Salzer (Elizabeth) University Librarian Records, 1913-2015

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Summary

Title:
University Librarian Elizabeth Salzer Records
Subtitle:
A guide to the records at Santa Clara University
Dates:
1913-2015
Creators:
Salzer, Elizabeth
Abstract:
The University Librarian Elizabeth Salzer Records consist of correspondence, minutes, and reports of the Library Council, Library Exhibits Committee files, memoranda, meeting minutes, clippings and reports, library budgets, reports, photographs of Orradre Library and its staff, and materials relating to the library groundbreaking event on Wednesday, June 14, 2006.
Extent:
64 Linear Feet 64 linear feet (in 149 document boxes and 1 record carton)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: University Archivist Elizabeth Salzer Records, RG 4LB1, [Identification of item],[box number], [folder number] Santa Clara University Library, Archives and Special Collecitons.ersity Library, Archives & Special Collections.

Background

Scope and content:

The University Librarian Elizabeth Salzer Records consist of 65 linear feet of materials in 151 boxes, including correspondence, minutes, and reports of the Library Council, surveys, Library Exhibits Committee files, displays, meeting minutes, notes, and agendas, clippings and reports, library budgets, photographs of Orradre Library and its staff, materials relating to conferences which Salzer participated in, functional documents of the library regarding services, policies, contracts, technologies, facilities, users, and planning, and materials relating to the Learning Commons library building and grounbreaking event on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 which include scripts of the events, a congratulations letter from Michael M. Honda, Congressman from the 15th District of California, and 2 5x7 color photographs of the Orradre Library. 1 invitation to "Campaign for Santa Clara, Celebrate the Success of the Campaign" event on Friday, March 16, 2007. Invitation included a metal (gold colored) bookmark with the engraved inscription "Santa Clara University Learning Commons and Library" with an engraved image of the new building. Material dates span from 1913-2015.

Biographical / historical:

Elizabeth "Liz" Salzer served as University Librarian at Santa Clara University from 1985 until her retirement in 2011. During this time, she oversaw the transition from the old Varsi Library building to the Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center and Orradre Library building in 2008.

Salzer earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1966 from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, and her MLS in 1967 from the University of Michigan.

Salzer worked from 1967 to 1975 in a variety of positions with the University Libraries of the State University of New York at Albany. At SUNY Salzer's two most recent posts included serving as department head of Government Publications, then head of Reference Services. From 1975-1985, she was head librarian for the J. Henry Meyer Memorial Library at Stanford University.

Salzer was president of ACRL's California Chapter, and held the Olga Meyer and Alice Meyer Buck chair at Stanford.

Santa Clara University was founded in 1851 by the Society of Jesus as Santa Clara College and is California's oldest operating institution of higher learning. It was established on the grounds of Mission Santa Clara de Asìs, the eighth of the original 21 California missions. The college originally operated as a preparatory school and did not offer courses of collegiate rank until 1853. The institution became known as the University of Santa Clara in 1912, when the schools of engineering and law were added. For 110 years, Santa Clara University was an all-male school. In 1961, women were accepted as undergraduates and Santa Clara University became the first coeducational Catholic university in California. The number of students and faculty tripled over the next decade and the university began the largest building program in school history with eight residence halls, a student union, and an athletic stadium. In the early 1970s, the Board of Trustees voted to limit the size of the undergraduate population, an action that was intended to preserve the character and ensure the quality of the university for generations to come. In 1985, the university adopted Santa Clara University as its official name.

The Varsi Library served as the home of the University Library from 1931 until the collection was moved into the newly constructed Michel Orradre Library in 1965. The Michel Orradre Library was torn down in 2006, and the new Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center, and Orradre Library complex was built in the same location. During construction, the University Library served the campus community from three temporary service points on campus. The University Library reopened in its new home on March 31, 2008.Bibliography: Santa Clara University. "About SCU – History." www.scu.edu/about/history.cfm (Accessed Nov. 23, 2010) McKevitt, Gerald, S.J. The University of Santa Clara: A History, 1851-1977. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1979.

Processing information:

Materials in this collection were previously partially processed and arranged. The original order of these materials is unknown. The physical order of the files have been maintained as found by the archivist in 2024 when the processing of the collection was completed. Materials have been arranged intellectually as described in the arrangement note.

Collection processing was completed in October 2025.

Arrangement:

Materials are intellectually arranged into the following series:

Series I: Reports Series II: Committee Files Series III: Budget Files Series IV: Office Files Series V: Facilities Files Series VI: Historical Files

Original order of materials was maintained physically. Materials are arranged into series by subject. The following series are intellectually arranged chronologically, then alphabetically:

Series I: Reports Series III: Budget Files, Subseries I: Budget Files Series V: Facilities Files Series VI: Historical Files

The following series are intellectually arranged alphabetically by topic, then chronologically.

Series II: Committee Files Series III: Budget Files, Subseries II: Fundraising and Gifts Series IV: Office Files

The annual reports were separated into RG 4LA.

Physical location:
This collection is located in Santa Clara University Library's Archives & Special Collections.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Bess Pittman, Archivist. Reviewed by Nadia Nasr.
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-01-09 18:22:17 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Materials in Archives & Special Collections may be subject to copyright. All requests for permission to publish from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the specialcollections@scu.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Archives & Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials, and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials.

Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: University Archivist Elizabeth Salzer Records, RG 4LB1, [Identification of item],[box number], [folder number] Santa Clara University Library, Archives and Special Collecitons.ersity Library, Archives & Special Collections.

Location of this collection:
Dept. of Archives & Special Collections, University Library,
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053-0500, US
Contact:
(408) 554-5530
specialcollections@scu.edu
Website