Welcome to Regional History Center and University Archives

Welcome to the Regional History Center and University Archives (RHCUA), a unit of the Special Collections and Archives (SCA) Department at the NIU Libraries. The RHCUA’s unique holdings support NIU’s commitment to education, research, and public service with the mission to acquire, preserve, and make available the most significant historical records of the northern Illinois region. We actively collection form the eighteen northern counties of Illinois (excluding Cook County) and serve as the official historical repository for NIU.

Since 1977, the RHCUA has grown into a multifaceted research center which houses a wide range of regional archives collections and university archives in a variety of formats and media. The RHCUA works closely with its counterpart in the SCA, the Rare Books and Special Collections (RBSC) unit, along with other partners in the NIU Libraries, including the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD), now located in the Government Publications Department.

The Special Collections and Archives Department frequently adds to its collections, so please contact the SCA Department Head, Brad Wiles (815-753-9392), if you believe you have documents, books, or other collections that should be preserved for future generations.