On the third floor of UNC's Wilson Library, there is a display case with the first ever volume of the UNC Board of Trustees' meeting minutes. The book is open to a page from 1792 — when the trustees selected Chapel Hill as the site of UNC's campus.
It's one of University archivist Nicholas Graham's favorite records found in the library.
“I think that's a particularly momentous decision,” Graham said.
The document belongs to Wilson Library's University Archives collection, which dates back to the University's founding in 1789 and includes administrative correspondences, faculty committee reports, academic department files and student organization records.
“We document all aspects of life at the University,” Graham said.
The University Archives are just one of Wilson Library's five signature collections, which also include the North Carolina, Rare Book, Southern Folklife and Southern Historical collections. Sarah Carrier, an N.C. research and instructional librarian, said the archives contain some of the most sought-after materials housed within the library.
Part of Carrier's job is to assist Wilson visitors with their research. With students, that may include sourcing materials for projects, gathering information on student groups or just helping curious guests see interesting things.
Carrier also works with faculty who use the University Archives as the foundation for their classes. Previously, this has involved helping students use archival materials to create a virtual exhibition that explores the history of women on UNC's campus. Carrier also collaborated with a class to create an interactive map detailing the experience of UNC's first Black female undergraduate student.
These courses, Carrier said, use the University Archives to look at how larger issues exist within UNC's history. Special Collection Engagement Librarian Nadia Clifton said experiencing UNC history through the archives helps students better understand their position in the context of the University's past.
