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Photographs

• Search
• Access
• Order Photographs
• Donating Photographs
• Digital Projects

The photograph collection in the Special Collections Department of the University of Nevada, Reno Library contains approximately 200,000 images which document life in Nevada and the surrounding region from the 1860's to the present. The main emphasis of the collection is on the region of the state north of Clark County. Images of faculty and students, classroom scenes, sporting events, campus buildings and grounds, and University events and activities from the photograph collection in the University Archives provide a visual history of the University of Nevada, Reno from the 1880s to the present.

A growing number of our photographs are now available on the Web as Digital Projects. Each project lets you view thumbnails of all the images, browse a topic-related group of images, or search by keyword. Select a thumbnail to display copies of the images and their descriptions.

Search our Photograph Database

The Photograph Database includes information about collections from two repositories:

• Special Collections Department - University of Nevada, Reno Library (UNRS)
• University Archives - University of Nevada, Reno (UNRA)

Search by  Subject   Collection Title   Photographer

 
Type a search word or phrase in the box

Search examples:
   Collection Title: creel
   Photographer: carleton watkins  (If full name is unknown, type first or last name)
   Subject: walker river

Important information about the database and collections:
In most cases the database describes collections, not individual images, and includes only a portion of the photographic collections in the repositories. Finding aids for our Collections list many individual images and may be used along with the database to locate photographs. A card catalog in the Special Collections Department contains additional information for about 7,000 photographs by subject, geographic area, personal and corporate name.
 

Access

Reference photocopies for most of the images in the collection are kept in a binder in the Special Collections Reading Room. In order to avoid unnecessary handling of valuable and fragile original photographic images, researchers are initially requested to use these photocopies.

All original images are housed in a security-monitored storage area. There is no public access to this area, and readers must request all materials be paged for them. Original images are retrieved only when researchers determine specific prints they wish to examine.
 

Order Photographs

Digital or photoprint reproductions of most images are available for purchase. Pricing, size, and format options are shown at right.

To order reproductions, complete both pages of the Image Reproduction Application and Agreement form.

Any use of the images for other than research or personal purposes requires completion of the Request for Permission to Publish Pictorial Images form.
 

Donating Photographs

The Special Collections Department of the University of Nevada Reno is committed to the collection and preservation of photographs which document Nevada's history. Images are actively sought from individuals, businesses, and other groups who have an interest in having their historically significant materials preserved for posterity and made available for research and scholarly use.
 

Collections available as Digital Projects

Photograph Collection	Images of Lake Tahoe	Sagebrush Vernacular
Just Passin' Through	Reifschneider Photos	Campus Photos