# Bill Lane Center for the American West

> research center at Stanford University

**Wikidata**: [Q66821404](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q66821404)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bill-lane-center-for-the-american-west

## Summary
The Bill Lane Center for the American West is a research center located at Stanford University in the United States. Dedicated to the study of the American West, it operates as a research institute within the field of the humanities, with a primary purpose of generating new knowledge through systematic investigation. As a unit of Stanford University, it serves as a focused hub for scholarly inquiry distinct from teaching-focused departments.

## Key Facts
- **Primary Classification**: Research center at Stanford University (also classified as a research institute and organization).
- **Parent Organization**: Stanford University.
- **Location**: United States.
- **Field of Work**: Humanities.
- **Website**: https://west.stanford.edu/ (primary), http://west.stanford.edu/.
- **Twitter Handle**: @westcenter.
- **Social Media Followers**: 1,524 followers (as of April 24, 2020); 1,620 followers (as of January 6, 2021).
- **ISNI**: 0000000123226801.
- **VIAF ID**: 128639965.
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: no2011114411.
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007320426105171.
- **Yale LUX ID**: group/701875b0-242a-49ce-8373-a900797a960d.
- **Wikidata Description**: Research center at Stanford University.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of organization is the Bill Lane Center for the American West?
A: The center is classified as a research institute, research center, and organization. It exists specifically to conduct research, distinguishing it from teaching-focused university departments or commercial research entities.

### Q: What is the primary focus of the center's work?
A: The center's field of work is the humanities, with a specific dedication to the study of the American West.

### Q: Who is the parent organization of the Bill Lane Center for the American West?
A: Stanford University is the parent organization of the center.

### Q: Where is the Bill Lane Center for the American West located?
A: The center is located in the United States.

### Q: What are the center's online presences?
A: The center maintains a website at https://west.stanford.edu/ and operates a Twitter account under the handle @westcenter.

## Why It Matters
As a specialized research institute within Stanford University, the Bill Lane Center for the American West plays a crucial role in advancing scholarly understanding of the American West through a humanities lens. By dedicating its resources solely to research, the center acts as an engine of discovery, free from the teaching obligations that typically divide university researchers' attention. It provides a focused environment where scholars can pursue long-term, in-depth investigation into the complex history, culture, and dynamics of the American West. This concentrated effort is essential for generating the deep, nuanced knowledge required to address the region's unique challenges and to preserve its heritage, contributing significantly to both academic discourse and public understanding.

## Notable For
- **Dedicated Research Focus**: Exists purely to conduct research in the humanities, unlike hybrid organizations that balance research with teaching or commercial goals.
- **Stanford University Affiliation**: Functions as a research unit within one of the world's leading universities.
- **Specialized Regional Study**: Focuses specifically on the American West, providing a dedicated institutional hub for this field of study.
- **Established Digital Presence**: Maintains an official website and social media channels to disseminate its work and engage with the public.
- **Formal Academic Recognition**: Assigned standard identifiers (ISNI, VIAF, Library of Congress Authority ID) used by libraries and knowledge systems worldwide.

## Body

### Organizational Classification and Affiliation
The Bill Lane Center for the American West is formally classified as a research center and research institute. Its parent organization is Stanford University, placing it within the institutional framework of a major American research university. As an entity, it is also broadly categorized as an organization. This classification aligns it with institutions whose primary purpose is to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation, distinct from bodies whose main functions include teaching or advocacy.

### Research Focus and Mission
The center operates within the field of the humanities. Its specific mission, as indicated by its name, is the study of the American West. As a research institute, its core function is to conduct fundamental inquiry, differentiating it from think tanks that focus on policy or scientific societies that serve as membership organizations.

### Digital Presence and Public Engagement
The center maintains a primary web presence at `https://west.stanford.edu/`, with an older HTTP version also listed (`http://west.stanford.edu/`). Its official Twitter handle is `@westcenter` (user ID: 297417855). The account has a recorded social media following, with 1,524 followers as of April 24, 2020, and 1,620 followers as of January 6, 2021. The Twitter account was created on May 12, 2011.

### Identification in Knowledge Systems
The Bill Lane Center for the American West is cataloged in numerous international library and knowledge authority systems. Its key identifiers include:
- **ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier)**: 0000000123226801
- **VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)**: 128639965
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: no2011114411
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007320426105171
- **Yale LUX ID**: group/701875b0-242a-49ce-8373-a900797a960d

## References

1. [Source](http://west.stanford.edu/)
2. Virtual International Authority File