Heritage Committee Mission Statement
The mission of the Heritage Committee is to collect and preserve books, uniforms, photographs, media and artifacts representative of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, to provide an overview and location of all archival education, research and services of the School, to display materials at appropriate functions and to work collaboratively with the School in promoting visibility of its heritage.
Nursing Alumni Society Heritage Committee
The Nursing Alumni Society Heritage Committee manages and maintains the History Center for the Future of Nursing that is located on the 5th floor of Weaver-Densford Hall. The History Center for the Future of Nursing was established in 1981 to house a representative collection of books, uniforms, photographs, papers, media and artifacts of historical significance. The Heritage Committee maintains an inventory of all materials preserved in the History Center, in Anderson Library Archives, or in the Densford Center. In addition, the History Center provides the space for students, faculty, alumni and visitors to read the books and view original photographs as well as access the entire collection of electronically-stored materials.
The collection represents the history and historical changes of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. These items are arranged, documented and identified by topic, time sequence, and individuals involved. Items will be made accessible by contacting the Associate Development Officer in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
Heritage Committee Partners with University Resources
The Heritage Committee consults and works with Anderson Library Archives, the Densford Center and the Wangensteen Library (rare book collections) regarding the collection and location of the School of Nursing historical information. Visual historical items, books, photographs, papers (scrapbooks, news articles, etc.) media (slides, tapes, videos, films), awards, uniforms and other artifacts are donated to the History Center collection or directly to the University of Minnesota archives. Written historical documents, Deans’ papers, faculty papers, project reports, records of programs, bulletins, research papers and other materials significant to the history of the school are sent directly to the Anderson Library University Archives. The Heritage Committee maintains a master list of nursing items in the Anderson Library Archives. A master list of items maintained in the History Center is shared with the Anderson Archives.
Screening
The Heritage Committee makes decisions about the disposition of donations.
Criteria for Accepting Donations
The following are general criteria used by the Heritage Committee for accepting donations:
- Program pamphlets, flyers, yearbooks related to the School of Nursing.
- Items related to the individual's experience with the School of Nursing.
- Items published by the faculty, alumni, and students and related to nursing.
- Class pictures and other photographs depicting nursing school experience.
- Hollowware that is related to the School of Nursing or nursing history.
- Media that depicts or represents a particular era of nursing history.
- Clinical equipment that meets the criteria, space limitations and Heritage Committee's approval.
- A specific number of uniform attire from various eras.
- Duplicated items may be accepted for evaluation of their condition and salability.
- Items which focus on individual alumni – their lives and contributions to society such as diaries, obituaries, correspondence, resumes, biographies and other documents including nursing and non-nursing related materials.
Other Roles of the Heritage Committee
- Review collection to identify items needed to fill gaps as well as continue gathering historical items needed for the present.
- Although donations are preferred, the committee may determine that an item will be purchased.
- The committee may refer some donation items to other museums.
- Review policies and procedures of the Heritage Committee every two/five years.
- Update and change displays in the History Center.
- Rent, loan, sell and dispose of items as appropriate under the guidelines
Access policies
- Visitors must make an appointment prior to visiting the History Center for the Future of Nursing. Walk-in visitors cannot be accommodated.
- Visitors must submit an appointment request and a statement of the reason for their visit to the Associate Development Officer in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
- Visits will be scheduled by the Associate Development Officer in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and monitors (staff or Heritage Committee members) will help the visitors.
- Materials cannot be checked out and must be used in the History Center. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by the monitors. Depending on the type of materials you request, visitors will fill out a separate slip for each book, photo album, box (or range of boxes) or other items you wish to see.
