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College Archives

The Bowdoin College Archives collects and preserves college records that have enduring legal, fiscal, historical, or administrative value, and makes these resources accessible to the public. Archival records document the development and growth of the College, particularly its functions of teaching and learning, its role in the broader community, and the activities of its faculty, student body, and alumni. Records come in many forms and can be physical or electronic. Records may include correspondence, reports, and documents; photographs and audio-visual materials; publications; and three-dimensional objects.

College archival records are organized under the general principal of "office of origin," with records created or collected by a particular office or program kept together. Some records are grouped by type or function, such as student publications. Archival records are described in collection guides, also called finding aids. You can browse a list of archival collections below, or search our finding aids and other resources using the search box above.

For information on scheduling and the disposition of current College records, visit the Records Management section of this website.

Title: A01.06 - Class Records, 1806-2023

Dates: 1806-2023

Title: A03.09 - Student Examinations

Dates: 1870-1976

Title: A03.15 - Department Of Art: Records

Dates: 1971-2016

Title: A03.37 - Naval Radar School: Records

Dates: 1941-1946

Title: A04.05 - Bowdoin Orient: Publications And Records

Dates: 1871-

Abstract: Since the first issue was published in 1871, the Bowdoin Orient has been printed and published in volumes numbered consecutively by academic year, then issues numbered within the yearly volume. An (available since 2000) has been saved from 2017 onwards. The Bowdoin Orient remains a primary resource for current information and commentary by Bowdoin students. The collections also includes records of the Bowdoin Publishing Company which handled the business management of the Bowdoin Orient from 1912 until 2002, and Bowdoin Orient correspondence and office files.

Title: A04.12 - Bugle

Dates: 1858-2012

Title: A04.29 - The Quill

Dates: 1897-

Title: A04.36 - Peucinian Society: Records

Dates: 1805-1877, 2007-

Title: A04.37 - Athenaean Society: Records

Dates: 1817-1887

Title: A04.38 - Women's Resource Center Records

Dates: 1980-2015

Abstract: Center that provided a safe space for students founded in 1980.

Title: A04.41 - Student Publications

Dates: 1826-

Title: A04.78 - Phi Beta Kappa: Records

Dates: 1825-ongoing

Title: A05.01 - Library: Records

Dates: 1802-2019

Title: A06.02 - Bowdoin College Bulletin

Dates: 1904-1976

Title: A06.09 - Bowdoin College Web Archive

Dates: 2017-ongoing

Abstract: The web content included in is harvested and made accessible through Bowdoin's subscription with the Internet Archive's service, Archive-It. The web archive comprises the official College website (bowdoin.edu), and its subpages and subdomains as well as Bowdoin-managed social media accounts and some video content. Other non-official web content created independently by members of the Bowdoin community, primarily students and student organizations is also archived, including the website of the student newspaper, the Bowdoin Orient.

Title: A07.01 - Bowdoin Scientific Review

Dates: 1870-1872