VRC Analog Collections

Circulating Slide Collections

The slide collection was organized in the 1940s and now includes approximately 340,000 cataloged slides. Collection strengths include Architecture, Landscape, Planning, Maps, Construction and Engineering, Historic Preservation Technology, Sculpture, Painting, Prints and Drawings, Manuscripts, Photography, Performance and Exhibitions, Theater and Stage Design, Dance, Design Theory and other fine arts.

Materials in the Visual Resources Collection are copyrighted. Reproduction of copyrighted slides and photographs, in any format, including digital conversion, is regulated by law and subject to prior agreement with the owner, publisher, or vendor of the item. For more information on copyright, please see the VRC Copyright Policies and Tools page.

Mounted Photograph Collection

The VRC also houses a collection of over 6,000 mounted historic photographs from a variety of sources including the Library of Congress Historic American Building Survey and the Oregon Historical Society. Collection strengths include Architecture, Ceramics and Sculpture. Mounted photographs are available for viewing and check-out. A selection of Mounted photographs has been digitized and is available in the Art and Architecture Images collection here.

Architectural Drawings Collection

The VRC houses the AAA Library Architectural Drawings Collection. Containing selected student work produced between 1914 and the early 1970s from the Department of Architecture as well as professional work by A. E. Doyle, Roi L. Morin, Wilhelm Bietz and others, this collection is viewable during the VRC's open hours when full-time staff are present. An inventory of the collection is available in Excel or Open Document format. Several examples of student work have been digitized and can be found in the Art and Architecture Images collection here.

Gift Collections

Among the VRC's gift collections are approximately 60,000 35mm slides that are currently being processed. Notable among them are the collections of Marion Dean Ross, covering world architecture, and Michael Shellenbarger, focusing on historic preservation. Digitization of these unique resources is ongoing, and many are included in the Building Oregon and Art & Architecture Images Collections. Only certain gift collections are publicly accessible. Please inquire with VRC staff for viewing or borrowing these materials.

Circulation Policy

Materials may be checked out by University of Oregon faculty, staff and students.

Loan period for 35mm slides in the circulating collections: 3 days
Loan period for mounted photographs: 7 days
Gift Collections and Architectural Drawings do not circulate.

Collection Development Policy

The VRC is no longer adding materials to the 35mm circulating slide collections or the mounted photograph collection. Gift collections containing slides and photographs are subject to review by the Visual Resources Librarian for condition and suitability. Please contact Julia Simic if you have questions.

Original analog materials will remain a permanent part of the Libraries collections, however slides purchased from vendors or produced in-house are being replaced by digital surrogates. Portions of the collection in process may not be available for viewing or may have been withdrawn.

The VRC is actively expanding its digital holdings. Please see the Art & Architecture Images site for more information on these efforts.

Visual Resources Collection Facilities

In 1985 the Visual Resources Collection was housed in a small cavernous space on the second floor of Lawrence Hall. In 1990 the collection was moved to its new and present facililty on the third floor of Lawrence Hall. Currently the VRC is equiped with multiple light tables for viewing 35mm slides and public workstation (PC) with a flatbed scanner capable of scanning 35mm slides and film.

Enjoy a short pictorial history of the VRC's physical space. In 1997 UO VRC was included among 20 "most beautiful" Visual Resources Facilities in the country.