MISSOULA — A semitrailer carrying more than 900 boxes of former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus’ congressional files has arrived at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library at the University of Montana.
Head of archives and special collections, Donna McCrea, tells the Missoulian it will take several years to sort, archive and make the files available for research. Baucus donated $850,000 in leftover campaign money to the library to cover the cost of archiving the documents.
The files unloaded Monday include correspondence from constituents, votes, speeches, recordings and electronic records.
McCrea says the boxes appear to be arranged by subject.
When the Baucus papers are added to the library’s collection, its congressional records will date back to 1907.
Baucus now serves as ambassador to China. McCrea says the library eventually hopes to house Baucus’ ambassador files.