American University Archives & Special Collections collects, preserves, and makes accessible university archives, special collections, and rare books for researchers, educational uses, and the American University community. In the University Archives, we maintain materials of historical value that were produced by, received by, or that document American University and its history in addition to the histories of AU alumni, faculty and staff, and students. We also maintain Special Collections that focus on the history of the local Washington, D.C. area, and topics such as international service organizations, the performing arts, and the history of journalism and mass communication. Our primary source collections include formats such as letters, reports, publications, diaries, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and others. Additionally our Rare Book Collection represents disciplines including mathematics, the arts, music, religion, and Japanese art and literature. We welcome researchers to visit us in person or peruse our collections available online.

American University Archives & Special Collections takes culturally sensitive and responsible collection stewardship with the utmost seriousness. Our collections serve as historical evidence of attitudes, beliefs, actions, and policies of individuals, organizations, and governments; and we make them available as objects of study. We collect materials that encompass a variety of time periods and viewpoints which can include outdated, biased, offensive, violent, or graphic terms and/or depictions. In order to preserve their authenticity, we do not edit or remove these terms or images from our collections. University Archives & Special Collections and American University Library do not endorse violence, racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic, or otherwise harmful views or language that demeans or threatens the personhood of any individuals or groups of people. In our work, Library staff try to balance the viewpoints conveyed in our research collections by providing additional context and contemporary terminologies in staff-supplied descriptions. If you encounter harmful language in staff-created descriptions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.