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Archives

The Swenson Center collects papers, records and photographs that reflect the Swedish immigrant experience in North America. The personal papers and organizational records in our holdings shed light on the daily lives of many Swedish settlers, clergy, business people, educators and their institutions and organizations.

The archival materials do not circulate and can only be used on-site. If you are interested in visiting the Center to research a specific archival collection(s), please contact us at phone number 309-794-7204 or e-mail us at sag@augustana.edu to schedule an appointment. For researchers not able to visit the Center, we can make a limited amount of copies as stated below.

Hours and contact information
Photocopying and Duplication services
Donations to the Archives

Hours

The Swenson Center is open to the public by appointment Tuesday - Friday, excepting holidays when the campus is closed. During the summer months of June - August our hours are more limited due to smaller staff resources and reduced College hours. To schedule an appointment to look at an archival collection and to learn our hours, please call 309.794.7204 or email. You may also write to us:

Swenson Center
Augustana College
639 38th Street
Rock Island IL 61201-2296

Photocopies and Scanning

Photocopying: researchers may request limited amount of photocopies of documents while conducting archival research at the Center, upon the discretion of the staff. Material that is fragile and brittle or protected by any restriction set by the donor cannot be photocopied. Copies on-site are 25 cents per page.

Off-site researchers interested in obtaining copies of documents from a specific collection, please contact the staff. Copies sent to patrons via mail must be pre-paid and accompanied by the "Request for Photocopies Form." The fee is 50 cents per page with a minimum charge of $5.00. We accept personal checks, VISA and MasterCard. 

Scanning: On-site researchers may scan, using their own equipment, limited amounts of documents from a collection. Fragile and tightly bound documents cannot be scanned. Researchers may also request a scanned copy of a portrait from the Scandinavian-American Portrait collection. The fee for a scan is $15.00. Please click on the link below and print out the form and return it to us with your payment of $15.00.


Scanning request in PDF format (download Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Scanning request in Word format (.doc)

Donations

Please contact us if you have any material that you wish to donate, to discuss and determine if material is appropriate for the Swenson Center. The Swenson Center can only accept donations after consultation with the staff and all donations must be represented on a legal "Deed of Gift."

The Swenson Center acquires most of its material through donations from individuals and organizations. It is the procedure of the Center to encourage donations as long as the material supports our mission and is considered to be of historical value.

In addition to acquiring records that enhance and strengthen the current holdings of particularly letters written to early Augustana Synod pastors, personal papers of prominent business people, organizational and lodge records. The Center is also attempting to broaden its collection by actively searching for the following types of papers:

  • Personal papers of Swedish-American individuals, businesses and organizations
  • Identified photographs depicting Swedish immigrant life in the cities, e.g. store fronts, people working, photographs of gatherings and festivals.
  • Diaries and journals (especially of underrepresented groups such as women, professionals, and working class people)
  • Correspondence between immigrants in North America and between immigrants and family in Sweden
  • Records from Swedish-American organizations 1840-present

Thank you for your support and consideration to our donations policy.


 


Swenson Center photographs and archival holdings are now available in the database PastPerfect Online

Small Archival and Subject Collections (index to holdings)

Collection Development Policy for the Archives

Swenson Center Online Exhibits

Mailing address:
Swenson Center
Augustana College
639 38th St
Rock Island IL 61201-2296
USA

Tel: 309.794.7204
Fax: 309.794.7443 sag@augustana.edu