University Archives

The Brigham Young University–Hawaii University Archives was established in 1956 to preserve the history of the institution and promote fair and balanced historical research; supports, embraces, and engages members of diverse groups and identities; and respects the legacy of the records creators.

The Brigham Young University–Hawaii University Archives (BYU–Hawaii University Archives), part of the Joseph F. Smith Library archives and special collections, is the official repository for non-current university records of Brigham Young University–Hawaii, including records of related organizations of the campus and the personal papers of the faculty and staff. The University Archives also house the intellectual creation of the university in the form of dissertations and theses, as well as overseeing the collection of articles and books related to the university’s history.

In addition to university records, the BYU–Hawaii Univeristy Archives house historical collections and primary source materials that document 19th and 20th century local, regional, Hawaiʻi, Pacific, Latter-day Saint, American, and in some cases, world history as pertaining to areas represented by the BYU–Hawaii student body. Areas of focus for our materials include:

• Hawaiʻi, Pacific island, and Asia-Pacific history and ethnography
• History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hawaiʻi, Pacific, and Asia
• History of the Lāʻie community and Koʻolauloa region of Oʻahu
• Plantation history of Lāʻie and Kahuku
• LDS scholarship and historiography pertaining to Hawaiʻi, Pacific, and East Asia

Current collection materials include books, manuscripts, photos, audio and visual recordings, and approximately 1,500 Polynesian and Asian artifacts.