Special Collections & Archives

Highlighted Collections

Photograph of the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in 1935

Fairplex Records

The Fairplex Records document the history of the Los Angeles County Fair from 1922 to 2022 through administrative files, photographs, audiovisual recordings, promotional materials, and memorabilia. (Los Angeles County Fair, 1935)

Polly Knoll Papers

The Polly Knoll Collection documents Arabian horses, their breeders and owners, and major horse shows through photographs, notebooks, writings, and event materials featuring farms, competitions, celebrities, family members, and international locations. (Polly Knoll Papers)

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Athletic Department Records

The Cal Poly Pomona Athletic Department Records document the university’s teams, coaches, staff, athletes, and sporting events through photographs, guides, clippings, and audiovisual materials. (Cal Poly Pomona football team, 1980s)

Workers harvesting grapes in Guasti, California, 1936-1937

Southern California Wine and Wine Industry Photograph Collection

The Southern California Wine and Wine Industry Photograph Collection documents wineries, winemakers, vineyards, and wine-producing communities through photographic prints, and negatives. (Wine growers in Guasti, 1935-1936)

Douglass Adair United Farm Workers Collection

The Douglas Adair United Farm Workers Collection documents Adair’s union involvement and farm labor through correspondence, notebooks, union records, publications, photographs, realia, and ephemera. (United Farm Workers flyer, circa 1975)

New Exhibition Open!

Special Collections & Archives presents Ribbons, Rides, and Regional Roots: More Than a Century of the Los Angeles County Fair, now on exhibition at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library. Drawing from the Fairplex Records, the exhibition explores the history and development of the Los Angeles County Fair through photographs, documents, publications, promotional materials, and ephemera. Visitors are welcome to enjoy self-guided tours; guided tours are available upon request and subject to staff availability.

Mission Statement

Special Collections & Archives collects, organizes, preserves, and makes accessible Cal Poly Pomona’s rare books and archival collections for use by current and future researchers. These unique interdisciplinary collections reflect the university’s mission and document the history, culture, people, and communities of the region. Through the stewardship of these materials, Special Collections and Archives supports learning, discovery, teaching, and scholarship while promoting engagement with primary sources. The department welcomes researchers of all levels, including students, faculty, staff, community members, independent researchers, and scholars from around the world, and is committed to expanding access to collections that preserve the history of the university and the diverse areas it serves.