Research Use of Yale University Archives

With the exception of materials issued to a University-wide audience, access to university records is restricted for a minimum of thirty-five years from the date the records were created.  Such restrictions are established by Yale Corporation regulations.

Policy on access to restricted university records

The following conditions govern which university offices and staff have or can grant permission to access restricted records that have been transferred to the University Archives:

1. The office that created the records retains the right to access those records as needed. It is the responsibility of the head of the office to designate office staff members who have access to the restricted records and notify the University Archives at archives@yale.edu of any authorized requestors.  All authorized requestors must be registered with Manuscripts and Archives.  To register, visit https://aeon.library.yale.edu/. 

2. Any Yale staff, including university officers (except for the offices of the president and general counsel), who wish to access restricted records of an office other than their own must secure permission from the head of the office that created the records.

3. The University Archives mediates all unauthorized requests for restricted records.  Staff will review the requested records to determine whether access may be granted under specific circumstances.  If the University Archives is unable to provide access to requested records, staff may forward the request to the Yale Secretary's Office, where the final decision to grant or deny access will be made. 

Questions may be sent to archives@yale.edu.