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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Athens, GA
Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

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 Rus

sell Library offers several exhibits and 15-20 public programs and shares over 450 archival collections with researchers from around the world.

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.

11/17/2025

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18th, at 3 PM for the annual Jeannette Rankin Legacy Lecture featuring author Lorissa Rinehart in conversation about Rankin’s impact.

Rinehart’s new biography Winning the Earthquake (St. Martin’s Press, Nov. 2025) reintroduces Jeannette Rankin—the first woman elected to U.S. Congress and longtime Athens resident—whose fearless leadership shaped women’s rights and peace movements. The book draws on archives including the Russell Library’s Rankin materials.

RSVP at rankinfoundation.org/book-tour for a chance to win a signed copy.

For more information: https://www.libs.uga.edu/news/rankin-biographer-discuss-research-russell-library-archives

11/04/2025

Congratulations to the Newtown Florist Club on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. This past weekend, members of the Russell Library and UGA Special Collection Libraries attended the Club's sold-out anniversary banquet and a screening of "We've Come This Far by Faith: The E.E. Butler High School Story," an original documentary film about education and community in Gainesville and Hall County.

Construction of the E.E. Butler High School. Hall County, Georgia historical photograph collection, Hall County Library System.

10/31/2025

🎃 Spooky Season Meets Civic Spirit! 🇺🇸

Celebrate Halloween with a twist of patriotism from the George (Buddy) Darden Collection—where festive pumpkins, balloons, and flags come together in archival style!

10/16/2025

The Preston Harris Hines Papers are now open for research.

Preston Harris Hines (1943-2018) graduated from Emory University with his J.D. in 1968, and was admitted to the state bar in 1969. Hines moved to Cobb County, where he worked for the Marietta law firm Edwards, Bentley, Awtrey, and Parker. Former Governor Zell Miller appointed Hines to the Georgia Supreme Court in 1995, where he rose to the rank of Chief Justice in 2017. Justice Hines retired from the bench on August 31, 2018.

The collection contains speeches, prayers, correspondence, campaign and election ephemera, awards, and other materials related to Justice Hines and his time on the Georgia Supreme Court.

10/02/2025

The Dan Rumelt and Kathie J. Klass Papers are now open for research.

This collection consists of documents related to consumer advocacy and the establishment of the U.S. Consumer Protection Agency.

Kathie J. Klass has been a lifelong advocate for customer awareness, consumer safety, and public education. She served in the Office of the Consumer Advocate at the Postal Rate Commission, the Office of Public and Consumer Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and most recently as the Food and Nutrition Service's Deputy Director for Communications and Governmental Affairs.

Dan Rumelt began his career at the Federal Citizen Information Center in the General Services Administration and at the White House Office of Consumer Affairs. He later served as Deputy Director of the Office of Information and Public Affairs, and then the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as Director of Communication Services for fourteen years, where he managed the development and distribution of information about product safety and recalls. Most recently, Rumelt served in the Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division in the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

09/23/2025

Full house for the Deborah Blum event. So excited to hear the conversation with Francisco Diez-Gonzalez!

09/19/2025

Join us on TUESDAY at 6 PM for the induction of author Deborah Blum into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame!

After the event, the University of Georgia Bookstore will host a sale of Blum's works.

Free parking available in the Hull Street Deck after 5pm. See you there!

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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