Archives History

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives was founded in 1951, and became a member library of the General Library System in 1992. It is an official State records repository under 16.61(13) of the Wisconsin Statutes.

The Archives is the official repository not only for the UW-Madison, but also for the UW-System Administration, UW Extension and the UW Colleges System.

The Archives collects primary source materials from the university, makes them available to administrators and researchers, provides records management services to university offices and maintains strong photographic and oral history programs.

Records Management Program

The University Records Management Program is housed within the University Archives in Steenbock Library.

Chapter 16.61 of the Wisconsin Statutes defines public records as “all books, papers, maps, photographs, films, recordings, or other documentary materials, regardless of their physical form or characteristics, produced or received by any state agency or its officers or employees in connection with the transaction of public business, except the records and correspondence of any member of the state legislature.”

University records thus consist of all documentary materials (including copies) produced or received by any university department, office, or staff member in connection with university business and retained as evidence of university activities because of the information they contain.

The UW-Madison Records Officer consults campus wide with departments and units in managing all information assets, regardless of form or format.

For more information about this program and records management services, contact:

Sarah Grimm, University Records Officer
University Records Management Program
recmgmt@library.wisc.edu / (608) 262-3284

Or visit University Records Management

Oral History Program

The University’s Oral History Project was established as part of the University History Project in 1971. Its initial charge was to interview prominent emeritus faculty members about their research and careers at UW-Madison.

Over the years, this project became a part of the UW Archives and changed from a project to a program. This change expanded its scope to include interviews with campus administrators, staff and students as well as faculty. Taken individually, these interviews reflect the careers and interests of the interviewees; taken collectively they constitute a narrative of UW development over time. As such, they form an invaluable part of University’s historical record in its 160 years of existence.

For more information about this program, contact:

Troy Reeves, Oral History Program Manager
University of Wisconsin-Madison Oral History Program
troy.reeves@wisc.edu / (608) 890-1899

Or visit Oral History Program

Wisconsin Historical Society

If you are looking for resources that focus on a broader Wisconsin history, contact the Wisconsin Historical Society located at 816 State Street on the UW-Madison campus.

The Wisconsin Historical Society serves as the archives of the State of Wisconsin. Its collections include: books, periodicals, maps, manuscripts, relics, newspapers and audio and graphic materials as they relate to North America. The Historical Society also 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. Finally, the WHS administers a broad program of historic preservation and publishes a wide variety of historical materials, both scholarly and popular.

For more information about Wisconsin historical resources, contact:

Wisconsin Historical Society Library-Archives Division
askarchives@wisconsinhistory.org / (608) 264-6535

The Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research is also housed in the Wisconsin Historical Society building. This center, co-sponsored by UW-Madison and the WHS, houses one of the world’s major archives of research materials relating to cinema and the entertainment industry.