As 2018 draws to a close, I am reflecting the transformations this year brought to the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives. Although the architectural archives has had an office in the library’s main branch since the building was completed in 1969, it officially became a department of the library on the first of January 2018.
One momentous change for the agency has been the move of our collection from an offsite storage location to the library. With our expanded footprint on the library’s lower level, we are providing better physical care for the materials while also adding space for larger groups to use the collection.
What will you find at our office, where I serve as archivist? We collect materials about Bartholomew County’s outstanding architecture, landscape architecture, public planning and public art. You can learn more about what we have by going to the collections page on our website at columbusarchives.org.
One of our most popular resources is our collection of newspaper and magazine articles that document buildings, landscapes and the designers who created them. Where articles from The Republic newspaper show how particular building projects shape our community, articles from national design magazines look at those same projects in the context of contemporary architecture and design trends.
For those who want to dig a bit deeper, we have reference books that take a more academic approach. Our extensive photograph collection offers yet another way to explore the buildings and landscapes that surround us.
Being an architectural archive, we have, of course, drawings. Lots of drawings. By volume, they make up the greatest part of our collection. Architectural drawings range from quick sketches to elaborate renderings, from building plans to technical details. And the drawings come in a wide array of materials, including sketch paper, linen, vellum, mylar, blueprints, and bluelines. Some capture an early design concept, while others show how a problem was solved during construction.
Finally, we have documents, including letters between client and designer, lists of building materials and furnishings and technical reports. Documents often shed light on what the designer was asked to accomplish and what challenges arose during design and construction.
Who can use the archives? Anyone.
We welcome students, building professionals, tour guides — really, anyone who is interested in the history of Columbus’ built environment. If you see our door open, please stop in for a visit.
If you want to work with any archives materials, you will need to make an appointment. Many wonder why an appointment is necessary when other library resources are available instantly. Archival collections are made up primarily of original and one-of-a-kind objects that have to be stored, organized and handled very carefully.
It takes us time to pull together and lay out the materials you are interested in. Sometimes I can gather materials within 24 hours, and other times it may take several weeks to assemble the requested items.
Interested in taking a look? Contact me at [email protected] or at [email protected].
Tricia Gilson is the archivist of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives at the Bartholomew County Public Library. She can be reached at [email protected].
