Archives & Special Collections is a distinctive component of Leddy Library, mandated to preserve significant elements of the historical record that connect our university, our community, and our region to the people, organizations, events, and decisions that have shaped who we are and how we live today.

Forget the stereotypes of dusty tomes on obscure subjects, watched over by wizened caretakers complete with elbow patches and pipes. The published and archival record safeguarded by Archives & Special Collections is vibrant and vital, grounding us in a rich history of change and continuity, tradition and innovation. It tells us, collectively, who we have been, and (whether through positive or negative examples) illuminates who we might wish to become. It inspires creative activity, invention, entrepreneurship, and scholarship. It informs our efforts to innovate, improve, and be better than we have been. It allows us to examine opposing viewpoints and persistent inequalities. It provides raw materials to support the development of critical skills in research, analysis, and independent thinking.

To-date, Archives & Special Collections materials and staff have supported a wide array of university and community projects, including family histories, political activism, city roadworks, community commemorations, investigative journalism, works of art, building restorations, and scholarly research.

How will the evidence of our collective past inspire you?