Collection Development Policy for the Swenson Center library and archives

Mission Statement

The Swenson Center is a national archives and research library providing resources for the study of Swedish immigration to North America, the communities the immigrants established, and the role immigrants and their descendants have played in American life. This is achieved by promoting and initiating academic research in the field and by collecting, preserving, and promoting access to the Swenson Centers’ archival and library materials. Another major role for the Center is to assist people researching their Swedish-American family history.

Purpose of the Collection Development Policy

Book Collection

The Swenson Center strives to provide researchers with a comprehensive and in- depth view of the Swedish immigrant experience in North America. For a more detailed description of the various subject collections at the Center, please see www.augustana.edu/swenson/library.html. The current strength of the library's collection is in the areas of:

  • histories of Swedish settlements in the U.S. and Canada
  • Swedish-American literature & fine arts
  • publications of Swedish-American organizations and institutions
  • Swedish-American music, both secular and devotional
  • Swedish travelers and visitors to the North American continent 1840-
  • Swedish-American religious life, including denominational histories
  • Swedish-American biography and family history
  • Swedish local history and genealogy

To broaden and strengthen the current collection, the library seeks to collect in the areas listed below. Please note that the list does not preclude purchasing of other material when the staff regards it useful for researchers and general reference work.

Primary focus

Secondary coverage

Electronic sources / microforms

The Center currently has a large collection of microfilms, which contains records from Swedish-American churches, Swedish-American newspapers, passenger records from Sweden and Norway, the parish records from Kopparbergs län, and other name indexes from selected Swedish Church records.

The Swenson Center will purchase when available:

  • Swedish-American church records on microfilm
  • Swedish-American newspapers on microfilm from other institutions and/or libraries
  • Multimedia resources that will aid staff and visitors with genealogy research

Periodicals

The Swenson Center will continue to subscribe and collect newspapers and periodicals, which support our mission. A listing is available of purchased material at www.augustana.edu/swenson/library/

Subject files / vertical files

Our main purpose in maintaining subject files is to keep small pamphlets organized and available for reference and research use. Our focus is on the following material:

  • Pamphlets and off-prints relating to the Augustana Lutheran Church
  • Swedish-American organizations, both historical and current
  • Swedish-American life and culture

Selection criteria

The Head of Library has the main responsibility for the selection of material for the library, but all staff members are encouraged to participate in the process. Items selected and purchased must support the general mission of the Center. The following criteria will be considered before a purchase.

  • Author’s qualification and reputation
  • Accuracy of content
  • Quality of the production
  • Evaluations in review media

Selection tools
  • Bibliotekstjänst
  • Svensk Bokförteckning
  • Libris
  • Åkerbloms universitetsbokhandel
    •
  • Amazon.com
  • University of Minnesota Press
  • University of Illinois Press
  • University of Wisconsin Press
    •
  • Släkhistoriskt Forum

 

Gifts – Swenson Center Library

The Swenson Center welcomes donations of library materials. Gifts from patrons have helped the Center to strengthen and broaden its collections and improve services to the Swedish-American community. All printed material regardless of format or characteristics that documents any sector of the Swedish-American community will be considered. However, the following list is especially vital to our mission.

  • Publications issued by the Swedish-American press ex. Augustana Book Concern, Rock Island, Illinois and Engberg & Holmberg in Chicago, 1840s to 1930s.
  • Publications issued by Swedish-American organizations, both current and defunct
  • Anniversary booklets from Swedish-American congregations (Lutheran, Covenant, Methodist etc.)
  • Swedish history 1800-to present, in both English and Swedish
  • Family histories / genealogies are accepted if they are in the format of a book or pamphlet, has a title page with compilers name and date of compilation, includes page numbering, and preferably has a name index. Please see use this link for further ideas on how you can compile a valuable family history.
  • Any books published in Swedish in North America.

Please note that we cannot accept any bibles or hymnals published in Sweden at this time due to space limitations.

We cannot accept any publication in poor condition (smells musty, is mildew and/or mold infested, has missing and torn pages).

The Swenson Center does not accept the responsibility to notify donors of withdrawals.  Gifts may be withdrawn in the same manner as purchased material.

The Swenson Center cannot estimate the dollar value of gifts donated to the Center or of materials held in other collections.

Please contact the Head of Library if you have any material that you wish to donate, to discuss and determine if material is appropriate for the Swenson Center. Note also that the Swenson Center can only accept donations after consultation with the staff.

 

ARCHIVES

The Swenson Center Archives collects, preserves and promotes the use of unpublished primary source material that documents the Swedish immigration and the Swedish-American experience in North America.

The current strengths of the archival material are in the areas of:

  • Letters to early Augustana Synod pastors
  • Personal papers of prominent business people
  • Organizational and institutional records
  • Misc. autobiographical accounts and family papers

For further details on specific manuscript and/or organizational records please see the listing on www.augustana.edu/swenson.

Donations

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 enhances and strengthen the current holdings, the Center is also seeking materials such as:

  • Personal papers of Swedish-American individuals, businesses and organizations
  • 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

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

We appreciate your support and ask that you contact us if you have any other question about the Swenson Center’s archival holdings.

Procedures

Photocopying and scanning

The Center promotes the use of its materials and allows for photocopying and scanning of documents except when documents are too frail to be handled or in cases of restrictions set by the donor. The Center will not, however, allow for photocopying or scanning of entire collections.

This document will be revised periodically as necessary, and submitted to the Advisory Committee for approval.