About the Archives

St. Cloud State University Archives was established in 1977 by an announcement from the President Charles J. Graham to all faculty and staff. The announcement stated the basic organization and role of the archives as well as laying out the responsibilities of the archivist.

Learn more about what we do, how we do it and why.

Since 1977, roles in the archives have changed somewhat, but its purpose is still basically the same. The mission of the St. Cloud State University Archives is:

• To appraise, collect, organize, describe, make available, and preserve records of historical, legal, and/or administrative value to St. Cloud State University.
• To provide adequate facilities for the retention and preservation of such records.
• To facilitate efficient records management for the institution.
• To provide information services that will assist the operation of the institution.
• To serve as a resource and laboratory to stimulate and nourish creative teaching and learning.
• To serve research and scholarship by making available and encouraging the use of its collections by members of the institution and the community at large.
• To promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, aims, programs, and goals of the institution, and the development of these aims, goals, and programs.
• To maintain, publicize, and make available a collection of the papers of various Minnesota authors.
• To maintain, publicize, and make available the Don Boros Theatre Collection, the William Lindgren Asian Art Collection, Rare Books, and other such special collections that support the mission of the institution.

Holdings

Volume of material: 3700 linear feet, 1869 to the present.

Minnesota Digital Library

A number of images related to St. Cloud State are available through the Minnesota Digital Library. On the Minnesota Digital Library homepage, check the contributor page for the St. Cloud State University Archives for the images. The images can be downloaded and used for educational purposes.

In addition, images from the University Archives can be found in its Archon portal.

Content Statement

Libraries and archives collect materials that express diverse viewpoints and attitudes from different time periods for educational, archival, and research purposes. We understand these materials may contain images, language, and content that explicitly or implicitly embody or represent discriminatory and/or hateful attitudes toward and depictions of different groups and individuals, including (though not limited to): members of various racial and ethnic communities and nationalities; women; the LBGTQ+ community; those with disabilities; religious minorities; and other historically marginalized groups and communities.

Digitization has allowed wider public access to and easier discovery of our collections and St. Cloud State University’s rich history, and as such we do not restrict access to potentially objectionable materials. Where offensive materials are encountered, we encourage their use for scholarly research, discussion, and reflection of our past.

Please contact us if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions. We always welcome feedback and can be reached at archives@stcloudstate.edu.