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Swayngim, Mary endowment, 2008

 File — Box: 71, Folder: 47

Scope and Content

From the Collection: The Collection includes selected items representing the activities of the former Bunting Visual Resources Library. This extensive collection is preserved as an example of pedagogy and methodologies in art, architecture an cultural studies, as well as documenting an aspect of the evolution and management of collections developed to support instruction in visual culture. Formats include slides, study photographs, and digital photographs, along with administrative, project, and vendor records.

The culled 35mm slide collection available at the Center for Southwest Research reflects the intersection of CSWR collecting on the Southwest and BVRL support of program strengths and curricular specializations in the College of Fine Arts and School of Architecture and Planning at UNM, with a special focus on New Mexico art and architecture. While the original slide collection numbered over 360,000 at its greatest extent, only 90,000 slides were transferred to CSWR when the Bunting library closed.

Original cataloging labels with classification number and formatted identifying descriptions remain on slides. Teaching collection slides are further recognizible by glass sandwich or plastic Gepe-brand slide binders. Donated, but never cataloged, slides are integrated into series groupings. These slides are recognizable by non-standardized labels and bindings.

A final collection review, begun in 2015 and concluded late 2016, examined sources for each cataloged slide, or uncatalogued groups of slides. This process suggested that arrangement by source (provenance) was more relevant for archival purposes than retaining drawer filing order. Where possible classification based on medium and subject is maintained as a secondary ordering in the new series/subseries organization. Thus, the collection is organized by source and subject into broad series with numerous subseries including:
From the Collection:
  1. Donors - slides grouped alphabetically by donor
  2. Architecture - slides grouped by location and style or design practice
  3. MA and MFA Archive - slides submitted by students to meet degree requirements
  4. Art in New Mexico - slides of art and artists associated with New Mexico
  5. Visual Culture and Cultural Studies - slides of Native American, PreColumbian & Colonial sites and objects
From the Collection: Non-slide items include photographic prints, paper records and digital images.
From the Collection:
  1. Study photographs - selected mounted and unmounted reproduction and original photographic prints, along with a small collection of film stills. The majority of the collection are 8x10" prints, mounted on 11x14" archival boards. The mounted photo collection has been re-organized as an artifact of the history of photography as well as teaching art history, with special attention given to known creators, photographic processes, and print techniques of the study prints themselves.
  2. Administrative and Project Files - paper records document annual administrative functions along with projects and processes in which Bunting staff engaged. Also preserved are vendor records -- catalogs and information used for collection development.
  3. Digital facility photographs - born digital documentation of the library and remodel projects.

Dates

  • 2008

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 90,800 plus items (88 boxes, 1 folder) : Approximately 90,000 35mm slides, 800 study photographs, and 15 boxes of paper records ; primarily 2 x 2 in mounted 35 mm slides

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451