What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

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Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

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Archives, Museum, and More! The Richard B.

Russell Library for Political Research and Studies is a political archives and museum at the University of Georgia dedicated to the study of modern politics and policymaking on local, state, national, and global levels. It offers a wide variety of research, learning, and engagement opportunities through access to its archival collections, museum exhibits, and public programs. Each year the Russell Library offers several exhibits and 15-20 public programs and shares over 450 archival collections with researchers from around the world.

10/15/2026

The Herbert H. Mabry Papers are now open for research!

Born in 1929 in Roswell, Herb Mabry studied labor law at the Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. He entered union politics in 1950 while working as a carpenter for Sears Roebuck, when he joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (Carpenters' Union) Local 225 in Atlanta. In 1969, he became the president of that Union. At the 1970 convention, he was elected secretary of the Georgia AFL-CIO. In 1972, he was elected to the Union Executive Board. He was the first labor representative on the Democratic National Committee, and helped bring the National Democratic Convention to Georgia in 1998.

This collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, awards, invitations, and other materials related to his career.

10/08/2026

The Penny Houston Papers are now open for research!

Born in 1942, Penny Houston was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives between 1997 and 2025. She represented District 170, which covers Berrien, Cook, and parts of Tift County. She served as a Republican in Georgia, advocating for rural economic development. While serving in the House, she chaired the Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development and served on the Ways and Means, Banks and Banking, Economic Development and Tourism, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, and Appropriations committees.

This collection consists of Houston's correspondence, constituent files, legislative notes, and bills from her years serving in the Georgia Legislature.

10/01/2026

The William Proctor Jones Papers are now open for research!

William Proctor Jones (1941-2009) was a longtime Senate staffer and energy lobbyist. He began his career in Washington as an intern for Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. As a Senate staffer, he worked with the Senate's Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee from 1978 until he retired in 1997.

The collection documents Jones' career through correspondence, congressional files, and photographs. Notable topics include his involvement with the Superconducting Super Collider, energy policy and consulting work, and files related to his work with Richard B. Russell.

09/24/2026

The Pedro Rafael Marin Papers are now open for research!

Pedro "Pete" Rafael Marin (1958-) is a member of the Democratic Party and the longest-serving Hispanic legislator in Georgia's history. A member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 2003 to 2025, he represented Georgia's 66th district from 2003 to 2005 and Georgia's 96th district from 2005 to 2025. He has been a member of the Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs, a founding member of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, a Board Member of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, an Executive Board Member of the Northeast Georgia Council Boy Scouts of America, and an Advisory Board Member of the United Way of Gwinnett County. He did not run for reelection in 2024.

The collection consists of photographs, bills, correspondence, legislative certificates, electoral certificates, and news clippings from Marin's time as a community leader and member of the Georgia House of Representatives.

09/17/2026

The Dawn Bennett-Alexander Papers are now open for research!

This collection consists of campaign paraphernalia from Hilary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. It includes one T-shirt, campaign pins, and campaign signs.

06/03/2026

With new collections from U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson now open at our Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, records from two of Georgia’s highest-ranking politicians of the early 2000s are now freely available to the public.

The collections provide insider perspectives into 21st century congressional debates, including budget and tax reform battles, the Affordable Care Act, and the Global War on Terror and the 2003-2011 Iraq War, as well as immigration issues and federal agriculture policy. In addition, the collections include campaign memorabilia, constituent correspondence, photographs, and other objects from Chambliss’s and Isakson’s life and service in state politics dating back to the 1970s.

Learn more about the collections at the link in the comments.

02/26/2026

The Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy Records are now open for research!

In 1975, the Developmental Disabilities Act required states to create advocacy offices—but Georgia chose a unique path by investing in citizen advocacy. Founded as an independent nonprofit in 1983, Chatham‑Savannah Citizen Advocacy (CSCA) recruits and trains local citizens to advocate for people with disabilities.

This collection includes board minutes, reports, photos, event materials, and case files. Also included are the papers of longtime leader Tom Kohler, which document the organization’s history, advocacy principles, and impact in the community.

12/19/2025

Our Outreach Archivist, Kaylynn Washnock-Stooksbury, is hard at work installing the Russell Library's newest exhibit "Beyond the '96 Games: Atlanta's Olympic Legacy"!

The exhibit will be open to the public in mid-January, with a celebration opening on February 12th!

12/04/2025

The Southern Center for International Studies Records are now open for research!

The Southern Center for International Studies (SCIS) is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to international study. Since its inception in 1962, it has hosted many high-profile conferences, public programs, and television productions that promote international issues and the global environment.

11/20/2025

The Atlanta Office of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Records are open for research!

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy—started in 1983 as the Campaign for a Prosperous Georgia—opposing the construction of Plant Vogtle and subsequent rate hikes, but expanded its focus into a larger clean energy movement. In the early 2000s, the group changed its name and merged with another advocacy group. Their work has continued through advocacy for clean energy, opposition to nuclear and other power plants, and intervention with the Georgia Public Service Commission.

This collection is organized chronologically, focusing on issues within Georgia and the Southeast, with some materials from other similar organizations across the country. The records include legal documents, correspondence, research, newsletters, printed material, photographs, electronic records, and audiovisual recordings.

Address

300 S Hull Street
Athens, GA
30602

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Website

https://www.libs.uga.edu/russell

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