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Between the Pages
A Showcase of Found Objects
The Midwest Genealogy Center is home to some 8,000 yearbooks, spanning
across 49 states and three continents, dating from the late 1800s through the
present day. The majority of this collection is the result of private donations,
often from the book’s original owner or their descendants.
While we at the Midwest Genealogy Center do not always know a yearbook’s
history before it comes to us, we can catch glimpses into its past through the
objects previous owners have left behind. Snapshots, handwritten notes, report
cards, graduation announcements - all these and more have been found
slipped between the pages of yearbooks donated to the collection over the
years. Each item has been carefully preserved and added to the MGC archive, a
collection with a focus on Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri. The
archives consist of personal and organizational records including original
documents, photographs, diaries, ledgers, land records, and more.
With this exhibit, we invite the viewer to consider some of these objects; to
contemplate what has changed - and what remains the same - in student life;
and to ponder what stories their own yearbooks may tell.

The MGC yearbook collection is a growing collection. We continuously seek to
expand it and all our materials to better reflect and serve the diversity of our
community. We invite and encourage donations of all yearbooks, especially
those that represent diverse voices and cultures. Your contributions will help us
to create a more vibrant collection that resonates with and enriches the lives of
all library customers.