Identifier
NFAI.R.00000068

Repository Name
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division

Alternate Name
Fife Folklore Archives

Type of Repository
Academic Libraries, Archives, Museums

Repository State
Utah

Repository Description

Mission: The Fife Folklore Archives acquires, preserves and makes available folklore materials, as they are defined in the Fife Folklore Archives Collection Development Policy, to university students, faculty and staff and the public. Fife Folklore Archives Collection Development Policy: The Austin E. and Alta S. Fife Folklore Archives (hereafter FFA) is an arm of Utah State University’s Special Collections and Archives Division and houses all the folklore materials described herein. The FFS interface closely with Utah State University’s Folklore Program, with faculty members from the program serving on the Fife Folklore Archives’ Collection Development Committee. The materials in this collection are purchased by the library and acquired through donations to the FFA. A major portion of the FFA is made up of student and faculty fieldwork collections that may be consulted in the Archives. The book collections are accessible through the University Libraries’ online catalog and are available during scheduled library hours. All collections are closed-stack, non-circulating. FFA is one of a number of leading research facilities that acquire, preserve and make available the materials in folklore fields that constitute particular areas of institutional focus and strength. The FFA collects field data, oral histories, monographs, slides, photographs, periodicals, books, audio recordings and non-commercial video recordings on the subject of folklore, particularly but not exclusively in the areas of regional folklore (including the Intermountain West, especially Utah and Idaho); folk groups (including ranching culture, Native American culture, Latino culture, and Mormon culture); genres (including belief, folksong, foodways, proverbs, and legends) and themes (including family, ethnic, and religious folklore). As well, the Archives maintains a basic research and reference collection in folklore. The Archives is also the repository for the manuscripts, books, and periodicals of the American Folklore Society over its entire history from 1888 to the present. The American Folklore Society manuscript collection is held and referenced by the manuscript section of USU’s Special Collections and Archives Division.

ARCHIVES
Fife Folklore Collections The Fife Folklore Archives is one of the largest repositories of American folklore in the United States. The FFA is part of Utah State University's Special Collections and Archives where the historical American Folklore Society Manuscript Collection is housed. Established in 1972, the Archives is an integral part of USU's cultural studies arena. The Fife Folklore Archives is named for folklorists Austin E. and Alta S. Fife, Utahans who helped shape the field of folklore and worked to preserve the folk expressions of the American West. The FFA is home to over forty collections, including student fieldwork collections, oral history collections and Austin and Alta Fife's fieldwork collections. The Fife Folklore Archives houses book, fieldwork, oral history, student collections, image (mostly slide) and sound collections. Many of the collections continue to have materials added and are so noted. All collections are cataloged in Utah State University Libraries' online catalog: https://libcat.lib.usu.edu/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/x/0/49/. As well, fieldwork, oral history, student collections and image collections have item level registers. You can access and search the Folklore Archives' registers on the Special Collection & Archives search engine http://library.usu.edu/specol/ and see a complete listing of FFA holdings at http://library.usu.edu/folklo/registers.php.

Folk Collection 1 - Books from the original gift of Austin and Alta Fife, which were used in establishing the Folklore Archives.

Folk Collection 2 - A compilation of the published works of Austin and Alta Fife.

Folk Collection 3 - Started as part of the Archives' early acquisitions, this collection contains general folklore books, folklore theses, and related volumes. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 4 - The Austin and Alta Fife Fieldwork Collection.

Folk Collection 4a - The Austin and Alta Fife Record Collection.

Folk Collection 5 - Folklore sound recordings: records, cassette tapes and compact discs. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 6 - Hector Lee Fieldwork Recording Collection.

Folk Collection 7 - Brigham Young University Student Fieldwork Collection.

Folk Collection 8 - Utah State University Student Fieldwork Collections, includes FIELDWORK: graduate student oral history collections (1981 and 1983); USU: undergraduate student collections; GRAD: graduate student collections; and FFC: Fife Conference student collections. Collecting projects are submitted regularly by students in upper division and graduate folklore courses. USU and GRAD collections continue to have materials added.

Folk Collection 8a - Utah State University Folklore Genre Collection is comprised of individually collected items of folklore by students in folklore classes. The collection is arranged by genre and topic, with one transmission type. The collection includes nine groups. This collection continues to have materials added. Folk Collection 8b - The Fife Folklore Archives Student Media Collection consists of folklore collected by USU folklore students on cassette tape, microcassette, and VCR tape. Most media submissions (2000 forward) accompanied genre collections FOLK COLL 8a); however, as most media submissions are connected to more than one genre item, they are housed separately from the transcript. The collection is organized by date.

Folk Collection 9 - The Olive Burt Collection. These books were purchased by USU Libraries for the Fife Folklore Archives.

Folk Collection 10 - The Dr. Rachael D. Yocom and Gertrude Shurr Collection. These volumes were a gift to the Folklore Archives.

Folk Collection 11 - The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Book Collection. This is a growing collection of books on cowboy poetry and related topics. Assembled originally through a grant from the L.J. and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, this collection continues to build through gifts and library purchases. Each winter this library travels to Elko, Nevada, for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

Folk Collection 11a - Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Cassette Collection.

Folk Collection 11b - Cowboy and Western Song Folio and Sheet Music Collection.

Folk Collection 11c - Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Disc (Record) Collection.

Folk Collection 11d - Cowboy Poetry and Western Music VCR Collection.

Folk Collection 11e - Cowboy Poetry and Western Music Compact Disc and DVD Collection.

Folk Collection 11f - Western States Cowboy Poetry Collection is a fieldwork collection that grew out of a concerted effort by western state folklorists in the early 1980s to collect, document, and present cowboy poetry and out of this work came the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, NV, in 1985.

Folk Collection 11g - The National Cowboy Poetry Collection, includes programs, schedules, posters and other items from the NCPG. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 11h - Cowboy Poetry Poster Collection. This collection continues to have materials added. Folk Collection 11i - Cowboy / Ranch Ephemera Collection, includes publications, calendars, periodicals that reflect ranching and cowboy culture and images. UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Folk Collection 12 - The Don Yoder Collection. Made possible through special funding from the Friends of Utah State University Libraries, this collection was purchased for the Fife Archives and is a compilation of materials that were part of Professor Yoder's personal research library. Arranged topically, it contains many books on folklore and related topics.

Folk Collection 13 - The Wayland D. Hand Memorial Collection. This collection is continually growing through Library funding. Arranged by general categories (belief, custom, Native American, regional, etc.), this collection primarily contains current works in folklore and related topics. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 14 - The Folklore Journals Collection. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 15 - Newsletters on folklore and related topics. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 16 - The John I. White Book Collection. Over 200 books and pamphlets on cowboy and western folksongs and ballads, donated by the J.I. White family.

Folk Collection 16a - The John I. White Song Folio and Sheet Music Collection, donated by the White family.

Folk Collection 16b - The John I. White Sound Disc (Record) Collection, donated by the White family.

Folk Collection 16c - The John I. White Sound Cassette Collection, donated by the White family.

Folk Collection 16d - The John I. White Sound Compact Disc Collection, donated by the White family.

Folk Collection 17 - The Jay Anderson Foodways Collection donated by folklorist Jay Anderson. The collection includes historic cookbooks.

Folk Collection 17a - Foodways Collection includes books on foodways purchased by USU Libraries. This collection continues to have materials added. Folk Collection 17b - The Jay Anderson Foodways Research Collection.

Folk Collection 18 - The American Folklore Society Book Collection. Consisting of books published by the AFS Publications Series, these works represent the ongoing scholarly investments of the Society. Utah State University Special Collections is the chosen repository of the AFS Manuscript Collection, of which this collection is derived. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 19 - The G. Malcolm Laws Ballad Collection. Formerly the private research library of ballad scholar G. Malcolm Laws, this collection was purchased by the USU Library.

Folk Collection 20 - The Barre Toelken Native American Collection. This is a collection of books and pamphlets used in Professor Toelken's research.

Folk Collection 21 - The Grouse Creek (Utah) Cultural Survey Collection is a joint fieldwork project of the Utah State Historical Society, the American Folklife Center, the National Park Service, the Folk Arts Program of the Utah Arts Council, and Utah State University, conducted in the Grouse Creek region (northwestern Utah). The materials--audio tapes, slides, interviews, transcriptions, maps, etc.--were collected by professional field researchers and are housed in the Fife Folklore Archives.

Folk Collection 22 - The Utah State University Scholarly Press Folklore Collection. This collection is a donation of all the folklore books published by USU Press. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 23 - The Elliott Oring Book Collection contains books donated by folklorist Elliott Oring on a wide range of folklore topics.

Folk Collection 24 - Andy Gibbons Quilt Collection. This collection, created by an initial donation by Andy Gibbons, contains books and slides on quilting. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 25 - The Wolfgang Mieder Proverb Collection contains books on proverbs donated by proverb scholar Wolfgang Mieder, as well as purchased books on proverbs and proverb scholarship. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 26 - September 11, 2001: USU Student Documentary Collection

Folk Collection 27 - Teton Dam Disaster Collection. A collection of letters and interviews by individuals who experienced the Teton Dam disaster of June 5, 1976, in southeastern Idaho.

Folk Collection 28 - The Folklore Society of Utah Collection. The official papers of the Folklore Society of Utah, established in 1958. This collection continues to have materials added.

Folk Collection 29 - Living Traditions of the Bear River Heritage Area Collection, including fieldwork conducted in 2001 in Box Elder, Cache, and Rich (Utah) Counties.

Folk Collection 30 - Sam Agins Book Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of books on American cowboy music and lifestyle.

Folk Collection 30a - Sam Agins Cassette Commercial Tape Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of cowboy and western music.

Folk Collection 30b - Sam Agins Commercial Record Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of cowboy and western music.

Folk Collection 30c - Sam Agins Commercial Video and Beta Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of interviews and cowboy and western music.

Folk Collection 30d - Sam Agins Commercial Reel-to-Reel Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of cowboy western music.

Folk Collection 30e - Sam Agins Commercial Compact Disc Collection donated by the Agins family. The collection consists of cowboy western music.

Folk Collection 30f - Sam Agins Fieldwork Cassette Tapes donated by the Agins family. The collection consists interviews and jam sessions recorded by Sam Agins on cowboy and western music. It also contains an interview by USU manuscript curator John Powell with Fredrica Agins.

Folk Collection 31 -- Fife Folklore Conference Archive. The materials in the FFC Collection detail all facets of the Fife Folklore Conference, hosted by Utah State University's Folklore Program (1977 to present) and Fife Folklore Archives (1977-2001).

Folk Collection 32 -- Folklore in the News Collection. This collection contains ephemeral items (many newspaper articles) that deal with Utah and surrounding area, including folk customs, beliefs, folk groups, material culture, legends, etc.

Folk Collection 33 -- Italian-Americans in the West: Utah Section Collection.

Folk Collection 34 -- William A. Wilson Slide Collection.

Folk Collection 35 - The Barre Toelken Book Collection donated by Barre Toelken. This extensive book collection consists of books on American, German, and Native American folklore.

Folk Collection 35a -- The Barre Toelken Image Collection donated by Barre Toelken. This collection comprises Professor Toelken's fieldwork images, 1954-2002, which cover a range of folklore topics, including cemeteries, Native American, German/Austrian, Japanese, USA, and special motifs.

Folk Collection 35b -- The Barre Toelken Sound Recording Collection donated by Barre Toelken. This collection comprises Professor Toelken's fieldwork recordings.

Folk Collection 36 - The Wayland D. Hand Collection of Superstition and Popular Belief.

Folk Collection 37 -- The Fife Folklore Archives Oral History Collection consists of oral histories donated to the Archives by patrons. Each donation (collection) is named for the donor and all items in that collection are housed in a separate archival box. The collection is organized by date and continues to grow.

Folk Collection 38 -- The Latino/Latina Voices Project. The LVP is part of Utah State University's Northern Utah Speaks; it includes 45 oral interviews with people from Cache Valley Utah's Latino/a population. The collection includes cassette tapes, audio CDs, interview transcripts and, if included, images of the interviewee.

Folk Collection 39 -- FolkBistro is a series of podcasts exploring folklore topics, such as interviews with visiting scholars, fresh student fieldwork, selections from the Fife Folklore Archives and folklore pedagogy. FolkBistro is a production of Utah State University's Merrill-Cazier Library in partnership with the USU Folklore Program.

Folk Collection 40 -- Peggy Seeger Folk Song Collection. The Collection consists of published books, compact discs (40a) and cassette tapes (40b) from prolific folk song collectors and singers Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl.

Folk Collection 41 -- The John S. and Orpha S. Boyden Family Native American Book Collection.

Folk Collection 42 -- Logan Canyon Land Use Management Oral History Collection.

Folk Collection 43 -- Westminster College Student Folklore Collection.

Folk Collection 44 -- Cache Valley Presbyterian Church Oral History Collection. This oral history collection commemorates the 130th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church in Cache County Utah.

Folk Collection 45 -- Public Folklore Collection. This collection includes pamphlets, brochures, booklets, program guides, etc., regarding U.S. public folklore programs.

Folk Collection 46 -- Collecting Memories: Oral Histories of American Folklorists. Collecting Memories, a joint project of the American Folklore Society (AFS) and Utah State University Special Collections and Archives (USU), is an effort to preserve and present the voices and images of American folklorists and the field of folklore studies..

Folk Collection 47 -- Cache Community Connections Oral History Project. The collection consists 39 Oral histories of people involved in 18 different Cache Valley religious communities (faith traditions); collected August 2008 through March 2010.

Folk Collection 48 -- Smithfield Oral History Project includes oral histories of citizens from Smithfield, Utah.

Folk Collection 49 -- Ranch Family Documentation Project. Ongoing fieldwork; will be processed fall 2012.

Folk Collection 49a -- Western and Ranch books.

Folk Collection 50 -- Marie Fuhriman Olsen Oral History Collection includes oral histories and associated materials of individuals in Cache Valley and from Utah State University.

Folk Collection 51 -- Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous Collection includes correspondence, publicly, media, promotional and program from CVCR.

Folk Collection 52 -- Deseret String Band Collection.

GENRES
Student collections (single item and focused collections), oral history interviews, fieldwork (including images, sound, maps).

DATES
1920-present.

LOCATIONS
Primarily, Inter-Mountain West.

HIGHLIGHTS
Austin and Alta Fife (fieldwork collections); Barre Toelken Collections ; The American Folklore Society Book Collection (and AFS Manuscript Collection); Hector Lee Fieldwork Recording Collection; Utah State University Student Fieldwork Collections; The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Book Collection; The John I. White Book Collection (and manuscript collection); The G. Malcolm Laws Ballad Collection; The Grouse Creek (Utah) Cultural Survey Collection; Teton Dam Disaster Collection (oral histories); The Folklore Society of Utah Collection; Fife Folklore Conference Archive; The Wayland D. Hand Collection of Superstition and Popular Belief; The Latino/Latina Voices Project (oral histories); Peggy Seeger Folk Song Collection; Cache Valley Presbyterian Church Oral History Collection (oral histories); Collecting Memories: Oral Histories of American Folklorists; Ranch Family Documentation Project (oral histories); Deseret String Band Collection.

FORMATS
Sound Recordings - [will communicate information later]
Moving Images - 50
Photographs - 10,000
Paper Records - [will communicate information later]
Digital Data - [will communicate information later]

COMMENTS
We have active oral history and student fieldwork initiatives.

 

Repository Description Source
[information from NFAI Survey]

Repository Contact
Randy Williams (Fife Folklore Curator)

Address
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-3000
USA

Telephone
435-797-2663

Email
scweb@usu.edu