Presidential Libraries: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

Overview

The Presidential Libraries system is a nationwide network of sixteen libraries and museums administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). These repositories preserve and make available the papers, records, and historical materials of U.S. presidents from Herbert Hoover (31st President) through Joseph R. Biden Jr. (46th President). Each presidential library combines an archival repository with a public museum and education programs.

History and Founding

The Presidential Library system traces its origins to 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt donated his personal and presidential papers to the federal government and announced plans to build a library on his Hyde Park, New York estate using private funds. Congress accepted the facility as part of what would become the National Archives. After President Harry S. Truman followed Roosevelt's example, Congress formally established the Presidential Library System with the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955. The Presidential Records Act of 1978 fundamentally reformed the system by establishing that presidential records are the property of the United States government rather than personal property of the president. The Presidential Libraries Act of 1986 introduced endowment requirements for new libraries. The Barack Obama Presidential Center (2009–2017) introduced a new model under which NARA maintains fully digitized records while a privately operated center handles museum functions.

Collections and Holdings

Collectively, the Presidential Libraries maintain over 600 million pages of textual materials, nearly 20 million photographs, over 20 million feet of motion picture film, nearly 100,000 hours of audio and video recordings, over 500 terabytes of electronic data, and close to 750,000 museum objects. Holdings include official presidential documents, staff files, cabinet papers, diplomatic correspondence, audiovisual records, campaign materials, personal papers, and gifts from foreign dignitaries. The libraries also hold the personal papers of cabinet officials, envoys, political associates, and members of the president's family.

Relevance to Journalism and Media Research

The Presidential Libraries are among the most important archives for research into U.S. government policy, diplomatic history, political communications, and media relations. They house extensive records of White House press operations, presidential press conferences, media correspondence, and public communications strategies that are essential to journalists and historians studying the relationship between the presidency and the press.

Access and Services

Most Presidential Libraries are open to the public as museums and to researchers by appointment. Many holdings have been digitized and are accessible through the National Archives Catalog. Individual library websites provide finding aids and online collections. Hours of operation and access policies vary by location.