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Austin and Alta S. Fife collection on Mormon folklore, 1940-1976

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Fife, Austin E.; Fife, Alta (Alta Stevens), 1912-1996
Title
Austin and Alta S. Fife collection on Mormon folklore
Dates
1940-1976 (inclusive)
Quantity
3 linear feet, (22 bound volumes)
Collection Number
UUS_FOLK COLL 4 No.1
Summary
Bound transcriptions of interviews, bound typescripts of excerpts from manuscript collections, and bound typescripts of materials found in printed sources focusing on Mormon folksongs and narratives.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
Collection materials are in English.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
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Historical Note

The Austin and Alta S. Fife collection on Mormon folklore is comprised of transcriptions and copies of the original fieldwork (acetate discs, reel-to-reel field recordings and field notes) and slides gathered/taken by the Fife's between the 1940s and late 1970s. Using summer vacations and weekends, the Fifes traveled all over the west – most intensively in their native Utah – with a camping trailer, recording equipment, camera and stenographic materials to collect the folklife of the American West, including cowboy songs, Mormon folklore and slides of vernacular architecture. On their fieldtrips, typically, one of them would interview someone while the other took notes or operated a recording device. They also visited libraries throughout the west, taking notes and making copies of songs and stories housed in regional and archival collections. Austin Fife took the slide images.

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Content Description

These materials form part of the Austin and Alta Fife fieldwork collection, and consist of transcripts and typed copies of the original acetate discs, reel-to-reel field recordings and field notes (which are housed separately). Previous references to this collection may include the acronym FMC, meaning Fife Mormon Collection.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

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

Permission to publish material from the Austin and Alta S. Fife collection on Mormon folklore must be obtained from the Curator of the Fife Folklore Archives and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Austin and Alta S. Fife collection on Mormon folklore USU_Folk Coll 004 No. 1. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_Folk Coll 004 No. 1, USUSCA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

  • I. Transcriptions of oral sources;
  • II. Transcriptions of manuscript sources;
  • III. Transcriptions of printed sources.

Acquisition Information

In 1966, the Fife's deposited their extensive fieldwork collections at Utah State University Library. In 1972, the Library established the Fife Library of Western Folklore (later renamed the Fife Folklore Archives) under the administration of the Special Collections Department.

Processing Note

Originally processed by Alta Fife and Barbara [Garrett] [Walker] Lloyd and updated by Randy Williams. Finding aid created by Randy Williams and Susan Gross, April 2004; updated by Randy Williams, March 2012.

Separated Materials

Sound recordings from this collection separated; housed in FOLK COLL 4 no. 4 and 5.

Related Materials

Austin E. and Alta S. Fife collection on American folklore FOLK COLL 4 no.2

Fife Slide Collection of Western U.S. Vernacular Architecture FOLK COLL 4 no.3

Austin and Alta Fife photograph collection P0141

Austin E. and Alta S. Fife papers COLL MSS 281

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Folk songs--United States.
  • Folklore archives--Utah.
  • Folklore--West (U.S.)
  • Mormons--Utah--Folklore.
  • Mormons--West (U.S.)--Social life and customs--Interviews.
  • Songs--United States--Folklore.

Geographical Names

  • United States--Religion--Folklore.

Finding aid created by Randy Williams and Susan Gross, April 2004
2008

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West

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