From its founding as the Danbury Normal School to its present status as a member of the Connecticut State University System, Western Connecticut State University has shaped and has been shaped by the surrounding community. It is the duality of this history that is essential to the mission of WCSU's Archives and Special Collections.

The Archive 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, 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 the Danbury community. The archives' holdings amount to approximately 500 linear feet. [Click here for a list of collections]

The Special Collections Library's holdings include: monographs, and audio-visual materials that pertain to the history of Connecticut and Danbury to supplement primary source materials in the Archives; a portion of the original monograph holdings of the Danbury Normal School's library; monographs authored/created by WCSU faculty, students and alumni; 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 1900 cataloged titles currently held in the Special Collections Library that range in publication date from 1626 to the present.
[Click here for a list of current rare book holdings]
[Click here for a list of recently cataloged spoken word materials]

Use of the WCSU Archives & Special Collections is open to the WCSU community and serious researchers by appointment only.
Please contact the University Archivist, Brian Stevens [(203)-837-8992] for an appointment.

Hours: 9AM-4PM, Monday-Thursday.