Departmental Mission Statement

The Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections is the principle repository for rare materials that support the education, research, and creative mission of Ohio University.

The three essential collection areas of the Mahn Center are University Archives and Records Management, Manuscript Collections, and Rare Books and Related Collections.

Ohio University Archives is the official repository for records of enduring value that comprise the University’s corporate memory.  The University Records Management office establishes retention and destruction standards for University records.  Manuscript Collections within the Mahn Center represent unique, primary source materials of organizational and personal records such as typescripts, letters, diaries, documents, photographs, maps, scrapbooks, and memorabilia. The rare book and special collections are broad in scope.  Fifty nine book collections include 19th and 20th century authors, early science, Ohioana, and a large collection of imprints from the hand press period.Special collections contain incunabula, broadsides, ephemera and artifacts.

Some materials contained within each of these collection areas document life and history in southeastern Ohio.

It is the mission of these three major parts of the Mahn Center to acquire, organize, preserve, and provide access to the various holdings of the Center through reference services, finding aids, presentations, and exhibits.

This statement was revised and expanded by the staff in the spring of 2006.

Kinds of Material Available

Mostly rare or unique items, of value for specialized research. The bulk of the collection consists of either printed books or original manuscripts and documents, but also includes photographs, periodicals, maps, sound recordings, and specialized references files. The holdings of the Department are grouped in three broad categories:

• Manuscript Collections
• Rare Book Collections
• University Archives

Reading Room Procedures

For information regarding the use of the reading room, its materials and the duplication of these materials, click HERE.

How to Reach Us

Postal mailing address:
Robert E. & Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections
Vernon R. Alden Library
Ohio University
Park Place
Athens, OH 45701-2978

Telephone: (740) 593-2710 Fax: (740) 593-2708

Hours: Monday - Friday: 9AM - 5 PM Saturday: 12PM - 4PM (during academic quarter)

Directions:

The Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections is located on the fifth floor of Alden Library.

For directions to Alden Library, take a look at the University map. The library is on the College Green in the center of the campus.

A portion of our holdings are at the Hwa-Wei Lee Library Annex. The library annex is located at 205 Columbus Road on the north edge of Athens, approximately one-quarter mile from the US Route 33-Columbus Road interchange.

Parking:

Parking in Athens can be challenging. You may use:

• parking meters on the street near Alden Library
• the City Parking Garage located on East Washington Street across the street from the Athens City Building. It has meters that use quarter coins or a smart card.
• campus parking. For more information about restrictions, go to the campus parking map.

If the materials you will be using are located at the Library Annex, it has ample parking.