Asa Hutchinson Donates Political Papers To University Of Arkansas Libraries

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Asa Hutchinson, administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and former Arkansas 3rd Congressional District representative, has donated approximately 100 boxes of political papers and other historical records to the University of Arkansas, as well as $25,000 in unexpended campaign funds to process and preserve the collection.

The materials will be housed and managed by the Special Collections Division of the University Libraries, which houses the largest collection of congressional collections in the state. Special Collections also holds the political papers of Dale Bumpers, David Pryor, John Paul Hammerschmidt, Beryl Anthony, Ed Bethune, J. William Fulbright, Oren Harris and Joe T. Robinson.

Last year, Hutchinson was appointed by President George W. Bush as administrator of the DEA. He was subsequently invited to campus where he visited with UA administrators and toured the University Libraries.

Hutchinson said, "I am very impressed with the facilities the University of Arkansas Libraries has, as well as the staff’s extensive experience in working with major political collections. I’m pleased that my papers will be located where students, faculty and the people that I represented in Congress can have ready access to them."

UA Chancellor John A. White said, "We are very happy that Asa Hutchinson has selected our library to be the home for his papers. His governmental service is part of the history of Arkansas and I can not think of a better place to preserve a piece of Arkansas history than the University of Arkansas. I know that the students and faculty that use his papers during the course of their historical research will benefit immensely by having them available."

Carolyn Henderson Allen, dean of University Libraries said, "We are both proud and honored to have Mr. Hutchinson’s collection. And, naturally, I am very pleased that he has also provided us with the financial recourses necessary to process and preserve the collection."

Hutchinson’s gift is counted in the University’s Campaign for the Twenty-First Century. The Campaign is a six-year effort to raise $500 million in gifts from private sources. As of Nov. 30, 2001, the Campaign has raised $284 million since it began June 1, 1998. Campaign funds are being used to help the University achieve its vision of emerging as a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world. Campaign funds are being raised for six critical areas of need: endowed faculty positions, scholarship funds, academic programs, University Libraries, new and improved University facilities support and annual giving.

University Libraries encompass the David W. Mullins Library and three branch libraries: the Fine Arts Library, the Chemistry Library and the Physics Library. The combined holdings of the Libraries total 1.7 million volumes of books and periodicals and over 3 million items in microform. The Libraries also house approximately 600,000 government documents.

University Libraries seeks to raise $10 million through the Campaign effort.

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