Citing Archival Materials

Because archival material is not indexed by subject, author or title, use of the record series and box numbers is necessary for the location of material cited.

Material in the Archives that may be found in other places (e.g., publications) should be cited in the usual form, i.e.

  • The Daily Illini, (February 8, 1938), p. 3.
  • Illio, (1957), p. 58.
  • Illinois Alumni News, (July, 1938), 16:10, pp. 6-8.

Where most of the sources are in the University Archives, the initial citation may state, “All sources are located in the University of Illinois Archives, unless otherwise noted.” Record series numbers and boxes may then be cited in a short form, e.g. RS 15/13/1-3.

If a bibliography is included, full citations with record series and box numbers should be used. The following forms are suggested for:

Books

  • Thirty-seventh Report of the Board of Trustees, (Urbana, 1934), p. 418, Record Series 1/1/802, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Franklin W. Scott (ed.), The Semicentennial Alumni Record, (Chicago, 1918), p. 872, Record Series 26/4/801, University of Illinois Archives.

Periodicals, Pamphlets and Other Publications

  • Annual Register, (Urbana, 1945), p. 362, Record Series 25/3/801, University of Illinois Archives.
  • “Final Report on a Program of General Education,” Senate Committee on General Education Publications, (May 2, 1962), p. 13, Record Series 4/5/802, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Samuel Ridlen, “Rock-Cornish Hens,” Report from Animal Science, Poultry No, 1 (June 1, 1959), pp. 1-7, Record Series 8/7/803, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Eugene Chesson and William H. Munse, “Studies of the Behavior of High-Strength Bolts and Bolted Joints,” Engineering Experiment Station Bulletin 469, (October, 1964), p. 9, Record Series 11/2/805, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Ernest Hiller, “Houseboat and River-Bottoms People”, Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences, (Urbana, 1939), 24:1, p. 148, Record Series 7/1/810, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Ernest Bogart, “The Commencement Address,” Illinois Alumni News, (July, 1938), 16:10, pp. 6-8, Record Series 26/2/801, University of Illinois Archives or as a short form, Illinois Alumni News, July, 1938, pp. 6-8.
  • George D. Beal, “Ten Years of Chemistry at Illinois (1910-1927),” Departmental Histories, p. 49, Record Series 15/5/801, University of Illinois Archives.
  • “Course in Architectural Decoration,” August 1, 1906, Architecture Department Bulletins and Announcements, Record Series 12/2/802, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Commencement Invitation, June, 1892, Commencement Program File, Record Series 2/0/2, Box 1, University of Illinois Archives.

Letters

  • William J. Bryan to Edmund J. James, March 28, 1911, James Subject File, 1904-1918; Record Series 2/5/5, Box 36, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Franklin Scott to Carl Stephens, June 12, 1931, Franklin W. Scott Folder, Alumni Morgue, 1882-1964, Record Series 26/4/1, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Edgar J. Townsend to Kendric C. Babcock, February 4, 1914, Liberal Arts and Science Correspondence, 1913-1961, Record Series 15/1/1, Box 2, University of Illinois Archives.
  • George Sarton to William A. Oldfather, March 8, 1931, William A. Oldfather Papers, 1904-1945, Record Series 15/6/20, Box 4, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Phineas L. Windsor to David Kinley – Budget memorandum, June 26, 1929, Kinley General Correspondence, 1919-1930, Record Series 2/6/1, Box 188, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Newton Bateman to Mason Brayman, December 14, 1868, John M. Gregory Papers, 1939-1898, Record Series 2/1/1, Box 2, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Thomas J. Burrill to William B. McKinley, January 20, 1906, Thomas J. Burrill Papers, 1864-1910, Record Series 15/4/20, Box 1, University of Illinois Archives.

Unpublished Minutes, Reports and Articles

  • Faculty Record, February 14, 1870, Record Series 4/1/1, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Albert Lee, “Presidents I Have Known,” ca. 1940, Carl Stephens Papers, 1915-1917, 1920-1951, Record Series 26/1/20, Box 12, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Nowell-Stearns Report, 1952-1953, History Subject File, 1897-1959, Record Series 15/13/1, Box 3, University of Illinois Archives.
  • Stephen A. Forbes, Reference File, University of Illinois Archives.

Recordings or Tapes

  • Eugene Davenport, “Agriculture of Tomorrow,” (1937), WILL Disk Recordings, 1937-, Record Series 13/6/5, University of Illinois Archives.
  • “Tape Recorded Interview with Victor E. Shelford,” April 1, 1965, Victor E. Shelford Papers, 1901-1965, Record Series 15/24/20, University of Illinois Archives.

Scrapbooks

  • Edmund J. James, ” ‘Keep Boy in School’ Drive to be War Aid,” Chicago News, August 10, 1918, SATC Scrapbook – James Subject Scrapbooks, vol. 27, Record Series 2/5/11, University of Illinois Archives.

Photographs

  • Class of 1888 Reunion Photograph, 1923, Photograph Subject File, Record Series 39/2/29, Box 2, folder ALU -2, University of Illinois Archives.

All photographs which are used for reproduction or display must acknowledge the ownership of the University of Illinois Archives.