Introduction to Oglala Lakota College Archives

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ARCHIVES

The OLC Archives is currently comprised of: Artifact Collections, consisting of objects such as pipes and headdresses, circa 1840 - present; Special Collections, consisting of historical documents largely donated by individuals which collectively document the social history of the Oglala Lakota people, circa 1800 - present; and Institutional Collections, consisting of the administrative records of Oglala Lakota College, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, circa 1936 - present.

The Artifact Collections are approximately 30 linear feet. Special Collections contain the most diverse set of media, measuring about 370 linear feet. Its contents cover a wide chronological range and offer important perspectives on a broad spectrum of Lakota institutions, including villages, churches, public schools and political institutions. Special Collections is arranged into seven sections: manuscripts, microfilm, video, audio, photographs, maps/blueprints/posters, and rare books. The Institutional Collections comprise around 940 linear feet of documents. Access restrictions apply to parts of these collections.

At this time there is not a comprehensive guide to all the collections, simply because they have not all been processed yet. Special Collections is the most documented of the three, with descriptions and inventories on our website. Please be aware that even these descriptions and inventories are not complete and are subject to change.

BASIC RESEARCH PROCEDURES