Scope of Collection

The Center’s holdings focus on the following types of collections:

 

Digital and Electronic Resources

If the materials listed under the microforms section are available in digital or electronic format, the electronic format will take precedence due to cost and space considerations. Also, other databases may be acquired if appropriate in scope and content to the Center's mission.

 

Books

To supplement the collection of the Horace Sturgis Library at Kennesaw State University the Center provides volumes of published works pertaining to the Civil War era. The Center has already purchased the foundation for any serious Civil War collection - The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. This 123-volume set is a comprehensive collection of the records for both the Union and Confederate armies during the war. It is the starting point for scholars interested in studying the Civil War.

 

Manuscripts

The Center will gladly accept original primary source documents in the form of letters, diaries, and other non-published materials related to individuals and organizations from the Civil War Era, particularly related to Cobb County and North Georgia. The Center houses a collection of primary source materials made possible by a donation from the family of former Honorary Advisory Board Member and noted Civil War scholar and collector, Wiley Sword.

 

Microfilm/Microfiche

As feasible, the Center will collect microfilm or microfiche related to the following subject areas:

• Pension and service records for soldiers
• Population census records from 1850-1870
• Agricultural and slave schedules for the covered states
• Civilian wartime records, including Confederate salt records
• Civil War era newspapers
• Plantation records
• Unit histories
• Out-of-print books such as first-generation narratives
• Diaries, letters, or manuscript materials unavailable in other formats

 

Music and Sound Recordings

The Center will collect audio recordings appropriate to its mission. Examples include Civil War era music, oral history interviews, slave narratives, folk songs and tales, and other types of cultural documentation.

Visual Arts

The Center will collect visual materials, including photographs, negatives, graphics, maps, architectural drawings, film, and video that relate to the outlined topics, geographical area, and time period.