History in all shapes & sizes
Remember that primary sources are characterized by their content rather than their format. So you might find collections with paper, glass lantern slides, microfilm or microfiche, born digital records, or a scholarly journal with the collector's scribbles in the margins.
When you open a box in the OSU Archives you might find:
- Paper documents created by OSU departments
- Photographs from student organizations
- The Barometer in a big bound book or on a reel of microfilm
- Letters from faculty
- Souvenirs like programs and buttons from sporting events
- Research journals
- Maps, blueprints, and plans for campus buildings
- Recordings and transcripts of oral history interviews
- Films of events from OSU's communications office
What do we collect?
We collect, maintain, preserve, and make the historical records of OSU available to researchers.
The University Archives is the repository for official and unofficial records that document OSU's history. Our collections include historical records of enduring value generated by faculty, academic departments, administrative offices, students, and campus organizations.
Where to start researching in OSU Archives?
Does the OSU Archives seem a little daunting? Need a little help picking a place to start? We have some ideas to get you started...
- How to: Do research at OSU Archives is a Flickr-based tutorial that guides you through the motions doing research in our collections.
- You can also find a sampling of research ideas in our subject guides. These guides focus on specific topics and point you to some of collections that might work for you research project.
- Another good place to start is by looking through the various online photographic exhibits and histories relating to OSU. These are also available on the OSU Archives website.
