Yosemite Slide Collection

Title: Yosemite Slide Collection

Dates: 1867-2000 (bulk dates: 1950-1998)

Collection Number: YCN: 1022

Creator/Collector:

Extent: 78 linear feet

Repository: Yosemite National Park Archives

Abstract: The Yosemite Slide Collection contains 2"x2" 35mm color transparency slides. The slides include original cardboard or plastic mounts. Metadata is often written in ink or pencil directly on the slide mount or printed on an adhesive label and placed directly on the mount. 3"x3" color transparency slides are located throughout the collection, and have been called out in the summary field. The Yosemite Slide Collection also contains 4"x2" stereo slide mounts. Two View Masters are stored with the Yosemite Slide Collection for viewing stereo slides in 3-D. Within the sub-subseries Interpretive Slide Shows (H-03-09-yyyy) there are associated audio cassettes, 8-track audio tapes, reel-to-reel audio tapes, and floppy discs containing media designed to complement prepared slide shows. Within this sub-subseries there are also paper transcripts outlining the Interpreters verbal content presented during prepared slide shows. The majority of images were taken between 1950 and 1998. Images from the Historic Photograph Collection, which is managed by the Yosemite Research Library, were reformatted into 35mm slides and are included in the Yosemite Slide Collection. These images date back to 1867. Historic photograph reproductions have been incorporated into the established Yosemite Slide Collection hierarchy based on subject matter. When possible they have been called out as a sub-subseries titled Historic Photographs and located at the end of a tropical series and subseries. All images within the collection pertain to Yosemite National Park. Yosemite's landscape, natural resources, cultural resources, influential personalities, architecture, management history, and park partners are all represented in the collection.

Language of Material: English

Copyright: No copyright restrictions for images taken by National Park Service employees while working in their official capacity, or for images taken by a photographer whose work was commissioned by the National Park Service. No copyright restrictions for images that were donated to the Park with a Deed of Gift that specifies the images can be used freely. All other images are subject to U.S. copyright laws.

Yosemite Slide Collection. Yosemite National Park Archives

35mm Slides included in the Yosemite Slide Collection were originally housed in the attic of the Yosemite Valley Museum Office. An inventory of the Audiovisual Library from 1970 created by Helen L. McClendon indicates a total count of 45,757. By 1998 the Library was stored in metal filing cabinets in the Archives Annex office space in El Portal and managed by Norma Craig. At this time Norma estimated the collection consisted of 100,000 slides. As early as 1988 Norma Craig began assigning local accession numbers to slide acquisitions. These local accession numbers pertained only to the Slide Archive. Norma's local accession records note the name of the donor, extent, subject matter, and, at times, the copyright status of the images. Local accession records are stored in the Yosemite Slide Collection folder in the Archive Annex office. Accessions were also tracked in tabular form by Norma. Norma Craig retired in 2005. In May of that year the Slide Library was accessioned as one field collection, YOSE-06815. Many slides were previously accessioned into the museum collection, and were accounted for upon processing and cataloging.

The Yosemite Slide Collection was managed by the Museum Branch in the Interpretive Division as part of the Audiovisual Library, also known as the Visual Center or Yosemite Museum Slide Archive. It is an artificial collection of slide acquisitions donated to the museum branch, as well as images taken by National Park Service employees to document the conditions, management, activities, and resources of Yosemite National Park. Historically, the Visual Center functioned primarily as a resource for Interpretation Division staff when creating interpretive programs for the general public. However, the Yosemite Slide Collection was, and continues to be, open to requests by any entity including park partners and the public.

The Yosemite Slide Collection is organized based upon the hierarchy established by Norma Craig, Slide Librarian until 2005. During Norma's tenure the slide collection was continuously being accreted to. Given the collection's constant state of change Norma established a hierarchy based not only on the slides currently in the collection, but also on topical subjects anticipated to appear in the collection. Presently, the Yosemite Slide Collection is organized into eleven series. The first eight series are based on the physical environment, natural resources, cultural resources, visitor activities, and park management and history as follows: A-Scenic Images; B-Pictorials; C-Physiography; D-Plants; E-Animals; F-Ethnography; G-Visitation; H-Park History and Management. The final two sections are reserved for collections gifted to Yosemite National Park. In these cases it was important to retain the original order and provenance. Images were kept in the order they were received from the donor whenever possible. These include: J-Donated Collection; K-Concessioners Collections. Each series is further broken down into subseries and sub-subseries. Beyond the sub-subseries level items are arranged by item number. During processing and cataloging unique slides are assigned a ten-digit item number based on series letter, subseries number, and sub-subseries number.