Mission

The Loyola Univesity Chicago Archives & Special Collections serves as the University's institutional memory by collecting, preserving, and making accessible the history of Loyola University Chicago, and as an educational resource for the Loyola community and beyond by providing unique collections in the areas of rare books, Chicago history, Catholic history, 20th century Business, Jesuit educators, and the United States Congress, among others, for study and teaching.

In order to serve this mission, the department is divided into University Archives and Special Collections.

 

University Archives

The University Archives collects the records of the administrative offices, colleges, schools, departments, committees, and student organizations of Loyola University Chicago with enduring historical, legal, fiscal, or administrative value. The University Archives is the official repository of dissertations and theses written at Loyola.

University records are transferred to the University Archives according to Loyola's Non-Financial Records Retention Schedule. A short list of records to transfer to the University Archives is available at Records to transfer. 

 

Special Collections

The Loyola Special Collections consists of archival collections, the Congressional Archives, and Loyola's Rare Book Collection. Collecting areas include Loyola alumni, faculty, and staff; Samuel Insull and related people and companies; Jesuit Educators; Chicago history; Catholic history; Entertainment; government & politics; satire & caricature; political cartoons; history of Medicine; history of the Book; Jesuitica; and Edward Gorey, among others.

Individuals interested in donating their papers to the Loyola Special Collections should consult Donating Your Papers in addition to the Collecting Policy and Acquisition Policy.