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Lauren Longwell, University Archivist
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This Guide:
The University of Virginia has a long, fascinating, and complicated history. There are many resources available to those who are interested in researching the history of the university - this guide describes the resources available within the Library.
This page: Key Resources | UVA Founding & General Histories | Oral Histories | Local History Files, Newspapers | VIRGO | More Local Indexes | Visual Resources
Key Resources
- Board of Visitors Minutes (BOV)Online transcriptions of BOV minutes. See also 1817-2007 BOV Archive. The BOV serve as the corporate board for the University of Virginia, and are responsible for the long-term planning of the University. Read more about the Board of Visitors.
- University DataData back to the 1990s and in some cases back to the 1970s. Topics include admission and enrollment; student, faculty, and staff demographics; and fiscal and capital resources. From UVA's Institutional Research & Analytics.
For more historical data:
Statistical Information (Data Digest) (1966-1978)
Data Digest (1980-2002) - University ArchivesA diverse group of University records and publications held in Special Collections. Scroll down for a list of the record group names. See also this collection of UVA archives resources held in Special Collections. Questions? Use the "form" link for the online request form.
- UVA Catalogues and Record (Searchable)1825-1936 UVA Catalogues, and later called UVA Record. These have been digitized and are fully searchable. Choose a record by clicking on the blue button labeled "Access Online", then enter your keyword in the search box at the top of the resulting page to search all of the contents of that item.
- UVA RegistrarSee links at top and bottom of this page to access a wide range of information, including Programs and Degrees Offered and Programs. Also University Regulations and the University Honor System and much more.
UVA Founding and General Histories
- Articles on the Founding of U.Va.From the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia. Included is a Timeline of the Founding of U.Va.
- History of the University of Virginia, 1819-1919 : the lengthened shadow of one manBy Philip Alexander Bruce. The "classic" U.Va history, in five vols. Index in v. 5. See also online versions.
- JUEL - Jefferson's University; the early life"JUEL is a study of what life was like in the first 50 years of the University of Virginia, from its founding through end of the Civil War. Jefferson’s vision of a secular university, dedicated to enriching public life and sustaining the new republic, was both embodied in and transformed by the people who lived, worked, and studied at the University. This project will bring together a trove of personal and administrative documents, as well as images of the university, to examine the day-to-day life of students, faculty, workers, and townspeople and their architectural and social environment."
Includes transcriptions of resources like the Journal of the Chairman of the Faculty, Faculty Minutes, the University Catalog, and more. - Mr. Jefferson's University: A HistoryBy Virginius Dabney. Focuses on mid-20th century history.
- The Lawn: A Guide to Jefferson's UniversityBy Pendleton Hogan. Published in 1987 as a guide to the Lawn and the University.
- University of Virginia : its history, influence, equipment and characteristics, with biographical sketches and portraits of founders, benefactors, officers and alumniBy Paul B. Barringer and James Mercer Garnett. Good descriptions of older buildings and U.Va. people.
- See also "All the Hoos in Hooville"Online exhibition of 175 Years of Life at the University of Virginia. Includes a section on the breaking of gender and racial barriers to admission at UVA.
Oral Histories: UVa in the 20th Century
- Search the Oral History CollectionQuestions about using this collection? Use the Special Collection query form.
"Housed in Special Collections, the Oral History collection (RG 26-) comprises over 250 individual interviews with persons affiliated in some capacity with The University of Virginia. Administrators, faculty, alumni, staff, faculty wives and children, and businessmen share their stories of life at the university and within the greater community of Charlottesville."
Local History Files and Newspapers
- UVA History FilesLocated in Shannon Library. A collection of file folders in alphabetical order by topic. Each folder contains newspaper clippings, pamphlets or other materials on UVA topics, from UVA or local Va. sources. Earliest clippings date from the 1940's; a very small number of items date into the 2000s. See Index to UVA History File subject headings for topics covered. Print version is available on top of the file cabinets. . See also Index to African-American Subjects by Source an index to a subset of files in this collection. Please contact the library's reference team to make an appointment to use this collection at library@virginia.edu.
- Cavalier Daily / College TopicsSee these links to the Cavalier Daily. Issues after 1997 can be searched in LexisNexis Academic.
UVA's longest running student newspaper (and the only one since 1996). Bound print volumes located at North end of Shannon Reference Room. Also in microfilm (1890-2015) available by request from Ivy Stacks (off-site storage). An slip index to Cavalier Daily and its predecessor, College Topics, is in the wooden card catalog next to the Cavalier Dailies. Index is in two sections: 1890-1981 and 1982-1994. - See also Google Archive of Cavalier Daily1890s-1996 -- some issues, not a complete archive. Note "1820s" issues though they appear to be available are not available.
- National and Local Newspapers Online and in MicrofilmSearch UVA names and topics in ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Covers major US papers from the 19th century to a few years ago (includes Norfolk Journal and Guide from 1916-2009). For major US and state newspapers from 1980-present (coverage depends on individual title), search Factiva or Lexis Nexis. See also: UVA and Virginia newspapers in microfilm and Academic Search Complete, a journal and magazine database. See also Newspaper Guide
- Local History File - Charlottesville & AlbermarleLocated in Shannon Library. A collection of file folders in alphabetical order by topic. Each folder contains newspaper clippings, pamphlets or other materials on all aspects of Charlottesville and Albemarle County history and life including but not limited to: people, events, organizations, buildings, general news, education, government, religion, and transportation. Primary dates of coverage are 1940 through 1990.
**To find a list of subject headings for that file, search VIRGO by the title, Local history file, and click on the link in that record to retrieve a pdf document with such a list. See link to PDF in VIRGO record for "Local History File". Please contact the library's reference team to make an appointment to use this collection at library@virginia.edu.
Visual Resources
- University of Virginia Visual History CollectionOver 15,000 items, mainly photographs. Use the limiters in the left column to narrow results. To view this collection in person, please visit the Special Collections.
More Local Indexes
Virginia Names - Special Collections
An index to personal names commemorated at the University of Virginia. Compiled in July 1969.
The index excludes the following: 1) U.Va. branches not administered from Charlottesville; 2) art works (See University of Virginia Art File (above)); 3) names enrolled on Civil War Memorial (see University of Virginia Cemetery Tombstones (see below); 4) gift funds.
Commonwealth Index - Special Collections
An index to v. 1-15, (1934-1948).
Institute of Public Affairs Index - Special Collections
Indexes its Proceedings (2nd-29th, 1928-1953).