Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Building An Archives For Butte, America, Ellen Crain, Donna Mccrea

Mansfield Library Faculty Publications

In 1981 only a few residents and scholars knew about the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives and even fewer used its services, but by 2006 the archives was providing research assistance to more than 4,000 people each year. In 2007, Butte’s voters, proud of the archives and its role in the preservation of their heritage, approved a $7.5 million bond to support it. This case study outlines how almost twenty years of advocacy by the archives staff, Friends, and board increased access to collections, improved community awareness, and ultimately resulted in a state-of-the-art facility for Butte’s records of enduring value.