In 2017, the A.K. Smiley Public Library; the University Library at California State University, Northridge; the Water Resources Institute, whose collections are held by the John M. Pfau Library at California State University, San Bernardino; The Claremont Colleges Library; the National Archives at Riverside; the Ontario City Library; and the Upland Public Library began a 3-year collaborative digital project with support from a Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Digitizing Hidden Collections grant. For the administration of the grant, we partnered with the Office of Foundation Relations and Strategic Initiatives at Pomona College, one of seven colleges that comprise what is known as “The Claremont Colleges” and the lead college for The Claremont Colleges Library at the time.
A.K. Smiley Public Library
The A.K. Smiley Public Library has been the chief repository for the history of Redlands, California since its founding in 1898. The archives was established as a separate division in 1972 and has continued and expanded on this collecting tradition. It is a well-respected entity in the community and regularly partners with local organizations and institutions to promote the preservation of local history and historic sites.
California State University, Northridge – University Library
The University Library Special Collections & Archives at California State University, Northridge, was established in 1973 to house the library’s manuscripts, rare books, periodicals, maps, prints, and art and holds over 45,000 books and numerous manuscript and archival collections which support the University’s curriculum, with additional strengths in American literature, California and the West, children’s literature, the history of printing and publishing, human sexuality, music, 19th and 20th century Europe, radio and television scripts, religion, theater and motion pictures, and United States history.
California State University, San Bernardino – John M. Pfau
The Water Resources Institute at California State University, San Bernardino, is part of Special Collections of the John M. Pfau University Library. With more than 935,000 titles in both traditional and digital format, including 23,000 journals, 100,000 government documents, and a growing Special Collections that contain rare materials on Southern California water, the library plays a pivotal role in the intellectual and cultural life of the university, cultivating and advancing academic inquiry, information literacy, scholarship, and the pursuit of knowledge.
The Claremont Colleges Library
The Claremont Colleges Library serves a cluster of five undergraduate colleges (Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer) and two graduate institutions (Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute) that comprise 7,200 students and 3,600 faculty and staff. Special Collections holds 170,000 volumes and 9,000 linear feet of manuscripts, papers, and records and is known globally for its Water Resources Collection. Select additional strengths include California and the West, Claremont Colleges’ archives, City of Claremont and the Inland Empire, European history, history of East Asia, literature, theater, religion, music, United States politics, and science and technology.
Council on Library and Information Resources
The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) is an independent, nonprofit organization that forges strategies to enhance research, teaching, and learning environments in collaboration with libraries, cultural institutions, and communities of higher learning. CLIR aspires to transform the information landscape to support the advancement of knowledge. CLIR promotes forward-looking collaborative solutions that transcend disciplinary, institutional, professional, and geographic boundaries in support of the public good.
National Archives at Riverside
The National Archives at Riverside is a unit of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA has been the institutional archives for the U.S. Federal Government since 1936. The Riverside branch maintains Federal records created by agencies in Southern California, Arizona, and Clark County, Nevada. Currently the unit manages more than 70,000 feet of materials documenting the Federal Government’s role in the development of the Pacific Southwest.
Ontario City Library
The Ontario City Library’s Robert E. Ellingwood Model Colony History Room, founded in 1970, is a well-established public resource staffed by a full-time librarian/archivist. The Ontario City Library is dedicated to partnering with other institutions in order to leverage resources for community use.
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California that was established in 1887. It is one of seven colleges that make up The Claremont Colleges. Pomona College offers a comprehensive curriculum, with 48 majors in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. The Office of Foundation Relations and Strategic Initiatives identifies funding opportunities for strategic initiatives from foundations, corporations and other external funders to secure external funding in support of the mission and ambitions of Pomona College and its stakeholders.
Upland Public Library
The Upland Public Library’s local history room is an open resource for any community inquiries and needs. The library actively seeks partnership opportunities to maximize visibility and presence of its local history collection.