Guide to the AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Records
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2011
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Records
Collection number: MSS-2004-23-03
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives/
- Processed by:
- Stephanie Waslohn
- Date Completed:
- 2011
- Encoded by:
- Stephanie Waslohn
- Reviewed by:
- Danelle Moon
© 2011 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Records
Dates: 1986-2003
Bulk Dates: 1990-2001
Collection number: MSS-2004-23-03
Collector:
San José State University
Collection Size:
17 boxes,
21.5 linear feet
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Records, 1986-2003 (1990-2001), document the services, publicity efforts
and internal functioning of the ARIS volunteer foundation which provided information, resources and support for AIDS & HIV
positive patients in Santa Clara County. ARIS offered practical assistance to patients through a monthly food basket program
that provided nutritional supplements, a 24-hour residential care facility, transportation services, and weekly emotional
support groups. ARIS also provided public programs that informed the public about AIDS & HIV prevention as well as humanizing
often stigmatized HIV-positive people.
The records consist of materials documenting many different facets of the organization such as manuals and guides for volunteers,
clippings documenting the impact of ARIS in the community, an archive of the monthly and quarterly newsletter the ARIS
Pages, plaques and commendations given to the organization over the years, banners carried by ARIS volunteers in local parades,
posters, t-shirts and stickers from AIDS prevention campaigns, and VHS tapes and documentaries related to the organization
itself and AIDS awareness in genernal on both local and national levels.
This collection is arranged into five series: Series I. Administrative Materials, 1989-2001 (1990-2001); Series II. Photographs,
1989-2002 (1991-2001); Series III. Newsletter, 1986-2002 (1988-2000); Series IV. Media, 1987-2000 (1989-1996); and Ephemera,
1987-2001 (1987-2001).
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Records, MSS-2004-23-03, San José State University Library Special Collections
& Archives.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Stephanie Waslohn. Finding aid EAD encoded by Stephanie Waslohn. Reviewed by Danelle Moon.
Organizational History
ARIS (AIDS Resources, Information & Services), a now defunct organization, was a volunteer non-profit organization founded
in 1986 with the mission "to provide HIV/AIDS prevention and support services to the people of Santa Clara County." ARIS focused
on the practical realities of the day-to-day needs of persons living with HIV or AIDS, as well as their emotional health and
wellness. ARIS provided a variety of services that included weekly emotional support groups, transportation services, practical
assistance through a monthly food basket program that included nutritional supplements, housing assistance including a 24-hour
residential care facility and multiple housing locations throughout the county, and HIV prevention and community education
through community outreach. These services were available to persons with AIDS or HIV-positive status residing in Santa Clara
County as well as their families and loved ones. The services and programs of ARIS were not limited to the HIV-positive community,
but they also provided Santa Clara County with public outreach, preventative-oriented educatoinal sessions to the public about
the realities of HIV & AIDS during a period rife with misinformation.
ARIS voluntarily dissolved in 2003 after difficulties with budget cuts, decreasing individual and commercial donations, as
well as the sudden death of ARIS Founder, Bob Clayton, in September of that year.
Related Material
Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center Records. MSS-2010-25. San José State University Library Special Collections
& Archives.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender periodicals collection, MSS-2005-05, San José State University Library Special Collections
& Archives.
Janet Gray Hayes papers, MSS-2002-01, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Mark Porsche papers, MSS-2003-04, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Ted Sahl Collection, MSS-2001-01-01, San José State University Library, Special Collections & Archives.
Scope and Content of Collection
The AIDS Resources, Information & Services (ARIS) Collection, 1986-2003 (1990-2001), document the services, publicity efforts
and internal functioning of the ARIS volunteer foundation which provided information, resources and support for AIDS & HIV
positive patients in Santa Clara County. ARIS offered practical assistance to patients through a monthly food basket program
that provided nutritional supplements, a 24-hour residential care facility, transportation services, and weekly emotional
support groups. ARIS also provided public programs that informed the public about AIDS & HIV prevention as well as humanizing
often stigmatized HIV-positive people.
The records consist of materials documenting many different facets of the organization such as manuals and guides for volunteers,
clippings documenting the impact of ARIS in the community, an archive of the monthly and quarterly newsletter the ARIS
Pages, plaques and commendations given to the organization over the years, banners carried by ARIS volunteers in local parades,
posters, t-shirts and stickers from AIDS prevention campaigns, and VHS tapes and documentaries related to the organization
itself and AIDS awareness in general on both local and national levels.
The records consist of the administrative records of the organization, which include a variety of formats, banners, CD-ROMs,
framed images, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, plaques, photographs, printed materials, newsletters, a sign-in book, textiles
and VHS tapes.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into five series: Series I. Administrative Materials, 1989-2001 (1990-2001); Series II. Photographs,
1989-2002 (1991-2001); Series III. Newsletter, 1986-2002 (1988-2000); Series IV. Media, 1987-2000 (1989-1996); and Ephemera,
1987-2001 (1987-2001).
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
AIDS (Disease) -- California -- Santa Clara County.
AIDS (Disease) -- Prevention.
Gays -- California -- Santa Clara County -- History.
Gay pride parades -- California -- San José.
Nonprofit organization -- California -- San José.
Series I :
Administration Materials
1989-2001
Physical Description: 3 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
The material in this series primarily documents the organizational system and administrative operations of ARIS. The bulk
of this collection consists of volunteer training manuals, resource directories and internal policies and procedures. The
volunteer training manuals were instrumental to the daily operations of the organization and document the procedures and processes
of outreach, assistance, and publicity of the organization.
Arrangement
This series is arranged by format then subject.
Box 1
Volunteer manuals, resource directories, newspaper clippings
1989-2000
Box 2
Clippings, manuals, pamphlets, website print-outs
1991-2001
Box 3
Manuals, pamphlets, clippings
1993-2001
SERIES II :
Photographs
1988-2003
Physical Description: 3 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consist of photographs depicting ARIS volunteers and events. The subject matter of the photographs represent volunteer
training programs and events, community outreach events, local gay and queer celebrations including San José Pride, and AIDS
awareness events. Also included in this series is digital media in CD-ROM format featuring digital copies of photographs of
ARIS sponsored community events. The majority of the photographs are labeled by year and event, and occassionally identify
individuals.
Arrangement
This series is loosely arranged by subject matter.
Box 4
Photographs, slides, negatives
1989-2001
Box 5
Photo albums, CD-ROMs
1994-2003
Box 6
Photo albums, photographic slides, negatives
1988-2001
SERIES III :
Newsletter
1986-2002
Physical Description: 2 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
The ARIS newsletter entitled
Pages, was first published in 1986 which ran until shortly before the organization's dissolution in 2003.
Pages provided important community updates, information about the organization, local and national trends in AIDS/HIV prevention
and assistance, reports on recent events and outreach programs, as well as donation and volunteer opportunities.
Pages served ARIS clients, volunteers, family members and community members.
Pages also functioned as the primary publicity arm in soliciting financial donations and volunteers.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically.
SERIES IV :
Media
1986-2000
Physical Description: 4 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consist of VHS tapes focused on local ARIS programs as well as national documentaries about AIDS. The content
of the VHS collection present stories and documentaries focused on AIDS and its impact, and media coverage of ARIS activities
within the Santa Clara County community.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by format.
SERIES V :
Ephemera
1987-2001
Physical Description: 6 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
The materials in this series consist of community outreach programs, publicity campaigns for AIDS education and prevention,
ARIS produced textiles, commendations for ARIS, which comprise the majority of this series, as well as framed and unframed
posters used iin various publicity campaigns.
This series includes three-dimensional objects and textiles that document the hands-on activities of ARIS locally and nationally.
Interesting textiles in this series include promotional t-shirts produced by ARIS, an American flag that was flown over Capitol
Hill in ARIS' name with certificate of authenticity, and banners that were held during ARIS participation in LGBTQ parades.
Some banners and poster slogans documenting ARIS participation in a myriad of AIDS-related communities included in this series
are "African-American Men against AIDS: Brothers United", "Names Project" and "ARIS: Caring People sharing Lives". Included
in this series are a guest sign-in book from ARIS sponsored events as well as a memorial book dating from 2003.
The original donations also included three-dimensional objects, frames, posters, plaques and artwork that have been deaccessioned
from this collection. Digital surrogates of these deacessioned materials are located in box 13.
Arrangement
This series is loosely arranged by format.
Box 13
Textiles, framed photograph, commendations, American flag, publicity materials, digital surrogates
1989-2001
Box 14
Textiles, printed materials, guestbook
1990-2002
