The Francis X. Blouin papers highlight Blouin's work at the Bentley Historical Library, his teaching endeavors as a faculty member, and his professional activities both in the United States and abroad. A large portion of the collection consists of presentations and publications by Blouin regarding both the fields of archives and history.
Francis Xavier Blouin, Jr. was born in 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history in 1967. He subsequently earned a master's degree specializing in American history in 1969 and a Ph.D. in history in 1978, receiving both from the University of Minnesota.
Blouin began his work with archives as a research assistant at the Social Welfare History Archives Center at the University of Minnesota in 1970. He also served as a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota's Department of History from 1971 to 1973.
In 1974, Blouin began working at the Bentley Historical Library as the acting assistant director. From 1975-1981, he served as an associate archivist. He was appointed director of the Bentley Historical Library in 1981, a position he held until 2013. Initiatives implemented during his time as director include a series of exchanges with archives in Europe in order to build connections between different modes of archival practice as well as a long-term exchange with the State Archives Administration of China.
Blouin joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1978, when he was asked to establish a program for archival administration that would be shared by both the Department of History and what was then known as the School of Library Science, now the School of Information. In 1989, he achieved the status of professor. Many of the courses he taught focused on American history, particularly Michigan history, and encouraged students to learn about the value of archival research.
Blouin has been an active member of the archival profession since the 1970s, serving on various committees and boards in such organizations as the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Society of American Archivists, and the International Council on Archives. He was the president of the Michigan Archival Association from 1982 to 1984 and the president of the Historical Society of Michigan from 1987 to 1988.
Blouin's particular interests in the field include the relationship between history scholars and archivists, institutions of social memory, and international archives. From 1984 to 2004, he worked with his colleagues at the Bentley and the University of Michigan to compile a complete catalogue of the Vatican archives. These efforts were subsequently published in 1998 in Vatican Archives: An Inventory and Guide to Historical Documentation of the Holy See, with a supplement published in 2004. Blouin has written extensively about issues in archival practice as well as aspects of Michigan history. He has delivered presentations on archival practice around the world.
Blouin retired from teaching at the end of 2017 and currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus.
