The University Archives is the official repository of the university with the responsibility to collect and preserve the historically valuable documentation of university units and individuals, including faculty, staff, administrators, students and more. The University Archives documents the history of the University, including the Mount Vernon Seminary and College Collections, and the Corcoran Archives. Information on the history of the University is available on GW Past.
In addition to research and the documentation of the history of the school, GW archival collections are used regularly in instruction and classes. There are several ways to find items of interest in the University Archives:
- Search for materials using the search button or on this GW University History collections page
- Browse the complete list of University Archives collections
- View archived materials online including website archives
- Examples of classes that have used the University Archives
How to Contribute to the Archives
The GW University Archives actively collects materials from GW academic and administrative units, following the University’s Records Management Policy, as well as from faculty, alumni and students. Our collection development policy provides details about what we collect in the University Archives. Please contact the archives for additional information and how to donate.
Services for GW Offices
We support the GW Records Management Policy by providing storage, access to and management of permanently valuable university records in compliance with the University's Information Security Policy. Some records of enduring historical value that should be transferred to the archives have already been identified in the University Records Schedule.
The archives offer a flexible range of services and expertise to our GW collaborators, including:
- Evaluation, preservation, organization and retrieval of records of enduring value, providing access to these records in the Special Collections Reading Room or remotely
- Researching historical context and prior GW work to inform current planning, projects and policies
- Online access to select materials that have been transferred to the archives
- Consulting on issues related to records, preservation, GW history and related areas
Please contact the University Archives with inquiries or questions.
