University Libraries

Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections.

The Mahn Center is the principal repository for rare books, manuscripts, and Ohio University archives material.  The Mahn Center’s mission is to support the education, research, and creative endeavors of the Ohio University community.  Contact staff in Archives & Special Collections to arrange a tour, discuss how to use archival collections, how to work with your class and for help in any archival research.  

Particular Collections of Interest

• Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection. The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection documents the careers of two leaders in American Modern Dance. The collection includes films, videos, photographs, manuscripts, posters, administrative documents, awards, programs, reviews, and musical recordings. 
• Cornelius Ryan Collection of World War II Papers:  Correspondence, documents, photographs, diaries, accounts, manuscripts, audio tapes, interviews, journal articles, screenplays, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and books detailing Ryan’s career as a journalist and author of the books The Longest Day, The Last Battle, and A Bridge Too Far.
• Author Collections:  Bukowski, Dickens, Frank Harris, Jesse Stuart, Dard Hunter, Kipling, Tennyson, Wells and more. 
• Gilbert and Ursula Farfel Collection of Incunable and Manuscript Leaves:  The Gilbert and Ursula Farfel collection of incunabula and manuscript leaves includes 500 pieces dating from the 8th Century through 1999. The bulk of the collection (over 300 leaves) dates from the 15th Century. 
• Edmund Blunden Papers:  The Edmund Blunden papers contain correspondence and writings of Blunden; playbills collected by Blunden and newspaper clippings. Many of the letters are to Dorothea Hayward Scott, another English author.

Ohio University and Athens LGBTQ+ Collection

Ohio University Archives is excited to announce the recent acquisition of our first major LGBTQ+-related University Archives collection. Donated this past spring by OHIO alum Rebecca Chmielewski (MFA, 2018) and the University’s LGBT Center, the new collection presents a comprehensive study of LGBTQ+ history, life, and culture on the OHIO campus and in Athens in general.

The collection includes documentation in newspaper clippings, correspondence, and copies of important University and city governmental papers related to the early struggles for recognition and fairness for OHIO’s gay and lesbian students, faculty, and staff and gay and lesbian Athenians. Events posters, informative brochures, and other materials from the various LGBTQ+ organizations that began and evolved locally from the 1970s through the 2010s, demonstrate evidence of a vigorous, active, dedicated movement that has continued throughout this time to advocate for the concerns of the local LGBTQ+ community.

The Mary C. Doxsee Historic Clothing and Textiles Collection, Patton College of Education

The Mary C. Doxsee Historic Clothing and Textiles Collection holds over 2,500 historical costume pieces that range from an 1820's day dress to 1920's scarab beetle hair pins to 1980's color block tops and everything in-between. The Doxsee Collection prides itself on being a teaching tool for individual student use, classroom presentations, community outreach and other roles it is used in for academic and community purposes.