The Archives is the final repository for the historical records of Western Connecticut State University and is a significant repository for collections related to local history. The Archives includes WCSU administrative records, faculty papers, university publications, theses, visual materials, and other media created by the University. It also includes non-WCSU affiliated personal papers, local government and organizational records, visual materials, maps, journals and other media that document the history of this region. The archival holdings amount to approximately 875 linear feet.
The Archives contains materials collected from the University’s founding in 1903 as the Danbury Normal School to its present status as a State University. Archival Collections List. To search the descriptions of our collections at the WCSU Archives use theCAO (Connecticut Archives Online) or you may also use CONSULS.
The Special Collections Library‘s holdings include:- monographs, and audio-visual materials that pertain to the history of the Danbury, Connecticut and the region
- out-of-print or rare spoken word, opera and other classical music phonograph recordings
- a portion of the original monograph holdings of the Danbury Normal School’s library
- monographs authored/created by WCSU faculty, students and alumni
- monographs that supplement subjects in our archival collections
- rare/antique books and other objects donated to the Haas Library or Special Collections that are deemed to be 1) of significant artifactual value and 2) to be unique and essential to support the research needs of the University and the mission of the Archive; and library holdings of significant value to warrant special treatment.
There are approximately 3200 cataloged titles currently held in the Special Collections Library that range in publication date from 1626 to the present. There are three main groups of book materials: Connecticut Room, Rare Books and Facsimiles.