Collection Policies
University Records, Manuscripts and Papers
The University Archives and Records Center at the University of Louisville holds significant primary resources for research in late nineteenth and twentieth century history. Its materials concern the history of the University of Louisville and the Louisville metropolitan area. As "The Memory of the University," the Archives preserves and makes available for research the official records of the University of Louisville, one of the oldest municipal universities in the United States, in accordance with state and federal law and university policy. The Archives is also known for its urban history collections, nineteenth and twentieth century records of significant Louisville-area businesses, cultural organizations, social service agencies, and churches, and personal papers of political figures, scholars, and members of the Jewish and African American communities.
UARC does not actively collect materials relating to other areas of Kentucky. Occasionally, small portions of family papers held by UARC may relate to other parts of the state but such materials are rare in the repository's collections.
Oral Histories
The Archives also administers the University's Oral History Center, which preserves over 2,000 interviews with university personnel and students, community leaders, members of ethnic communities, workers, and business executives.
Photographic Holdings
The collections of the Photographic Archives include internationally significant collections of documentary photography, along with collections of fine art photographic prints, and works important in the history of photography.
The University Archives and Records Center's photographic holdings primarily concern historical images of the University facilities, activities and campuses. UARC's collections of private and organizational materials sometimes also contain photographs relating to the originating families, companies or associations.
For information about recent photographs of the University, please contact University Communications.
Rare Books
The Rare Books collections emphasize literature, history and popular culture. They also include fragile materials and some materials printed in Louisville and likely to become rare or ephemeral in future.
Specific collections include:
- Gay and Lesbian literature
- Irish Literary Renaissance literature
- Modern English and American literature
- Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Rare Mathematics and Astronomy
- Popular culture
- Journalism
- History of books and printing
- Louisvilliana
