About SCUA
About SCUA
Special Collections & University Archives (SCUA) houses rare, fine, unique, and valuable books, periodicals, manuscripts, and documents that require preservation, security and care in handling. Other documents of enduring historical and cultural value, such as photographs, prints, postcards, memorabilia, scrapbooks, and oral histories, are also held in Special Collections. This includes the University Archives, which document the history of SDSU since its founding as a Normal School in 1897.
Some of SCUA’s topical highlights include religion and spirituality; the comic arts; speculative fiction; children’s literature; the records of numerous local Chicana/o, feminist, labor and civil rights activists; regional environmental activism; artists’ books; and the history of science. The department holds over 500 manuscript and archival collections, as well as many graphic and ephemera collections which include artworks on paper, prints, broadsides, drawings, postcards, comics, zines, sheet music, and magic lantern slides. Our Collection Development Policy provides complete details about the specific areas in which we actively acquire and collect materials.
SCUA Team

Mack Moore (she/they)
User Services Coordinator
Mack manages Special Collections’ reading room, which includes assisting patrons with research, instructing them on special collections policies and procedures, and answering informational and directional questions.
Email: [email protected]

Head of SCUA
Anna is a librarian specializing in rare books and special collections. She manages SCUA, teaches instruction sessions, provides research assistance, acquires new materials, creates exhibits and curates collections in several areas. Her research interests include the Soviet Union, book and graphic design history, and primary source literacy in the digital Dark Ages.

Assistant Head of SCUA and University Archivist
Amanda manages the department's archival collections, provides instruction and reference services, and curates exhibits. Her research interests include social history, memory of political violence, and ethical archival stewardship.

Latin American and Indigenous Communities Archivist
Erika Esquivel is a librarian specializing in Latin American and Indigenous-related collections. She designs outreach projects, provides primary source and archival literacy instruction, and helps to foster community relationships. Her research interests include how white supremacy affects the archival profession, the work experiences of librarians and archivists of color, community archives, examining the politics of collecting, oral histories, and special collections outreach.

Comic Arts Librarian
Pam Jackson is a librarian specializing in popular culture and comic arts. She provides instruction and research assistance, creates exhibits, and is the curator of the Comic Arts Collection. Her research interests include: comics, critical visual literacy, and the impact of popular culture collections on teaching and learning.

Adam Burkhart
Processing Archivist
Adam processes archival collections, manages accessions, assists users with finding and using special collections and archives, instructs patrons in archival guidelines and procedures, and provides research assistance.