Special Collections has many collecting areas. Special Collections curators actively collect, exhibit, and maintain the materials in their area of expertise.
Below you will find a list of the curators and staff and their contact information. If you are unsure who to contact, please reach out to specialcollections@byu.edu.
Dainan Skeem
Special Collections Department Chair
Curator - 21st Century Manuscripts
(801) 422-6230
Areas of expertise:
Manuscript collections of 21st century LDS authors, artists, illustrators, film makers, politicians, business people, and missionaries; Manuscript collections of BYU professors, administrators and staff.
Trevor Alvord
Curator - 21st Century Latter Day Saint Movements & Western Americana
(801) 422-1435
Areas of expertise:
21st century LDS Church history; LDS Church art and artists; National Parks in Utah; LDS Church blogs and websites.
Cindy Brightenburg
Special Collections Reference Assistant
(801) 422-6098
Areas of expertise:
Help with finding primary sources for research; Accessing Special Collections materials; Publication permission requests.
Gordon Daines
Curator of Research and Instruction Services
Curator of Yellowstone National Park collection
(801) 422-5821
Areas of expertise:
Yellostone National Park; Primary Source Literacy and instruction; Archives and Records Management; Special Collections Reference; Class presentation; Special presentations.
Maggie Kopp
Curator - Rare Book Collections
(801) 422-6276
Areas of experise:
History of the book; 19th century British literature and culture; American literature; Medieval, Renaissance and Reformation Europe; History of the Bible.
David Day
Curator - Music Special Collections
(801) 422-6119
Areas of expertise:
History of Music; 19th century music primary sources; Ballet music; Historical Harp and Viola music; LDS Church music manuscript collections.
Ben Harry
Curator of Audiovisual Materials and Media Arts History
(801) 422-4174
Areas of expertise:
History of Cinema, Radio and Television; Filmmaking in Utah; BYU Motion Picture archive.
Cory Nimer
Archivist - University Archives
(801) 422-6091
Areas of expertise:
History of Brigham Young University; Provo history.
Ryan Lee
Manuscript Collections Coordinator
(801) 422-7774
Areas of expertise:
19th century history of the LDS Church; 19th century history of Utah; 19th century history of the American West.
John Murphy
Curator - 19th & 20th Century Latter Day Saint Movements & Western Americana Manuscripts
(801) 422-6370
Areas of expertise:
19th and 20th century history of the LDS Church; 19th and 20th century history of Utah; finding 20th century primary sources; LDS Church missionary diaries; LDS Church and WWII.
Greg Seppi
Curator - 19th and 20th Century Americana Collection
(801) 422-6372
Areas of expertise:
19th and 20th century LDS Church History; The history and development of the American West; History of violence against indigenous/tribal societies and others in the West; History and culture of Printing
