Guide to the Westminster College Admissions Office catalogs (viewbooks)

This collection contains viewbooks, published between 1959-2010 by the Admissions Office of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. Each catalog gives a positive account of Westminster College and is intended to recruit prospective students and invite them to apply to the College. The viewbooks are primarily used for marketing and are mailed directly to prospective students or made available through the Admissions Office. The titles and tag lines of the viewbooks varies over the years.

Westminster College is portrayed through the image of a high quality, personalized education. Viewbooks are used to show the competence of the College, the academic programs available, and the experiences available on the Westminster campus as well as outside the school. More recent catalogs use references from national news sources such as U.S. New and World Report, which describes Westminster College as being in the "top tier" and having some of the "best value" of the Western regional colleges and universities. Catalogs highlight successful and unique students and faculty, gathering quotes and providing brief descriptions of their work or research, where they have been accepted to graduate school, or some of the professional internships available to students. Interaction between students and faculty in a small classroom environment is stressed throughout the series. Profiles of Westminster students emphasize a diverse population with a wide variety of interests and experience within the student population.

Bright, and intentionally eye-catching, photographs and graphics show faculty and students engaged in teaching, class work, activities like Intramural sports, laboratory research, and just interacting with each other around campus. The proximity of Salt Lake City and outdoor recreation holds special emphasis throughout the series. Catalogs show students engaged both in the city and the outdoors, whether it is going to the symphony or skiing powder at one of the nearby ski resorts. Sweeping photographs of Converse Hall, always with mountains in the background, as well as the newest technology available, attempt to show both the old and new elements of Westminster College. As one tag line used during the 1990s expresses, these images attempt to create an impression of "Ivy League Education in the West."

Beginning in 1995, the Admissions Office no long published a singular viewbook, but instead, began producing "families" of publications. Each family included several viewbooks, each highlighting a different aspect of the experience at Westminster College. The first installment is currently called a "search piece" sent out to prospects and used by the Admissions Office recruiters when they travel to different parts of the world. Other mailings include one on financial aid opportunities, another on activities around Westminster and the Salt Lake Valley, and still another on the alumnus of the College. The "families" are intended to provide a unique targetted overview of the College without using the combined approach of a singular viewbook.

Informational sections are also located in the rear of each catalog. Information on residence halls and services available on campus, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, special programs of study and available majors, are all included in the catalogs. A humorous and lighthearted tone also accompanies that information in the catalogs, potentially intended to show that business and a good time can be found at the College. The majority of catalogs include an application to Westminster College and information that would allow the student to get in contact with the Admissions Office.

Gaps in the collection: There are no viewbooks for 1963-1964, 1966-1971, 1973-1974, 1976, 1993-1994, and 2006-2008. Some gaps present in the series may reflect the use of the viewbook for several years without documentation. Also, the tradition of publishing a viewbook may not have occurred until the 1960s, reflected in the absence of any admissions catalogs for prior years. Some dates are approximate. It is undeterminable whether viewbooks were published between the years 1966-1971 as there is no record. However, after 1975 the series follows regularly with few gaps.

Restrictions on Access:

Open to public research.

Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Twenty-four hours advance notice is encouraged.

Restrictions on Use:

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material must be obtained from the director of the Giovale Library.

Preferred Citation:

Westminster College Admissions Office catalogs (viewbooks), circa 1959-2010, ACC-098, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by publication date.

Processing Note:

Processed November, 2004 by Alana Dela Cruz. Several viewbooks in this collection were used for more than one year and can therefore be found under the file of appropriate span of years.

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). Admissions Office

Westminster College of Salt Lake City. Admissions Office

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- ). Admissions Office

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

0.5 linear foot

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written November, 2004 by Alana Dela Cruz; expanded Februrary 2014 by Sarah Shaw.

EAD Creation Date:

2014 February 4 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections in Giovale Library Archives:

• Westminster College Office of Communications. Westminster in the news and related newspaper clippings, 1999-2008 (ACC-023)
• Westminster College publicity flyers and brochures, 1949-2010 (ACC-093B)
• Westminster College promotional brochures and leaflets, 1906-2007 (ACC-094)

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Admission
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Archives
Westminster College of Salt Lake City--Admission
Westminster College of Salt Lake City--Archives
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- )--Admission
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- )--Archives

Subject Terms:

College publicity--Utah--Salt Lake City
Universities and colleges--Admission

Form or Genre Terms:

Brochures
Catalogs

Geographical Names:

Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources