North Park University Archives
The North Park University Archives, part of the Covenant Archives and Historical Library, includes records from university departments, offices, and committees, as well as personal papers of early leaders. We also collect photographs, audio/video recordings, and publications by the university and its community (faculty, students, and administrators).
Major Digital Collections
Cupola
North Park’s yearbook (1916–2015), reflecting the academic year’s events from the student perspective.
Historical Photograph Collection
Search and explore images from the history of North Park and the Evangelical Covenant Church.
North Park Catalog
Published since 1892, this catalog outlines the university’s identity, academic programs, and policies for current and prospective students.
North Park Press
The student newspaper (1922–2014) covering news and commentary related to the North Park community.
Audiovisual Collections
Dorothy Vann Collection of Oral Histories
Oral history interviews recorded by public historian Dorothy Vann in the 1970s and 1980s, capturing stories from Chicago’s North Park neighborhood, dating back to the 1890s.
Oral History Collections
The archives feature interviews with individuals important to the history of North Park University, the Evangelical Covenant Church, and the Swedish-American Historical Society.
Other Collections
The North Parker
A magazine for alumni and friends, published since 1935. The Archives maintains a full run and is digitizing it as resources allow.
Alva Olson Friendship Book
A scrapbook kept by Alva Olson in 1918–19, containing clippings, photographs, notes, and signatures from classmates, reflecting campus life and student activities.
Contribute to the North Park University Archives
The mission of the Covenant Archives and Historical Library, which includes the North Park University Archives, is to support the activities and goals of the Evangelical Covenant Church and North Park University. This support is accomplished through identifying, collecting, preserving and making accessible those records of enduring value which document the above institutions. The collection is for the use of the Covenant Church, the University, and the general public.
The Covenant Archives was created by official action at the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Annual Meeting held at North Park in 1935. The Archives has been housed at North Park since 1953. The denomination retains ownership of the materials. The Archives is part of and administered by the Brandel Library.
The Archives will actively collect and make accessible records based upon their support of the above mission and the missions of the parent institutions. All recorded information, regardless of format or characteristics, made or received and maintained by an office, organization, or person will be considered for the collection. The collection will be developed by the expertise of the professional staff as well as through the recommendations of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s administration and the Commission on Covenant History, and North Park University administration.
North Park University records will be actively collected and made accessible according to the following general guidelines, with the implied precedence:
- Administrative records of North Park University
- Personal papers and collections documenting faculty, students and administrators carrying out the mission of North Park University.
- Publications issued by North Park University
Offices and departments of North Park University will find it necessary to manage and, from time to time, transfer administrative records to the Archives. Currently there is no institution-wide records retention policy or schedule of records transfer for any office. The director of archives will gladly consult with you to help determine which material should be transferred.
Please contact the Archivist for a consultation or/and to arrange the transfer of records.
Collection guidelines based on policy endorsed by the Commission on Covenant History, January 26, 1999.
Recommendations by F.M. Johnson Archives and Special Collections staff added May 2009.