News Library
Subject, Historical Files and the Subject Index
Subject Files contain information about topics related to the university community, including issues, departments, student organizations, research, lectures, scholarships, demonstrations and protests, buildings and more.
The Subject Index lists all of these files and includes “See” and “See Also” references to related material. A paper copy is available in the library. The index is updated on a regular basis. If you would like to view it as a Word document, contact the librarian and she will e-mail it to you.
Historical Files are Subject Files that, because of their age or volume, have been relocated to the cabinets by the copier. The Subject Index indicates the presence of a file in the Historical Files, and many of the Active Subject Files also refer to Historical Files. When an Active File fills, a new file is created and put in its place. The full file remains in the main files for a few months before it is moved to the historical files. After fifteen years of inactivity, historical files are moved to UW–Madison Archives and Records Management Services.