Alumni Information

Go Back in Time by Exploring Purdue History:

Explore the rich heritage of Purdue with resources provided by Archives and Special Collections, including rare books that date back to the 15th century, historical newspapers, past year books, and exhibitions around famous alumni such as Amelia Earhart.

• Debris: (1889–2008): Purdue student yearbooks include photographs and information on students and faculty, various schools, departments, and campus organizations.
• Purdue Exponent (1889–2017): Purdue newspapers containing information on key events on campus, major changes and decisions made, new departments and organizations, and student and faculty profiles.
• Purdue Alumnus (1909–2022): “Purdue Alumnus” magazine—referred to as “Bulletin of the Purdue Alumni Association” in its early years—is the flagship publication of the Purdue for Life Foundation. It aims to inform, inspire, and entertain readers through stories that provide insight into Purdue University and its initiatives, alumni, students, faculty, and staff.
• Oral History Program Collection: This collection captures reminiscences by individuals who have been associated with the growth, change, and history of the university. These interviews enrich our understanding of Purdue by retaining and providing access to oral evidence of past decisions, events, accomplishments, and programs through first-hand accounts by individuals who participated in or actively observed the evolution of the University.
• Newsreels and Year in Review recordings: These recordings serve as comprehensive audio-visual retrospectives, encapsulating the essence of academic advancements, vibrant student activities, architectural developments, athletic triumphs, and memorable special events that define each passing year.
• Purdue Campus Facilities and Buildings Historic Database: Delve into the rich history of the West Lafayette campus, tracing its evolution through interactive maps and detailed records. This collaborative project offers insights into Purdue’s architectural heritage, from its earliest structures to its modern landmarks. Discover the stories behind each building, from their construction details to the generous donors who contributed to their development.

Virtual Author Talks:

Watch talks from bestselling authors and thought leaders. Books and authors cover a wide range of fiction and non-fiction genres including historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, poetry, business, personal growth, social justice, history, art, culture, and more. Visit our Author Talks page for more information.

Ask a Librarian:

Having trouble finding a specific resource? Can’t find the database that fits your research? Not sure where else to look? Ask a Librarian. Purdue Libraries has many ways to assist you to make sure you find what you need.

On Campus Access for Alumni:

Alumni and visitors can access licensed online resources from designated guest computers in our library locations on campus, including the Humanities, Social Sciences and Education library in Stewart Center, the Mathematical Sciences Library, the Veterinary Medical Library, and in Wilmeth Active Learning Center. Please note that printing services are not available for guests, but you can save PDF documents to cloud services like Dropbox, Box, and Google Drive. Need assistance? Our information desk in these libraries is here to help.