From brick to steel

In addition to the new exercise areas and classrooms in the recently opened Student Rec Center, the City of Portland Archives is also slated to open soon for student perusal in the multipurpose facility.

Diana Banning, city archivist, said she and the Portland Archive staff will begin moving its materials from the current location in Portland’s Chimney Park to the fifth floor of the rec center.

“As far as a timeline goes, we’re hoping to slowly start moving offices next week, and the contractor we’re working with will be putting up shelving at the end of the month, then the big move—where we’re moving 30,000 boxes,” Banning said.

The City of Portland city archives holds records dating back to the original incorporation of Portland in 1851. Documents pertaining to urban planning, parks, land use, public safety and social issues are within the archives.
The move is scheduled for completion by May 1, 2010.

“It will be sad to leave our building, we’ve been here nearly 30 years…but we’re all really excited about the change and just going to where the users are,” Banning said.

The archivists are all hoping for an increase in the number of visitors in the new location.

“I would say that the most exciting part is the access. We’re going to be so much more accessible to the public—where we’re located is a ways from downtown and the public transit isn’t that great, so it’s been an impediment. So that’s the most exciting part,” she said.

“Being downtown will allow us to serve a lot more people that will be able to access the building since we’re no longer going to be over in Chimney Park,” said Brian Johnson, assistant archivist.

Students, much like individual researchers, will enjoy increased access to the archives once the transition is complete.

“The City of Portland Archives is available for research to all citizens,” Banning said. “Our current hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and research time is available by appointment only. However, we anticipate an increased demand for our services and on the collections as a result of our new location.

She explained that they are looking into ways to allow for weekend hours and drop-in research hours. Students can also access records online without appointment by accessing the archives online at efiles.ci.portland.or.us.

Portland’s archives will also be looking for students to help maintain the operations of the new location.

“I hope to add some evening and weekend hours, but that is dependent upon our receiving additional funding for staff, as well as our ability to hire PSU work-study students to assist,” Banning said. “In order for us to assist more people, student workers will need to be a part of that process.”
 

Future location contact:
503-865-4100
[email protected]