The , located on the first floor of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center is a remarkable new classroom addition to the academic community at the University. Recently opened at the start of the fall 2024 semester, it is a dedicated space where learning transcends the traditional boundaries of the University Libraries’ Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA/Special Collections) reading room. The Vault Studio provides students, faculty, and the broader community with an opportunity to gain unparalleled access to primary sources from the Archives.
“Access to these rare materials is a gateway to deeper understanding, critical thinking and scholarly exploration,” Dean of University Libraries Catherine Cardwell said. “The environment is modern and spacious designed to foster collaboration, innovation and the pursuit of knowledge.”
The recently renovated classroom comfortably accommodates 36 students with 18 tables. One of the major instructional tools in the space includes a cutting-edge, ceiling-mounted, high-tech document camera. Many of SCUA’s archival materials are much larger than a legal-sized document; the typical size document a regular document camera can accommodate. This new ceiling-mounted document camera enables SCUA to teach with the vast majority of materials in its collection – large or small format.
“This new dedicated instructional space marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to providing incomparable learning experiences through the exploration of primary sources,” Kimberly Anderson, director of Distinctive collections and head of SCUA said. “The Vault Studio embodies our vision of a modular, flexible learning environment equipped with all the necessary resources to support innovative teaching and exploration. This space has been meticulously designed to accommodate a variety of instructional needs, ensuring students and faculty can fully immerse themselves in the rich materials housed within the archives. SCUA truly is a rich, compelling, and amazing local resource.”
Special Collections and University Archives
Special Collections is home to more than 3,000 individual archival collections, more than 36,000 books (including nearly 800 artists’ books), well over one million photographs, and an estimated 12 million digital files. It is home to collections focused on Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra, with special strengths in Nevada politics, industry, environment, people and places of northern Nevada, tourism and recreation, Nevada literature, Book Arts, and of course, the University’s own history.
Opening The Vault Studio classroom
At the grand opening event for The Vault Studio that took place near the end of the summer, Dean of Libraries Catherine Cardwell, University President Brian Sandoval, Frankie Sue Del Papa, former three-term Nevada Attorney General and former ƼӰԭ student body President, Kimberly Anderson, director of Distinctive collections and head of SCUA, and Outreach and Public Services Archivist Elspeth Olson each gave remarks in the new space. A demonstration using the cutting-edge technology was provided to nearly 50 guests, donors and VIPs in attendance. A ribbon-cutting also took place to formally open the space.
During his remarks, President Sandoval recognized how time spent on campus at the University can be an integral part of a person’s life.
He said, “Because we value our history, the experiences people have during their time on campus becomes personally resonant and quite important as they move through life. History informs and teaches us. It reminds us of who we are and what we can be. This is why The Vault Studio is such an important space. Students and community members can come to the Knowledge Center and have unparalleled learning experiences through the exploration of primary historical sources.
“Innovative teaching is at the core of the University’s academic mission. Now, it will come alive in a new, progressive environment inside the Knowledge Center that speaks to the academic and scholarly excellence of our Carnegie R1 ‘very high’ research institution.”
Teaching and Learning in The Vault Studio classroom
In her role as Special Collections’ Outreach and Public Services Archivist for nearly two years Elspeth Olson has worked with 728 students in classes from 10 different University departments. She has also led sessions with external groups, including Truckee Meadows Community College, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and a group of 15 fifth graders from Tahoe Expedition Academy. She is the instructor most familiar with The Vault Studio as she teaches in the space.
“Prior to the opening of The Vault Studio, most classes interacting with Special Collections came from disciplines like Fine Arts, History, and Anthropology,” Olson said. “Generally a class visit includes a brief introduction to the archives, such as the special procedures and rules of our space be it the reading room or The Vault Studio classroom, and a tour of our website, including demonstration searches on SCUA’s three collection management platforms, as they all do slightly different things. Then, there is time for students to engage directly with primary source collection materials, which I select prior to the class meeting and lay out in The Vault Studio in collaboration with the course instructor.
“The opening of this new instruction space expands the kinds of lessons Special Collections are able to support and integrate the archives into a wider range of curricula across campus. In general, archives instruction is moving away from lectures and towards hands-on learning experiences.”
The majority of classes Special Collections’ works with will now be using The Vault Studio for their archives visits. The ease with which the tables can be adjusted into different formations will also facilitate group work and seminar-style discussions. Document stands will help groups who want to examine delicate documents or photographic media, as they’ll be able to prop materials up on special book stands allowing students to get a good look at the material with less handling.
The most significant feature of The Vault Studio is a ceiling-mounted document camera. The camera was selected specifically for its ability to work with items in a wide range of oversized, large and small formats. Additionally, the camera connects to the computer in the room, and helps the instructor demonstrate effective web-based searching techniques.
The Libraries extends its deepest gratitude to Frankie Sue Del Papa and the Greg Nelson – Warren Nelson Family for providing the funding needed to make our vision for The Vault Studio possible. The belief in the Libraries mission and vision, coupled with the dedication and support received from Frankie Sue have helped to transform a dream into a cornerstone of academic excellence. Additionally, SCUA wants to acknowledge and thank the University Libraries administration for their support of this project and to the Smallwood Foundation, who named MIKC 104 when the building was built, for the enthusiasm shared around the new use of this space.
Please contact Outreach and Public Services Archivist Elspeth Olson with questions and ideas.
ƼӰԭ the University Libraries
The University Libraries embrace intellectual inquiry and innovation, nurture the production of new knowledge, and foster excellence in learning, teaching and research. During each academic year, the Libraries welcomes more than 1.2 million visitors across its network of four libraries: the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, the DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library, the Savitt Medical Library and the Prim Library at the ƼӰԭ at Lake Tahoe. Visitors checked-out more than 80,000 items and completed more than two million database searches.
