J.B. Cade Library archive department full of hidden treasures

Boxes, papers, plaques and photos amongst other items that weave the history of Southern University lay under careful watch of one woman on the third floor of John B. Cade Library.
Archivist and Metadata Librarian Angela Proctor has served as the keeper of the records prevalent to the history of Southern University at Baton Rouge and the Southern University System since July 1, 2000. In this position Proctor is solely responsible for keeping the documents accounted for, in proper working condition, and readily available to those utilizing the Archive Department for research.
Proctor made it known that not many people know of Archives or visit.
“We have a wealth of information in archives, and I would like to see the students take advantage of it,” said Proctor.
Proctor also likes to help those patrons that are serious about using the information that is made available by her department.
“Being able to assist patrons when they call for research and working to preserve these documents is an enjoyable part of my job,” said Proctor.
According to documentation provided by Proctor, Dean John B. Cade, the namesake of the library, is credited with having begun the archival efforts at Southern around 1961. The Archives Department, originally Southern University Archives Collection, was first recognized as a separate library collection in 1955, but did not appoint a university archivist until 1972. In 2003 The Joseph S. Clark Rare Book Collection was added.
According to Proctor, collections that are housed in the archives include: Southern University Presidential Papers, copies of the Southern DIGEST and The Jaguar dating back to 1928 and 1930 respectively, rare books, theses, dissertations, the Book of Kells and a plethora of other information relevant to both Southern and blacks.
According to a pamphlet on file, The Book of Kells is “the first and only Fine Art Facsimile Edition, and was published in a numbered edition strictly limited to 1480 copies worldwide.”
According to Proctor the university paid a sizeable amount of money to acquire the piece and the price has since doubled.
“It is kept under constant lock and key, and an appointment must be made to look at the piece,” said Proctor.
Staff discussed the wealth of information that is contained in Archives, but voiced concerns with the current facility.
Veronica Freeman, an instructor in the department of history said, “We should be shocked because archives is a depository of Southern’s History and currently it is not large enough; it is not climate controlled to keep records preserved, and it’s understaffed. We should have an archival with a full archival staff so we can bring Southern’s History from around the state back to the campus.”
Many students have no knowledge of the wealth of information contained in the Archives Department. Candice Fox, a freshman computer science major from Wichita Falls, Texas, said, “I think that it is cool that they have all that information available, but they should make students that might be interested about these things aware.”
Dean of Libraries Emma Perry noted that there is no other place that an archival department can be housed and took pride in the expertise of her staff.
“We (Librarians) are the information experts, and that is why the rightful place for an archives department is a library. We have knowledge of the preservation, restoration and digitization of old documents.”