Inspired by Colorado State University’s land-grant mission, we build, preserve, and provide access to distinctive archival, photographic, and printed materials, with a particular commitment to collections documenting agriculture and water resources. We support the CSU Libraries’ mission to inspire innovation, and advance the ways knowledge is shared and preserved, by serving students and scholars at CSU and from around the world.
Preserving the rich legacy of Colorado’s land-grant mission is a major focus – and responsibility – of Archives & Special Collections, which feature a broad array of important primary resources and relating to all aspects of water and agriculture in Colorado and contributions made by Coloradoans in these areas. Archives & Special Collections also serves as the official archives of Colorado State University.
Especially significant for both the scholarly and casual researcher are collections related to water resource management, water engineering, water law and legislation, and endangered species. We also make available for use by students and scholars collections from agricultural organizations, Colorado State University Extension and the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station. Our University Archive holdings include the records of CSU presidents, departments, faculty, alumni, and our historic photographic collection, dating back to the 1870s.
Archives & Special Collections fast facts
As of December 31, 2025
Collections
- Digitized/born-digital collections: more than 155 TB
- Special collections/rare books: 27,200 volumes
- Archives: 534 collections, approximately 8,500 linear ft.
- Agriculture: 123
- Water: 135
- Manuscript: 46
- University Archives: 225
Staff
- Faculty: 4
- Professional staff: 2
- Students: 5
Patrons
- 800, on and off-site
- 434 uses of archives and manuscript materials, 1,011 uses of special collections, and 373 uses of university publications
Instruction
- 33 classes to 746 students in 19 courses from the departments of Art, Art & Art History, English, Music, Honors, Intra-University, and Ethnic Studies
- Classes included Introduction to Science Fiction, Creative Writing, Civil Rights in America, Historical Methods, Writing and the Environment, History Capstone, 19th Century European Art, Music Research, Queer Studies and Women of Color, Pre-Columbian Art, Applied Music Instruction, Music and Mathematics, and Medieval Art
Events and outreach
- 38 tours with 308 attendees
- Research grants for the Friedman Feminist Press and Water Collections
- Exhibited and tabled at the National Western Stock Show, Pride Center’s LGBTQ+ History, Art Fest, Festival on the Oval, 50 Year Club luncheon, Black/African American Cultural Center’s Black Excellence dinner, and GradShow
- Presented on CSU’s History at a retreat for CSU President’s Cabinet Retreat, Water Resources Association/Colorado Groundwater Association, Prohibition to Passion: CSU’s Beer History, the Colorado Water Center’s Water Leaders, at the Feminisms and Rhetorics Conference, CSU Ignites AI, and at Banned Books Week
- Developed several Library exhibits on CSU’s History, Creative Writing, Feminism, Women’s Work and Leadership at CSU, and the International Posters Exhibition.