Guide to Archival Serials

The first official publication issued by The University of Chicago was the Official Bulletin, a prospectus of academic organization published serially in six numbers from January 1891 to June 1893. Since then, serial publications have continued to play an important role in the intellectual and social life of the University community. Bulletins, newspapers, newsletters, magazines, and other serials have served the needs of administrators, faculty, and alumni, and have also recorded the activities of numerous student groups and extracurricular organizations.

This Guide is the result of an attempt to compile a comprehensive list of the over six hundred serial titles held by the University of Chicago Archives. The Guide lists only publications relating directly to the history of the University and the activities of the University community. Professional journals published at the University such as the Journal of Political Economy and Modern Philology, are not included. The lacunae and discontinuities of the Guide are a reflection of the history of the Archives, which has often had to rely on gifts and fortuitous acquisitions to assemble a permanent record of the University's origins and development. These qualifications aside, the essential University serials (Annual Register, Official Publications, University Record, President's Report, etc.) are readily available; and with the listings in this Guide, researchers can explore a wide range of other publications documenting the distinctive issues and interests which have shaped the University's character.

Certain one-time publications are also included in this list, either because of their relationship to serial titles, or to aid in their location. These include alumni directories, yearbooks, student publications, and other reference works.

Organization

The Guide is divided into two sections: an alphabetical index of titles, and a topical list of serials arranged by type or office of origin. The alphabetical index in unavailable in electronic format, but may be consulted in the department. The topical section of the Guide consists of six sub-sections:

I. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS: Reports of the President and other executive officers, course descriptions, time schedules, convocation programs, and academic regulations.

II. HANDBOOKS, DIRECTORIES, AND GUIDES: University-wide reference publications, including faculty, student, and alumni directories and campus guidebooks.

III. GENERAL NEWS AND CALENDARS: Official or administrative newspapers and newsletters, campus calendars, and schedules of events.

IV. NEWSLETTERS AND PUBLICATIONS OF DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS, SCHOOLS, COMMITTEES, AND OFFICES: Annual reports, divisional research reports, departmental student and alumni newsletters, fundraising honor rolls, course guides of departments and divisions, and other publications pertaining to particular units of the University.

V. STUDENT PUBLICATIONS: Newspapers, literary and feature magazines, yearbooks, and newsletters of organizations, political groups, and residence halls. Publications related to particular University departments or schools are included in section IV.

VI. ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY PUBLICATIONS: General interest magazines, and publications associated with the Alumni Association, Citizens Board, Dames Club, Hyde Park community, Quadrangle Club, and Women's Board.

Entries

Each title entry in the topical section of the guide is composed of four elements:

• Title: given in shortened form, when necessary. An asterisk (*) designates currently received serials.
  
• Dates: indicating the range of the Archives holdings and frequency of publication, when known.
  
• Descriptor: providing brief identification of serials whose titles are not self- explanatory.
  
• Location: indicating shelf locations within Special Collections.
  1. 1 = First floor reference shelves.
  2. A, B, ASF = Closed stacks and Archival Serials File.

If more than one location is given, the holdings for each location are listed in brackets. Please consult the online catalog and archival staff for more detailed information about holdings.

Access

All serials in the University Archives are available for consultation by researchers. Some of the most heavily used serials are available to the public in the Archival reference section on the first floor of Special Collections (designated "1" in the Guide). All other serials are available at the Special Collections Research Center circulation desk upon submission of a call slip indicating the title and issues desired.

Additional copies of some serial titles are also maintained as part of the General collections of the Library. Serials and other University publications may also sometimes be found in archival records of particular University offices or departments, and in collecitons of papers of individual faculty members; consult the finding aids to individual archival collections, available onsite in the Special Collections Research Center and online.

Photocopies

The Archives will accept applications for the photoduplication of any serial unless the physical condition of the material precludes photocopying. Applications and information on procedures are available at the Special Collections Research Center circulation desk.