The primary purpose of the Carleton College Archives is to gather, preserve, and make available for institutional reference and public research use documentation and information pertaining to the work, history, and development of Carleton College, or about programs, policies, activities, events, persons, or groups associated with the College.

Carleton tennis player Tom James '89 returns the ball at a game during during 1987-1988.
Carleton tennis player Tom James ’89 returns the ball at a game during during 1987-1988.
Two students work with plants for a botany lab in 1951.
Two students work with plants for a botany lab in 1951.
A student receives bass lessons from instructor Kenneth Davenport at the music hall in 1964.
A student receives bass lessons from instructor Kenneth Davenport at the music hall in 1964.
Buddha snow sculpture, 1983.
Buddha snow sculpture, 1983.
Knight and dragon snow sculpture, 1960. Student is Carole Pushing '61.
Knight and dragon snow sculpture, 1960. Student is Carole Pushing ’61.
First (and only) metric football game.
First (and only) metric football game.

Access the OSCAR database

OSCAR (Online Search of Carleton’s Archival Records) is the College Archives’ searchable online database. It contains information about the hundreds of archival collections managed by the College Archives, as well as digitized copies of many individual items within those collections. For more information about OSCAR, see our user guide

Location: Laurence McKinley Gould Library, Room 164

Hours: Visits to the College Archives are by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled for Monday-Friday, 8am to 4:00 pm.  

Contact: archives@carleton.edu or 507-222-4270

Researchers: Please make an appointment in advance.