About the UW Madison Archives

The Archives' Mission Statement

The primary purpose of the UW-Madison Archives is to: Preserve University records and information of permanent historical value; Provide records management services; Serve as an educational resource encouraging administrative and scholarly research in its collections.

History of the Archives

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives was founded in 1951. Today the Archives is a member library of the General Library System. It is an official State records repository under 16.61(13) of the Wisconsin Statutes and is governed by Faculty Legislation II-400 and by policies set through the Faculty Archives Committee. The Archives is the official repository not only for the UW-Madison, but also for the UW-System Administration, Extension and the UW Colleges System. The Archives collects primary source materials from the university and makes them available to administrators and researchers, provides records management services to university offices, and maintains strong photographic and oral history programs.

What is the difference between the UW-Madison Archives and the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives?

If you are looking for material about Wisconsin, you need to contact the Wisconsin Historical Society. They are located at 816 State Street, Madison, WI, 53706. The Society serves as the archives of the State of Wisconsin; it collects books, periodicals, maps, manuscripts, relics, newspapers, and audio and graphic materials as they relate to North America; it maintains a museum, library, and research facility in Madison as well as a statewide system of historic sites, school services, area research centers, and affiliated local societies; it administers a broad program of historic preservation; and publishes a wide variety of historical materials, both scholarly and popular.