Behind the scenes at the LCC archives

By Nicole Wadkins
Staff Reporter

A version of this article first appeared as a print exclusive in the Jan. 30, 2026, issue of The Lookout. 

In the basement of the Administration Building is a room filled with boxes, each one containing newspapers, photographs and records documenting the history of Lansing Community College. The archives were not always housed here. When the archives were formed by James Platte, an LCC dean and librarian in the 1970s, he started to collect materials from different departments. Originally, the collection was first housed in the Carnegie Library, then was moved to the Old Central Building around 1990, and was relocated again when the building was demolished.

 

Although LCC did not have a trained archivist until 2017, Records Information Specialist Linnea Knapp oversaw the archives as part of her duties. She started a webpage, called the Unsolved Mysteries of LCC Archives, so that the public could contribute information on certain historical materials. Once a mystery is solved, it gets published on the Solved Mysteries of LCC Archives. These responsibilities now fall to Bob Garrett, who became the first full-time college archivist in November 2023.

 

Upon entering the archive, there are many boxes labeled as “unprocessed,” which means the materials inside have not yet been sorted or given a guide in order to navigate what is inside. The numbers on the boxes reflect the order of when the materials arrived. Garrett is focused on organizing records by their office of origin so the history behind the materials remains intact and meaningful for future research.

 

There have been so many materials that the collection has outgrown the archival room. There are additional items stored in the marketing department storage room, as well as a conference room in the TLC building. To address the issue of limited space, Garrett is exploring the idea of using compact shelving, which will allow shelves to be moved together when not in use.

 

Many of the archived materials are stored in older, overfilled boxes that are heavy and difficult to handle.

 

Currently, a student worker is moving the materials into smaller, acid-free boxes that are easier to manage and better suited for long-term preservation.

 

These new, acid-free boxes are used to replace the old boxes, which can be corrosive to the historical artifacts over time. All of the materials will eventually be moved into acid-free boxes designed for long-term preservation.

 

A memorial plaque honoring the founder of the LCC archives is also part of the collection. “[That] came from the Arts and Sciences Division. Somebody found it,” Garrett said. “I think it was in a closet.” The plaque recognizes James Platte, who died in 1995.

 

The archives also house materials from The Lookout student newspaper, which were transferred from the newspaper’s office last June. The collections include issues dating back to 1966, with earlier editions from 1960s preserved through scanned copies.

 

Tucked away inside of the boxes are old photographs of The Lookout staff, including this one dating back to 1980s. “We have a lot of photographs,” Garrett said. “In fact, most of the requests I get are probably for photos.”

There are also issues of the Student Faculty Bulletin from the mid-1960s, which documented campus life, including events like a former Lansing Community College beauty pageant.

 

One of Garrett’s favorite items is the 1969 Report on Student Unrest, created by a special Michigan Senate committee during the Vietnam War era. The report documents student disorder on campus in the 1960s. 

 

The 1969 Report on Student Unrest includes a copy of a list of demands from LCC Black students to the LCC Board of Trustees. The students demanded “an accredited Afro-American history course” at LCC, more Black instructors, more recruitment of Black students, and more representation of Black students in student government. These requests were later fulfilled. “I’m giving you the short version of the story there, because there’s a lot more to it,” Garrett said. “But I find this kind of interesting.”

 

Another favorite item of Garrett’s is LCC’s first course catalog. The archives has two copies of the catalog, one with and without the cover page.

 

The catalog without the cover is signed by LCC’s first president, Dr. Philip J. Gannon. The document certifies the official course of study and policies of the college.

 

Garrett also enjoys the collection of staff photos, many of which were sent to the archives by Human Resources. One of his favorite photos is a Human Resources employee dressed as Batman from September 1989. “This one always just makes me laugh,” Garrett said. The archives also has a binder full of Halloween photos documenting staff costumes over the years, as well as photos from Christmas and other office parties.

 

The archives has wide metal drawers to hold oversized documents that do not fit in regular boxes or on regular shelves. These documents reveal decades of LCC’s history, from architectural plants to oversized photographs and posters. This includes materials such as the original architectural drawing of the Hermann House, which houses the current LCC President, Dr. Steve Robinson.

 

There are also documents detailing changes to LCC’s libraries over time. There are floor plans and even plans for major library renovations dated back to 2005.

Some of the oversized photography captures lesser-known moments, such as an undated photograph of the former People’s Library. The zebra “was their mascot for a while, because this is when they started barcodes on books,” Garrett said. “So, you’re looking at the 1980s for that.”

 

The drawers also hold posters from high school architectural design competitions. It was a well-known program in the 1980s and 90s, when LCC’s architecture school played a major role on campus.

 

There is also a large class composite of the nursing students from March 1993, shown here by Garrett.

 

The archives also holds many copies of LCC’s Pep Song on vinyl records. The songs date back to when the LCC mascot was the Athenians.

 

The archives are full of materials in different formats, like these VHS tapes and DVDs containing educational materials.

 

There are many plaques given to the college over the years, and many can be found in the archives. This plaque honors former president of LCC, Dr. Philip Gannon, for his service in education and efforts in promoting international cultural exchange. The plaque was presented on Apr. 20, 1989, by educational leaders from Taiwan.

 

One notable item in the archives is a time capsule created in 1976, which is set to be opened in 2076. “I can’t remember where this was supposed to be. It was supposed to be buried,” Garrett said. “And then, it naturally came to the archives.”

 

Students interested in using the archives can have a library study room reserved so the items can be reviewed there. Garrett also handles reference requests and, most of the time, he can locate documents or images without requiring an in-person visit. Students interested in learning more about the archives can email LCC-Archives@lcc.edu or can check out the archive's website.