About Us
Our Vision
The Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives inspires engagement with history, art, and architecture by celebrating the positive impact of design.
Our Mission
The Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives supports the mission of the Bartholomew County Public Library. CIAA connects our community and the world to diverse design materials. We foster exploration of how design shapes our world through collecting, preserving, and ensuring equitable access for all.
Our Values
Integrity. Equity. Wonder. Inclusivity.
Our Collections
Today, CIAA’s collection has 100,000s of drawings, documents, photos, and recordings related to the county’s architecture, landscape architecture, public planning, public art, and graphic design. We share our vast collection by hosting tours, arranging research visits, sponsoring public events, curating exhibits, and providing online access.
Our People
Tricia Gilson, PhD, archivist (she/her)
Tricia Gilson has been working with cultural heritage collections as a researcher, professor, archivist, and curator for more than twenty years. She earned her doctorate in cultural anthropology from the University of Southern California where she studied museums and their power to tell complex stories. Tricia leads CIAA and is responsible for developing the collection, processing and housing the collection, and providing access to the collection through research appointments, tours, instructional sections, and online exhibits. With more than 10 years at CIAA, Tricia has deep knowledge of the collection and is passionate about connecting all people with materials that spark wonder and inspire them.
Amber Passen, MLS, digital archivist (she/they)
Amber Passen is an early career archivist focusing on digital preservation. She earned her Master of Library and Information Science from Indiana University Indianapolis where she focused on archival management and digital curation. While relatively new to CIAA, her web includes all things digital. She revels in setting the standards for digitization and metadata creation, and the long-term management and preservation of digital and hybrid collections. Responsible for the digital preservation efforts at CIAA, Amber ensures our fascinating collection material is accessible online for years to come.
Our Story
The Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives (CIAA) traces its history to the late 1960s when Columbus city planners Dean Smith and John Ross West began collecting materials related to the modern architecture for which Columbus is known. Their goal was to make the materials publicly accessible at the I.M. Pei-designed Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, the main branch of the Bartholomew County Public Library (BCPL).
At that time, Bartholomew County boasted nearly thirty modern buildings, designed by a who’s who of twentieth century modern architects, and West successfully solicited collection materials from nearly all of them.
In 2010, the Indiana Chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded CIAA its Walter S. Blackburn Award. The jury noted, “Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives promotes design excellence and educates us about Columbus, Indiana's rich modern architectural traditions — a civic portfolio of modern architecture of international consequence.”
The archives is supported by the Friends of CIAA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by community activist and former City Council member Lynn Bigley. In 2018, the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives became part of the Bartholomew County Public Library.
Friends of CIAA
The Friends of CIAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports the mission and activities of the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives.