How to Research in the Archives

There are four main components that make up the Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives:

University Archives:

• records of administrative, legal, and historical value created by or pertaining to IUPUI  
• includes records of IUPUI administrative units, publications of IUPUI, records of organizations related to IUPUI, some faculty and staff papers, and student papers

Philanthropic Studies Archives:

• records that provide information about the history and development of philanthropy 
• includes non-profit organizations, fundraisers and consultants, philanthropic studies faculty and professionals, and national service
• this is in conjunction with the Joseph and Matthew Payton Philanthropic Studies Library

German-American Collections:

• records of national and local social, cultural, economic, and athletic organizations started by German immigrants
• includes the Athenaeum Turners and other Turner-related organizations

General Collections:

• records and papers of organizations and individuals with ties to the University and/or Indianapolis but don’t fall into one of the previously mentioned categories

Archive: a repository that houses an archival collection, which can consist of rare or unique materials of an institution or individual

We collect records of historic value created by or pertaining to IUPUI as well as records related to philanthropy/the nonprofit sector.  These records include manuscripts, correspondence, letters, photographs, memoranda, periodicals, scrapbooks, moving image and sound recordings, as well as digital materials. 

An Archive not only acts as a place to store materials, but also as a place to preserve them for longer than their intended use.  Our materials are stored in a humidity-controlled environment.  Think Raiders of the Lost Ark, but smaller, better organized, and with all materials in acid free boxes and folders.

Special Collection: a repository that typically collects rare books; old, historic, unique books that you would not find at a public library

There are many places that run both a rare books library and an archive through one location, which is what we do!  We often refer to ourselves as IUPUI Special Collections so if you hear both names being used, they are one in the same.