Schedule a visit to the historic West Point Room to view primary sources and consult with the Archive and Special Collections team. Contact arch-spec@usmalibrary.org to schedule an appointment. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 public health emergency, access to USMA resources and facilities may be suspended at any time and without advance notice. USMA Library reserves the right to cancel or postpone any research appointments at any time. All researchers should provide accurate contact information to facilitate any notifications regarding their planned visit.
The West Point Room was built in 1964 for the Cadet Library. It is now the reading room for Archives and Special Collections. The Archives and Special Collections department is located in Bartlett Hall on the fourth floor.
The Archives and Special Collections team can accommodate virtual class visits and library instruction for your class. Past class visits include American History, Military History, History of the Book, English Composition, English Literature, and more. To request library instruction, please fill out this form: Information Literacy Instruction Request
Can't make an appointment to join us in the West Point Room? No Worries! Access digitized Archives and Special Collections material through the USMA Digital Collections
The Archives collection is comprised of the historical administrative records of the U.S. Military Academy, dating from its founding in 1802 through the present. Manuscripts, typescripts, publications, photographs, sound recordings, and maps are included in the collection. To qualify for the Archives, the material must have been generated by the Academy in the course of official business and must be of permanent historical value. Although maintained at West Point, these materials constitute record group 404 of the National Archives of the United States. As part of the National Archives, they are available to researchers within the confines of applicable rules, regulations, and statutes.
The Archives include many series of Academy publications, such as the cadet yearbook, Howitzer; the post newspaper, Pointer View; Annual Reports of the Superintendent; and many others.
In addition to the original records comprising record group 404, the USMA Archives maintains National Archives Microfilm Publications of related records from other record groups.
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The Special Collections are comprised of a variety of materials from private and commercial sources. They are often made available to researchers from outside the Academy by request.
The Special Collections include approximately 1,500 linear feet of manuscript materials. Most of the collection consists of personal manuscripts of Academy alumni; however, some non-graduate papers are also included.
The collections also contain published sources such as books, maps, photographs, and ephemera. The book collection includes early European and American imprints, and the Sylvanus Thayer Collection acquired in the early years of the Academy and association volumes, books by and about Academy alumni, and books on the history of West Point, the Academy, and the Hudson Valley.
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The Archives and Special Collections reading room is open to researchers Monday through Friday, 0800-1600; exceptions will be posted. Researchers (excluding USMA Cadets, staff, and faculty) are accommodated by appointment only. To request a research appointment, please create an account in Aeon with details about your request. Once you submit a request, you can log in to receive updates on your request's status. Please allow time for us to respond; appointments are not set until a confirmation is received.
Research Registration System and Appointment Requests
USMA Faculty: Schedule a visit to the historic West Point Room to view original materials related to your course. Past visits include American History, Military History, History of the Book, English Composition, English Literature, and more. To request library instruction, please fill out this form: Information Literacy Instruction Request.
USMA Archives and Special Collections staff is available by chat or by email (arch-spec@usmalibrary.org) to assist you.
To make a research request:
To make a manual request:
USMA Archives and Special Collections staff is available by chat or by email (arch-spec@usmalibrary.org) to assist researchers with USMA related questions. However, our first priority are current USMA cadets, faculty, and staff.
To make a research request:
To make a manual request:
USMA Faculty: Schedule a visit to the historic West Point Room to view original materials related to your course. Past visits include American History, Military History, History of the Book, English Composition, English Literature, and more. To request library instruction, please fill out this form: Information Literacy Instruction Request
