Hello! I am an Archivist at Kennedy Library's Special Collections and Archives. I can help you navigate archives research and primary sources, from Kennedy Library's Special Collections and Archives to around the world and online.
Contact:
Special Collections and Archives
Kennedy Library, Cal Poly
Gaps and Silences in Archives and Special Collections
While archives have been viewed as unbiased repositories of the past in its entirety, they are in fact spaces of gaps and silences. These gaps and silences are due to changing opinions of archivists have considered "of enduring value," and can reflect historical, institutional, and internalized racism, classism, sexism, and ignorance of marginalized genders and sexualities. Biases may also impact the archivist's description. Archives are not neutral.
Historic records can be a rich source of research on historic sites or buildings.
Helpful information to have on a site as you conduct your research: current address, historic address, block and lot information, names of individuals and families who lived there, tract name.
General search Tools for researching a building or site in City of San Luis Obispo:
Historical research reports provide information on historic areas and structures, try searching "city name" and "Historic context" online. Here are some selections for SLO city
Do you think the building or site you are researching was may have a permit before 1937? The SLO Building Permits Collection contains over 4,000 building permits issued between 1906-1937 on new and existing construction in SLO City. Search the inventory to the collection at the link above, or browse the permit viewer.