Archives and Special Collections

Quick Information

Schedule an appointment to access Archival collections

archives@whitworth.edu or call  (509)777-4481

Hours for Appointments -  Mon., Tues. Wed. or Thurs 10a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , Fri., 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Locate Resources

Search the Whitworth Catalog for books and some archival collections here

Online access to a selection of the Archives' finding aids is provided via the Archives West database: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/

Rare and Special Book Collections

Daniel Photography Collection

The Daniel Photography collection contains 1500 publications on the history of photography.  Books either focus on photography as an art form and communication medium, or that exemplify photographic excellence. Historically significant applications of photography are also included in  this collection. Originally the private collection of Floyd Daniel, it was gifted to Whitworth in 1995. The collection was expanded by subsequent additional gifts by Floyd and Shirley Daniel of Seattle.

Pacific Northwest Protestantism Collection

The Pacific Northwest Protestant Book collection contains church and regional religious history books. There are individual published church histories, biographies, religious books with a Pacific Northwest emphasis and history of Protestantism in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska

Presbyterianism Collection

The Presbyterianism Collection is intended to be a resource for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), in the Northwest, and for students, faculty, staff, and outside researchers with special interest in, or needs for information about, Presbyterianism.

Whitworth Collection

The Whitworth Collection has an institutional focus and is intended to represent the history of Whitworth in published form and to record aspects of institutional life, particularly the academic component, as reflected in faculty, staff, and student publications.

William Fix Mountaineering Collection

A unique collection of first edition climbing books, historic and contemporary Pacific Northwest mountaineering books, and essential reads for the practicing or the armchair mountaineer, these books were donated by former Whitworth trustee, William Fix.

Moldenhauer Archives Collection

Hans Moldenhauer, a world renowned musician and collector of musical documents, was a 1945 Whitworth College graduate. His large collections were divided up and gifted to nine different archives including the Library of Congress and Whitworth.

19th Century Collection

Representative groupings of artfully-bound 19th century publications in the Rare and Special Book collections at Whitworth University. 

William Morris' Odes of Horace

A description with images of  William Morris' Odes of Horace volume published by the Folio Society.

16th Century Manuscript

A leaf believed to have originated from a 16th century Catholic Book of Psalms.

Purpose

  • to secure, protect, and preserve books and other resources that warrant being added to or retained in the library’s holdings but that should not be housed in open-access areas for one or several of these reasons:
    • rarity
    • unusually high monetary value
    • fragile or deteriorating physical condition
    • unusual vulnerability to theft or mutilation.
  • to assemble resources in specified areas, defined by subject or other parameters, intended to comprise unique or exceptional research collections for use by the campus community, visiting scholars, or special constituencies, and to assure the long-term preservation and integrity of such collections.