Introduction
See links below for archival resources housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies and other repositories.
Researchers seeking information relating to Western Washington University campus history are advised to contact staff at Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections (the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Special Collections and the WWU Archives and Records Center). Useful resources may include periodicals and other Campus School Collection holdings (Western Libraries Special Collections) as well as administrative records of the university (contact WWU Archives and Records Center).
Collections at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
- Ashworth (Robert) Collection on the Union of Sexual MinoritiesRecords gathered and donated by a former Western student, documenting the activities of the Union of Sexual Minorities Center (USMC) of Western Washington University, circa 1974-1984.
- Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript CollectionThe Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection documents some of the history of the LGBTQ+ community of Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington.
- Hands Off Washington Whatcom County Coalition RecordsDocument Whatcom County activism against anti-gay rights initiatives (including #608, 610, 167 and 166) in the 1990s. The collection also contains a large amount of subject and reference material relating to gay and lesbian issues.
- Mason (David) PapersPapers documenting the academic work, research, and interests of Fairhaven College professor David T. Mason.
- Northwest Proud RecordsRecords documenting the actions and concerns of a coalition of LGBTQ+ groups in Whatcom County, Washington, circa 2000-2001.
- Northwest Women's Studies Association 1984 conference recordsIncludes copies of the Pacific Women's Resource newsletter (from the Lesbian Resource Center), 1983-1984.
Other Primary Source Collections
- GLBT Historical Society and MuseumMuseum and collections of San Francisco's GLBT Historical Society.
- June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives"The largest major archive on the West Coast dedicated to preserving and promoting lesbian and feminist history and culture." Located in West Hollywood, California.
- Lavender Legacies GuideGuide to primary source material relating to the history and culture of lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgendered people, published by the Society of American Archivists' Lesbian and Gay Archives Roundtable.
- Lesbian Herstory ArchivesThe "world's largest collection of materials by and about lesbians and their communities," located in Brooklyn, New York.
- Old Lesbian Oral Herstory ProjectProject that gathers "the Unique Stories of the Lives of Lesbians Born in the Early 1900s".
- ONE Institute, International Lesbian and Gay ArchivesLocated in Los Angeles, California, the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives claims "the world's largest research library on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,and Transgendered heritage and concerns."
- San Francisco Public Library - James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian CenterA "gateway to collections documenting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered history and culture, with a special emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area."
- Seattle Municipal Archives (online exhibit and bibliography)Online information and digitized documents re: Gay Rights in Seattle in the 1970s.
- Transgender Archives - University of Victoria, B.C. CanadaFrom website: The Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria is committed to the preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders, and researchers who have contributed to the betterment of Trans+ and other gender-diverse people.
Archives & Special Collections
OUR MISSION
Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections provides for responsible stewardship of and access to unique and archival resources in support of teaching, learning and research at Western Washington University and beyond. The Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Special Collections, and University Archives and Records Management work together to document the culture and history of Western, the local community and Pacific Northwest region, and to promote public and scholarly access to holdings.
Images from WWU Collections
Buttons from the Hands Off Washington (Whatcom County Coalition) Records, CPNWS.
Flyer for 1975 Gala Ball at Western, presented by Fairhaven College and the Gay People's Alliance. Ashworth Collection on the Union of Sexual Minorities Center, CPNWS.