Any thoughts of archives as dull places full of old paperwork are banished upon contact with the UConn Library’s Department of Archives & Special Collections, a dynamic, accessible treasure trove of rare and special books, the University Archives, and more than 1,200 individual collections of primary sources, ranging from political posters to photographs to films to championship trophies.

The ASC’s work is guided by the principles that archives enable people to better understand our past; that they serve many purposes, from scholarship to public education and beyond; and that they should be open and accessible to everyone.

This video offers a glimpse at some of the ASC’s vast holdings, from silk manufactured in Manchester to banners from UConn’s early decades, and gives a sense of just how much is collected here, and how useful it can be to the UConn community and the public at large.