Selected Genealogical Sources in the Oregon State University Archives

Selected Genealogical Sources in the

OSU Archives and the Valley Library

Compiled for the Benton County Genealogical Society

October 9, 2010

Available in the Archives and the Valley Library Stacks

University Catalogs, 1866/67-present. Catalogs through 1956/57 include lists of students enrolled. Catalogs provide description of all classes offered by the institution. All catalogs list faculty members, including year of employment at OSU and degree dates and institutions.

Archives -- Reference Room (1889/1890 thru 1988/1989)

Valley Library Stacks – LD 4336. A3

Online: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui/handle/1957/7553

Beaver Yearbook and predecessors, 1894 and 1908-present. Early yearbooks document activities of students, particularly seniors, and include portraits of most students. Most yearbooks include a comprehensive student index.

Archives -- Reference Room (1928-present) [previous volumes in Archives]

Valley Library Stacks – LD 4348.A4

Hayseed (1894) available online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/12097

Barometer (1900 Souvenir Edition) online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/11559

Barometer (1905 Souvenir Edition) online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/11558

A few individual colleges also published yearbooks, such as the College of Forestry’s Annual Cruise, 1920-1975.

Archives – PUB 10-12a

Valley Library Stacks: SD254 .O7

Online: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/dspace/handle/1957/10778

Student Directory (Fusser’s Guide), 1912-1997. Lists students’ names, major, class, and campus address.*

Archives – PUB 2-22c

Valley Library Stacks – LD 4338 .A5

Staff directories, 1904-[present]. Lists position title, department name and address, and phone number of each OSU employee. May also include home address and phone number.

Archives – PUB 2-21a

Valley Library Stacks – LD 4338. A4

Alumni directories, 1910, 1913, 1917, 1922, 1925, & 1949-1952. Include names, dates of attendance, degree, employment, and home address. Directories for 1949-1952 were published as part of the Oregon Stater.

Archives Reference Room – LD 4242.3 .O71

Archives – Part of Alumni Association Records (RG 035).

Valley Library Stacks – LD 4242.3 .O71

Daily Barometer (campus newspaper), 1896-present. Contains a variety of articles, features, obituaries, and other information on many students and faculty members. Indexed through about 1981.

Archives – PUB 15-10

Valley Library Microfilm – LH 1 .O7

Name index available online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3745

Subject index available online: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/3746

Index also available in Valley Stacks and Archives Reference Room: LH 1 .O7

Oregon Stater (alumni magazine), 1921-present. Contains articles about alumni as well as class news, obituaries, and death notices.

Archives Reference Room – 1921-1966 only

Archives – PUB 3-11a

Valley Library Stacks – LH1 .O77

Available ONLY in the Archives

Biographical Files are available in several collections:

News & Communication Services Records (RG 203) and Extension & Experiment Station Communication Records (RG 069) contain biographical files on many faculty members.

Records of individual departments and colleges often contain biographical files of selected faculty members (e.g. Entomology Department Records – RG 027).

Alumni Association Records (RG 035) include biographical files as well as class records and class reunion records.

The Memorabilia Collection includes biographical files on prominent alumni and local citizens, and many faculty members.

Commencement Programs, 1870-present. Lists degrees conferred and honors and awards given to students.

PUB 7-31a

Also some commencement programs are bound with the catalogs in the Archives Reference Room.

Faculty and staff personnel files, ca. 1910-1989.

Often include biographical information.

NOTE: Because the personnel files contain confidential information, researcher access to these records is restricted. Archives staff members can review personnel files for pertinent information which can be disclosed.

Student academic records, circa 1900-1960.

Contain transcripts, and sometimes applications and other documents useful to genealogists.

NOTE: Access to these records is restricted by the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) until the death of the student.

Other Archives Collections

Institutional Records

Faculty Papers

Alumni Collections

Student Organization Records

Photograph Collections

Moving Images

Oral Histories

Memorabilia Collection