April 8, 2009

Archives and Special Collections to celebrate opening, Purdue's 140-year history

The Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center will focus its grand opening around the exhibit, "Portrait of a Founder: John Purdue and Purdue University," which is running from April 3 to July 16. Irena McCammon Scott, Purdue's great-great-grandniece and author of "Uncle: My Journey with John Purdue," will give a lecture that is free and open to the public at 7 p.m. April 21 in Stewart Center's Fowler Hall. A reception and tours of the new facility will follow the lecture, and these events will serve as the public grand opening for the center.

Archives and Special Collections will also be open for special hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday (April 18) in celebration of Spring Fest to allow the public more of an opportunity to experience the new facility.

The $2.7 million, 15,000-square-foot Karnes center is located on the fourth floor of the Humanities, Social Science, and Education Library in Stewart Center. The new center brings Purdue's archival collections together into one centralized, state-of-the-art facility. The space features an entry hall/exhibit space, a researcher reading room, an instruction center, a processing center for receiving new materials, and offices for staff and faculty members.

"The Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center will serve as a focal point of Purdue's rich past as an institution and of individuals who have contributed greatly not just to this university but to the world," said James L. Mullins, Purdue Libraries dean. "As we celebrate the center's opening, it's fitting that we would show off the 140-year heritage that has made Purdue respected around the world."

That heritage includes a rich flight tradition, of which Archives and Special Collections has recently added significant historical contributions. Neil A. Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, and Eugene A. Cernan, the most recent person to do so, have donated personal papers to Purdue within the last six months. Those additions join the George Palmer Putnam Collection of Amelia Earhart Papers, the world's largest compilation of papers, memorabilia and artifacts related to the late aviator who was the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Archives and Special Collections also houses the papers of Ralph Johnson, a 1930 Purdue graduate in mechanical engineering and flight pioneer who was the first person to document aircraft landing procedures that are still used today.

Until last October, Archives and Special Collections had been housed in Room 279 of Stewart Center. A $1 million gift from 1935 Purdue graduate Karnes helped lead to the renovation of space for the new facility. The Karnes Center, which opened in mid-January, also includes an instruction center where students can view rare materials.

"In recent years we have added rare and valuable collections that are important to faculty and student research. Our new facility will give us much needed space and a secure environment with proper temperature and humidity controls, as well as enhanced research and exhibit spaces," said Sammie Morris, head of Archives and Special Collections. "We're very thankful to Virginia Kelly Karnes and her family for this opportunity to expand our space and programs."

Morris expects that the new center will impact Purdue Libraries, the university and the broader community in several ways, by:

* Increasing opportunities to use original documents in research;

* Attracting scholars from around the world by improving access to scholarly research;

* Expanding opportunities to attract prominent collections such as the papers of Purdue astronauts and pioneering women of Purdue;

* Increasing opportunities for academic collaboration on classroom initiatives;

* Improving capacity to attract and retain nationally recognized faculty members;

* Promoting the history of Purdue, its faculty and alumni; and

* Increasing the potential to form interdisciplinary and financial partnerships within and outside the university.

Karnes, who is deceased, also had contributed to the Class of 1935 50th reunion class gift, the Library Scholars grant program, President's Fund, Purdue Alumni Association, Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics and the Center for Families. She also served as the first chairwoman of the President's Council at Purdue.

While at Purdue, Virginia Kelly belonged to the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, edited the Debris yearbook, and participated in women's journalism and sports clubs. She graduated the same year that Purdue hired Amelia Earhart as a women's career counselor, part of the university's effort to recruit more women.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Sources: James L. Mullins, 765-494-2900, jmullins@purdue.edu

Sammie Morris, 765, 494-2905, morris18@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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