LibGuides: Mormonism (Religious Studies): Primary Sources

Special Collections

How to use the Special Collections
Research in Special Collections is not as simple as research in the Library. Use the link above to understand how Special Collections works and its hours of operation.

Complete list of Photograph Collections
Index is organized by collection number

Complete list of Manuscript Collections
This index is organized by collection number

Complete list of Folklore Collections
Index is organized by collection number

About Special Collections
Information about Special Collections, including the preservation program, rare books, and University Archives.

Searching Specail Collections
Use this search engine to search all of the available finding guides and materials in Special Collections

Photograph Collections of Interest

Digital examples of Western Photographers located in Special Collections and Archives

Timothy O'Sullivan
Geological Survey, 1871
C.R. Savage
William Henry Jackson

Manuscript

Leonard J. Arrington Historical Archive Collections
For primary resources the Arrington collection is one of the best at USU, Utah, and the Nation. Arrington himself was a historian for the Mormon Church and compiled extensive information on multiple topics in Mormonism. Also included in the collection are personal correspondents as well as his personal research. Due to the volume of information this collection has been broken down into thirteen different sections.
S. George Ellsworth Papers, (1916-1997)
George Ellsworth was a noted professor at USU who specialized in Western, Utah, and Mormon history. This collection contains much of his work and research as a historian as well as his personal correspondents and family history.
J. Edward Decker Papers
J. Edward Decker is the founder of Ex-Mormons for Jesus. Much of this collection consists of subject files, correspondence and office files for the organization Saints Alive In Jesus. The Decker collection provides a critical look at Mormonism. Key topics in the Decker collection are evangelical Christianity, Mormonism and Freemasonry.

Photograph Collections

Ed Decker Photograph Collection, 1970-1992
The Ed Decker Photograph collection consist of portrait images from ministerial work of the organization Saints Alive in Jesus.
Compton Photograph Studio Archive
The Compton collection is the largest photograph collection in Special Collection, holding over 300,000 images. This collection documents costumes, clothing, people, and places in Utah and Mormon history from the late 1800's to the 1950's.
Ada Morrell Family Scrapbook Collection
This is a great cultural collection that spans about 100 years of Northern Utah history that is connected with Mormon history. The collection is made up of images, diaries, newspaper articles, and personal letters.

Folklore Collections

Austin and Alta Fife Fieldwork Collection
This is a great resource when examining the cultural history and aspects of Mormonism. Austin and Alta Fife are the founders of the Fife Folklore Archives and this collection consists of their research and documentation of folklore throughout the West and specifically Mormonism. This collection contains transcriptions, as well as audio files of interviews the Fife's conducted while collecting Mormon folklore.
USU Student Folklore Genre Collection
The student collection consists of folklore collected by students of Folklore course on the campus of USU. This collection is not specifically Mormon but much of what students are collecting is local and Mormon folklore.