University of Arizona

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New Director of Special Collections

New Director of Special Collections

If you were among the standing room only crowds in Special Collections at the recent Tucson Festival of Books you may have noticed Steve Hussman, the new director of Special Collections at the University of Arizona. A sign of his all-hands-on-deck philosophy, Hussman was busy chatting with guests, answering questions about the archives, directing people to exhibitor tents – even scouring his new office for the last few chairs to bring into the Reading Room.

One panel in particular – ‘Eureka! Discoveries in the Archives’ – heightened his enthusiasm for the opportunities his new position holds. “Researchers, scholars, and authors were excitedly sharing stories of material they discovered in the archives. The opportunity for learning something new in Special Collections is immense – I want more people from the campus and the community to have that same eureka moment.”

Hussman comes to the University of Arizona from Central Washington University, where he was University Archivist and Chair of Library Faculty. His 25-year career in special collections and archives management includes positions at New Mexico State University Libraries, Arizona State University Libraries, the Frick Art & Historical Center, and Louisiana State University at Shreveport. He holds a Master of Arts in Information Resources & Library Science from the University of Arizona and a second M.A. in Public History from Wright State University. For Hussman, returning to the Southwest and the University of Arizona for his role as director is “the pinnacle of my career.”

Hussman feels strongly about the role archives hold as a steward of cultural and historical memory, tradition, and experience. Throughout his career he has advocated for “citizen collectors” and the contributions they make in community preservation. It’s no surprise, then, that community outreach is one of Hussman’s primary goals in his first year at the University of Arizona.

Driven by his passion and enthusiasm for archives, Hussman hopes to “be the face of Special Collections” and to connect with “anyone interested in the wide range of collections we curate within Special Collections.” Preserving more historical materials and adding to the collection is also a high priority for Hussman. With a deep reverence for the role archives hold on campus and in the community he notes, “If we don’t identify and preserve this material, it’s gone forever.”

If his first few weeks on the job are any indication, Hussman will achieve these goals, and more, in quick time.

Steve Hussman