The Archives and Special Collections is committed to the preservation, organization, and accessibility of primary source materials that document the history of National Louis University and its relationship to the Kindergarten Movement in Chicago. These materials are made available to the NLU community and to the general public.
These collections include:
- Personal books and papers of Elizabeth Harrison, Edna Dean Baker, and other former University Presidents
- Late 19th and early 20th century Froebel gifts, occupations, student work scrapbooks, and rare books on kindergarten education
- Photographs of students, faculty, staff, facilities, and events over the course of NLU’s history
- Historic and official NLU records and publications
We are located on the 3rd floor of 18 S. Michigan Avenue at NLU's downtown Chicago campus. Please contact us if you are interested in visiting the Archives and Special Collections or have questions regarding collection material.
Featured Collections:
Finding Aids for the NLU Archives
This database contains holding information for our archival collections. You can search for people, places, and departments to see what we have, or contact us for a research consultation.
Digital Commons at NLU provides access to the scholarship created by the students, faculty, and staff of National Louis University. The scholarship here represents the research in education, social sciences, and professional studies.
Enjoy coloring scenes from National Louis University’s past with images from the Archives and Special Collections.
Statement on harmful language and content in the NLU Archives and Special Collections:
As National Louis University Archives undertakes the digitization of its historical collections to make available online, we would like to acknowledge that historical materials can inherently represent positions and values that are not aligned with the university’s current mission. Some materials in collections may contain offensive language or imagery, however, the presentation of these materials in their entirety is done to allow community use and access without alteration of the historical record, as well as to facilitate conversations of accountability. If you encounter offensive material or language, contact the archives and special collections, and we will work to update collection descriptions to provide a fuller context. NLU’s archives is committed to creating educational spaces that are safe and inclusive. For questions or comments, please contact lib.archives@nl.edu.
Donations
The Archives and Special Collections welcomes donations of university records to enhance our collections. NLU records are all documents produced or received by any faculty, staff, or student of the university. For more information about donations, please contact us at lib.archives@nl.edu.