Bradford R. Cole Named Department Head for Special Collections and Archives

Brad Cole has been named the new department head for Special Collections and Archives for Utah State University Libraries. Cole’s responsibilities include oversight of the Special Collections and Archives department, including all rare books, manuscripts and photographs, the university archives and folklore collections.

“Specifically I see my role as promoting these valuable university assets to the university community,” said Cole. “Special Collections and Archives offers an excellent outreach arm for the university libraries and the university. It also helps our students and faculty, by offering many programs to the public.”

 

According to Cole, who comes to Utah State most recently from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz., the Special Collections archives are particularly valuable in terms of the material offered.

 

“Records in the Utah State archives vary from the history of the development of the Bear River, to the founding of the Utah Wilderness Association, to the pay of workers building the Logan LDS Temple,” said Cole. “The collection also offers the opportunity for students to experience the use of original primary source material, offering endless topics of study to students in disciplines from history to natural resources.”

 

Cole is no stranger to Utah State, having received his master’s in history in 1986 and serving as curator of Manuscripts for Utah State Libraries for 12 years before later moving to NAU’s Cline Library.

 

“Probably the most positive part of the Utah State libraries is the library staff,” said Cole. “The libraries have many dedicated and motivated staff members, who have a very public service orientation.”

 

“We all strive to help the student body and the faculty to perform as best they can,” he said.

 

Cole received a bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University and is a certified archivist by the Academy of Certified Archivists. He can be reached at (435) 797-8268, brad.cole@usu.edu, or by visiting Special Collections in the Merrill Library.