Skip to content Skip to navigation

Library News
UC Cooperative Extension Archive

old farm truck
CARA highlights agricultural history from across California
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


May 26, 2021


Our digitized UC Cooperative Extension archival collections continue to grow and are accessible through our online repository, Calisphere. Recently, 500 images were added to the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, UC Cooperative Extension Records.

Preserving the Film Reels of the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


April 8, 2021


In addition to archiving the records of county Cooperative Extension records such as Merced’s, the CARA (California Agricultural Resources Archive) project at UC Merced is preserving historical reports and film from the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), the statewide organization that oversees UCCE county offices and personnel. In 2019, we accepted several boxes of 16mm film reels from the UCANR statewide office. Produced by UCCE personnel throughout California, the films date from 1953 to 1979 and cover UCANR activities such as the 4-H youth development program, food and nutrition education, wildland management, the ag industry, animals, and adolescent health.

Storymapping Project Underway with Merced County 4-H
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


March 2, 2021


UC Merced Library announces an exciting new partnership with the Merced County 4-H Club. After acquiring the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) archives, a key objective has been to share this incredible resource with the community. With this aim in mind, we developed the 4-H StoryMapping Project.

Tracing Agricultural History in the Archives
Author: Emily S. Lin


February 5, 2021


The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Records for Merced County span well over one hundred boxes of documents and photographs and have a physical footprint of about 70 linear feet in the UC Merced Library. So how do you know what you can find in the archives? And why would someone want to access the archives?

100 Years Ago: Improving Life in the Farm Home
Author: Emily S. Lin


December 18, 2020


Last month, I introduced the history of the development of the Merced County Farm Bureau as documented in the early reports of the county agent. These reports, as well as historical photographs, are now freely available in digital form through Calisphere. Working alongside the county agent was a home demonstration agent who was responsible for organizing activities to solve problems and improve practices which affected “physically, socially, or economically the homes of the community.”

Map of farm centers in the county, from the 1920 annual report of the county agricultural agent.
A Look Back: The Farm Bureau Organization 100 Years Ago
Author: Emily S. Lin


November 20, 2020


“Merced County was what might be termed virgin territory for rural organization work before the farm bureau came into this county,” wrote County Agent J.F. Grass in his November 30, 1920 Narrative Report. But Grass reported that with a few “good men” of experience placed in office who were “willing workers,” and with ongoing attention to “developing individuals” to be “trained to act as leaders,” “the program of work idea is working out satisfactorily in this county.” As of December 1st of that year, the Farm Bureau of Merced County had fifteen farm centers and 1,075 members.

Map of farm centers in the county, from the 1920 annual report of the county agricultural agent. 

Map of farm centers in the county, from the 1920...

Box cov3r
Processing Obsolete Media in CARA
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


October 27, 2020


In this post, the CARA team assesses its significant sets of audio-visual objects in the University of California Cooperative Extension collections. We examine a box of ¼-inch open reel audio tapes, a type of magnetic media, that contain radio show segments from Humboldt County. To begin processing these AV materials, we consider the condition of the tapes, collect information about their content, and discuss ways to preserve and digitize the tapes in order to provide public access.

CARA Project makes strides during challenging times
Author: Rebecca Gourevitch


September 1, 2020


The CARA project team continues to process and digitize archival materials from Merced, Ventura, Humboldt, Fresno, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo county offices, providing the public with increased access to documents, manuscripts, photographs, and other objects dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century.

Merced County Cooperative Extension Farm Advisors
Merced County Cooperative Extension Tours CARA
Author: Emily S. Lin


December 20, 2019


On Thursday, December 12, 2019 the UC Merced Library hosted a visit from the Merced County Cooperative Extension office. The visit was an opportunity for the Cooperative Extension staff, some of whom had not previously been on campus, to tour the library as well as to see the archives and our digitization process.

Costa views items from the archives
Congressman Costa Visits the CARA Project
Author: Donald Barclay


August 28, 2019


On August 27, 2019, Congressman Jim Costa paid a visit to the Library’s Digital Curation and Scholarship Center to see for himself the work we are doing on CARA, the California Agricultural Resources Archive.

Pages