The Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, UCSB, houses several collections with materials pertinent to research in environmental studies, including land use, oil, population, transportation, and water issues. The following list provides a brief overview of some of the more notable collections.

  • California Coastal Commission Collection, 1976-1981. (SBHC Mss 39).
    Land use issues along the coast of the Santa Barbara area.
  • Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions Collection, 1950-1991 [Bulk Dates 1961-1987]. (SBHC Mss 1).
    Records, ca. late-1950s-1980s, of the Santa Barbara based think tank that explored a wide range of social, economic and political issues, many of which had environmental implications. Includes papers and dialogues by internationally renowned Center Fellows such as Linus Pauling and Jonas Salk; and records of conferences on topics such as ecology, energy, global science, and law of the sea.
  • Cloud [Preston] Papers, ca. 1913-1989. (UArch FacP 5).
    UCSB Professor of Geological Sciences. Includes research files and papers on issues of primitive life forms, the relationship between emerging life forms and the developing atmosphere, the pressures of population, and the extent of the world’s mineral resources.
  • Community Development and Conservation Collection. (SBHC Mss 1).
    Collection, ca. 1920s-1980s, of Santa Barbara community activist Pearl Chase. Includes records of numerous groups with environmental focus, such as: California Conservation Council, California and Santa Barbara Roadside Council, Citizens’ Planning Association, Community Arts Association, Plans and Planting Committee, and Garden Clubs of America.
  • County Resource Management Office Collection, 1983-1996. (SBHC Mss 25).
    Collection, 1983-1996, of Environmental News packets of photocopied clippings offered by the subscription service run by the [Santa Barbara] County News Service.
  • Easton [Robert O.] Papers, ca. 1911-1990s [bulk dates 1940-1990s]. (SBHC Mss 6).
    Santa Barbara author, ca. 1940s-1990s, including research files and draft mss of articles on the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill and his book, Black Tide.
  • Get Oil Out (GOO) Collection, ca. 1969-1990. (SBHC Mss 10).
    Santa Barbara watchdog group that grew out of the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill.
  • Hardin [Garrett] Papers, ca. 1938-2003. (UARCH, FACP 14).
    UCSB Professor of Biological Sciences and author, relating primarily to population and human ecology.
  • Hart [Gary K.] Papers, 1970-1994. (Mss 41).
    Collection relating to activities in the California Assembly and Senate, with numerous environmental issues covered, particularly in the subject files, eg. agriculture, animals, coastline, Coastal Commission, earthquakes, energy, environment, fires, land use, natural resources and wildlife, oil/gas, parks and recreation, public utilities, real estate, redevelopment, sanitary districts, State Lands Commission, toxic materials, transportation, waste-solid recycling, and water.
  • Isla Vista Archives, ca. 1954-1989 (bulk 1970-1982) (SBHC Mss 41).
    Records, ca. 1960s-early 1980s, of the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District, its predecessors and related groups. Includes files on environmental issues pertaining to Isla Vista, including land use; also minutes of Board meetings with environmental issues on the agenda.
  • League of Women Voters Collection, ca. 1970s�1990s. (SBHC Mss 2).
    Collection, 1950s-1990s, mainly of the organization’s research files, relating to issues of concern such as the oil industry.
  • Local History Files, ca. 1970-1999 (bulk 1970-1987) (SBHC Mss 44).
    Mainly 1970s-1980s clippings and other ephemeral printed material on a wide range of topics, including agriculture, chemical (toxic) waste, Clearview project, County Planning Commission, ecology, environment, fires/fire department, floods, nuclear power/weapons, oil, oil spills, pollution, recycling, and water.
  • Moldaver [Lee] Collection, ca. 1977�1993. (SBHC Mss 30).
    Collection, ca. 1977-1993, primarily pertaining to the Santa Barbara Mass Transit District (SBMTD) and related transportation-related issues. Also includes files relating to the Citizens Planning Association of Santa Barbara County, Inc. (CPA) and the Environmental Defense Center (EDC).
  • Oil Spill Information Center (OSIC) Collection, ca. 1923-1973 (bulk 1969-1972) (SBHC Mss 11).
    Files, primarily 1960s-1970s, assembled by the UCSB University Libraries to respond to questions about the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill and related oil issues. Includes bibliographies, clippings, articles, studies, reports, and other printed material.
  • Peattie [Donald Culross and Louise Redfield] Papers, 1912-1984. (Mss 94).
    Papers of the well known naturalist authors, including correspondence and drafts of manuscripts.
  • Rains [Omer L.] Collection, 1973-1982. (Mss 102).
    Collection of a California State Senator, relating to various legislative issues such as coastal resources, energy, environmental quality, land use, oil, pollution, transportation, and water.
  • Rand [William Whitehill] Papers, ca. 1921-1968 [bulk 1950s-1968]. (SBHC Mss 46).
    Papers, mainly 1950s-1960s, of a geologist, engineer, petroleum prospector, pioneer of offshore drilling, and longtime Santa Barbara resident.
  • Romaine Trade Catalog Collection. (Mss 107).
    Mainly latter 19c and early 20c U.S. catalogs. Pertinent subjects include: agriculture, building materials (eg. asbestos), hardware (eg. sand blasting equipment, drills, boring equipment), heating, steam and ventilation systems (eg. gas and oil burners), heavy equipment and machinery (eg. digging equipment), industrial equipment and factory materials, metals and metalworking equipment, mills and milling supplies, mining, oil, scientific and industrial instruments, seed and nursery catalogs, and water.
  • Rypins [Alice B.] Papers, ca. 1965-1982. (SBHC Mss 3).
    Collection, ca. 1965-1982, mainly local government publications, newsletters, pamphlets, and other files relating to Santa Barbara area water projects.
  • Saadi [Ruth] Collection. (SBHC Mss 14).
    Collection mainly of oil, gas, and energy-related documents assembled as energy director for the League of Women Voters, Santa Barbara County.
  • Sharp [Robert C.] Papers, ca. 1963-1974. (SBHC Mss 7).
    Collection, ca. 1963-1974, pertaining to oil drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel, mainly relating to hearings and lawsuits stemming from the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill. Includes bids, contracts, leases, logs, reports, charts, and court records, and other related technical data.
  • Shewzyk [Patricia] Papers. (SBHC Mss 4).
    Collection, ca. 1978-1985, mainly of Goleta Water District Board of Directors’ meeting packets, and some related files.
  • Sollen [Robert] Collection, ca. 1954-1996. (SBHC Mss 33).
    Collection assembled over a number of years, largely as background research for Sollen’s reporting duties with the News-Press, his ongoing interest in oil issues, and his book An Ocean of Oil.
  • Stopes (Marie Carmichael) Birth Control Collection (Mss 122).
    Collection, primarily 1920s-1958, of a British activist and author, pertaining mainly to issues of population and birth control.
  • UCSB. Office of Budget and Planning Records. (UArch 29).
    Includes files on Campus Wetlands and Ward Memorial Boulevard.
  • UCSB. Bren School of Environmental Science & Management Collection. (UArch 24).
    Collection on the UCSB college for environmental science.
  • UCSB. Campus Planning Committee Records, ca. 1961-1987 [bulk dates 1986-1987]. (UArch 33).
    Includes files on campus physical resources and Campus Wetlands.
  • UCSB. Department of History. Public Historical Studies Program. (UArch 41).
    Includes the Sifting through the Ashesresearch records, focusing on fire history in the Santa Barbara area.
  • Office of the Chancellor. Chancellor’s Records, ca. 1904-2003 [bulk 1962-1977]. (UArch 17).
    Series on Chancellor Cheadle include files on the Ward Memorial Boulevard.
  • Vasconcellos [John] Papers, ca. 1946-2003. (HPA Mss 47).
    Papers of a California state legislator, mainly 1970s-present, pertaining to activities in the California State Assembly and Senate, including environmental issues.
  • Von Breton [Harriette C.] Papers, 1944-1978. (SBHC Mss 8).
    Papers relating to various civic and political issues, including the 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill.
  • Weingand, et al, v. County, et al [Channel Island Drilling]. (SBHC Mss 31).
    Collection, ca. 1972-1974, of court documents (Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Santa Barbara, Civil Case No. 97908) and related material regarding oil drilling permits authorized for Santa Rosa Island.
  • Whitehead [Richard S.] Papers, ca. 1909-1974. (SBHC Mss 9).
    Papers mainly pertaining to land use and planning in the Santa Barbara area.