The University Archives has its origins as part of the Special Collections Research Center, which was formed as a separate unit of the library in 1969. In 1978, the Head of Special Collections drafted a plan for establishing a comprehensive archival repository for the university, since most of the records at that time were scattered throughout various offices on campus and were not being transferred in a systematic fashion to Special Collections. Simply put, people were directing questions to the university library concerning the history of The George Washington University that could not be answered, because the records necessary to answer them were not physically here.
In 1986 the newly appointed University Archivist wrote another report outlining the need for a better organized and comprehensive archives for the university. In 1987 the National Historic Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) awarded a grant to the university to develop an archives and records management program. Continuing this work, the University Archives is charged with acting as the official repository of university records (including the Medical and Law Schools). The Archives also maintains the David S. Brown Memorabilia Room on the ground floor of the Gelman Library, which displays a number of interesting artifacts from the university's past.
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