Special Collections & Archives

1917 panoramic photograph of the University of Idaho campus

1936 photograph of University of Idaho students with sheep at the Little International

Panorama of Wallace, Idaho from the Barnard-Stockbridge Collection

1925 photograph of The Idaho Wholesale Co., Inc.

1916 photograph of soldiers in Wallace, Idaho leaving for War

1912 photograph of veterans of the Civil War marching through Moscow, Idaho

1897 hand-drawn birds-eye map of Moscow, Idaho

1949 photograph of the construction of the Soap Lake Siphon, part of the Columbia Basin Project

The Special Collections and Archives department specializes in the acquisition, preservation, and use of research materials that document the cultural and environmental history of Idaho, and the University of Idaho. Our physical collections are available to be used throughout the year via our Reading Room. Many of our collections can also be viewed online, via the library's Digital Collections.

The Special Collections and Archives Reading Room is in Room 121 on the library's first floor.

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Hours:

Currently, we are closed as part of the library's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Search our finding aids on Archives West more info

Information

Finding Aids and Collections

Campus History

Current Exhibits

Voices of Jazz: Legends That Inspire

American jazz music is characterized by artistic creativity in the form of musical improvisation. These qualities are often most associated with jazz instrumentalists but they are also present in jazz vocalists. Many vocalists have made their mark on jazz by singing with exceptional rhythm, phrasing, vocal range, and improvisation. Voices of Jazz: Legends That Inspire highlights the great American jazz vocalists that have made their way through Idaho and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Stop by the 2nd floor of the library now through March 13th to learn about some of these great vocalists.

Featured Collections

Terry Abraham Web Archive

This collection consists of the papers of Terry Abraham, former head of our Special Collections and Archives department. Abraham worked at the library for 21 years and was well-known for his scholarship and service to the profession. He passed away in the spring of 2018.

International Jazz Collections

The International Jazz Collection is the premier jazz archive of the Pacific Northwest and is housed in the University of Idaho Library.