HST 301: Methods of Historical Research (Guzik)

The Tatyana V. Popović Archives and Special Collections houses rare books, manuscripts, and the archives of Le Moyne College, and provides access to materials that document the history of Le Moyne College and our society.

• College records (historical records of Le Moyne College, academic and administrative)
• Manuscript collections (records related to history of College and related history, personal papers from individuals related to Le Moyne, or papers from donors with a connection to Le Moyne)
• Monograph collections (rare or special books)
• Photographs (print, negative, slide and digital format documenting life at Le Moyne College)
• Audio-visual (video and audio content relating to life at Le Moyne College, including commencement ceremonies and other events)
• Printed (posters, brochures, printed ephemera, pamphlets, articles, and books)
• Realia (trophies, medals, uniforms, memorabilia, etc.)

Mission
The mission of the Tatyana Popović Archives & Special Collections is to collect, arrange and preserve documents and monographs that are of​ historical and informational value to the College and its communities. These pieces maintain the College’s past and present so that they may be used in the future.

The Tatyana Popović Archives provide access to materials that document the history of Le Moyne College and our society, including rare printed materials, original manuscripts, photographs, audio and moving image recordings, College records, and more. The Archives are available to use for research purposes by students, faculty, administrators and others doing research about the College.

The Tatyana Popović Special Collections collect and provide access to rare or special publications relating to its collecting areas, primarily rare printed materials. Items in the Special Collections are available to use for research purposes by students, faculty, administrators and others. 

Who was Tatyana V. Popović?

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Tatyana V. Popović called Le Moyne College her second home, and Le Moyne College was fortunate to call her one of its own.

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Tatyana (Tanya) and her husband, Nenad, defected to the United States in 1961. Tanya received her master's degree in Library Science from Syracuse University in 1964, and that same year took a job as cataloging librarian at Le Moyne.

An innate scholar as well as librarian, Tanya went on to pursue a doctorate in Slavic literatures at Syracuse University while working full-time at Le Moyne. She completed that quest in 1974 and several years later went on to publish a book, Prince Marko: The Hero of South Slavic Epics, which was based on her doctoral dissertation. The book was cited as one of the outstanding academic books of 1988-89 by Choice, the reviewing journal of the American Library Association's Association of College and Research Libraries. Tanya was an active participant in the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies as well as a member of the New York Library Association, the Catholic Library Association, and the Phi Lambda Sigma Chapter of Beta Phi Mu, the International Library Science Honor Society.

Those who knew and worked with Tanya over the course of her three decades at Le Moyne came to admire her for the strength of her convictions, her dedication to scholarship, and her eagerness to embrace new challenges. Appointed cataloging/reference librarian in 1988, she was as comfortable providing instructional assistance to students as she was in providing access to the Library's greatly expanded collections. She had a profound commitment to mastering the latest advancements in the rapidly evolving field of library science and attended professional workshops and seminars throughout her career. The depth of her commitment to the Le Moyne College community was palpable, as evidenced by such activities as chairing the Wilson Art Gallery committee and providing exceptional leadership for the development of that facility. At the time of her retirement in 1993, Tanya was named librarian emerita in honor of her service.

Throughout these years, Tanya's most enduring relationship was with her husband, Nenad Popović. Partners in love, travel, and the pursuit of scholarship, they were each other's muse and pillar of support during a fifty year-long marriage. It was the wish of their daughter, Gina Goldhammer, and of Gina's husband, Robert, to honor Tanya's memory after her death in 1997 with a gift to the Noreen Reale Falcone Library. The Tatyana V. Popović Archives and Special Collections is the tribute they chose to make to this remarkable woman, and to her tireless dedication to scholarship and learning at Le Moyne College.

Use of the Tatyana Popovic Archives & Special Collections material is directed by the following policies:

Researchers

• Researchers must register with the College Archivist. One form of photo identification is required upon initial registration.
• All personal property, including coats, bags, books, and folders, must be kept off the Reading Room table. Notebooks are permitted on the table surface. 
• One box or book per table is permitted at a time. The Archives reserves the right to limit the number of books/manuscripts/audio material issued to a researcher at one time. Some restricted materials may be used only under direct supervision.

Using Materials

• Special Collections materials do not circulate and must be used in the Reading Room. All materials are retrieved for the researcher by staff. 
• Only pencils and notebooks may be used in the Reading Room. Pens, markers, highlighters, post-it notes, and folders are not allowed.
• All materials must be handled with the utmost care. Books, papers or elbows may not be placed on open books or manuscripts. Book cradles and weights are available at the reference desk. Gloves must be used when handling any photographic material. No tracings or rubbings are permitted.
• Materials must be requested for retrieval ½ hour prior to closing. Materials must be discharged or placed on reserve 15 minutes prior to closing. Before leaving the Reading Room, researchers must present all materials for inspection and sign out with the reference desk staff.

Reading Room

• The Reading Room is a designated quiet area. Please keep your voices to a minimum. 
• Food and drink are not permitted.
• Materials may not be left unattended in the Reading Room without permission. Researchers are responsible for materials until those items are returned and discharged. 
• Researchers must not disturb the order of documents within folders or boxes. Please use one folder at a time – place-holders are provided to keep track of your place in the box. Do not remove materials for copying/scanning.

Photography, Scanning, & Copying

• Laptop computers, digital cameras and handheld mobile devices (with flash and sound mechanisms turned off) are permitted as long as their use does not disturb researchers or damage materials. All photography must be approved by Archives staff prior to taking any images and is subject to any restrictions placed on the collection material. Flatbed/ handheld scanners, tripods and other equipment are not permitted.
• Copying is available upon application and is performed by staff. Slips to indicate materials to be copied are available by request. Permission to have materials copied must be secured in writing and depends on the condition, content and amount of materials, as well as possible restrictions on use and US Copyright laws. Complete information on copying and fees is available at the reference desk.
• Researchers intending to use Archives & Special Collections materials in a publication (print or digital), performance or broadcast, must obtain permission prior to publication. Researchers are responsible for acquiring permission from rights holders before quoting or publishing anything from our collections.