections in classes with students from UTC, Covenant College, Southern Adventist University and the McCallie School.
UTC and the public library also continue to meet with donors to address concerns over acquisition and access.
Since June 2017, the Chattanooga History Collections have been stored at the UTC library in a secure and climate-controlled facility. In June, many of the oversized physical items were transferred to the downtown branch of the public library. Those items continue to be housed in a secure and climate-controlled storage environment. Photographs, documents and archaeological material are still housed at UTC.
The Chattanooga History Collections are open to the public, with many items available online. Currently, a sample of items from the collection are being showcased as part of the Builders and Founders exhibit on the third floor of the downtown branch of the public library.
In addition, the library’s Local History and Genealogy Department plans to exhibit additional items and offer in-house reference services.
“We see the importance of having these artifacts accessible to the public,” says Corinne Hill, director of the Chattanooga Public Library. “Our goal with these exhibits is to educate the Chattanooga community and visitors by showcasing and preserving the history and artifacts of this collection.”
Those interested in viewing the materials can make an appointment at www.utc.edu/library/special-collections.
Source: Chattanooga Public Library