Cornell University Library Acquires Permanent Access to Visual History Archive

The ties between Cornell University and USC Shoah Foundation are many, and now, they are permanent: The Cornell University Library has acquired access to the Visual History Archive in perpetuity. Cornell University became the 52nd site to provide full access to the archive on an annual basis in November 2015, and the impact on research and education has been significant. This impact can now continue for generations to come, as the witnesses who gave testimony had hoped.

“The Visual History Archive is now a permanent resource at Cornell, ensuring that the power of first-person testimony can impact both current students and future generations in their understanding of the Holocaust and the issues of culture, identity, and politics that surround it,” said Cornell Trustee Emeritus Bob Katz, who is also a Life Member of USC Shoah Foundation’s Board of Councilors and helped make the Cornell University Library commitment possible. “The fact that the testimonies can be applied to different academic disciplines makes the archive a valuable resource for the diverse interests of Cornell’s students and faculty.”

“I'm grateful to Cornell University and the Cornell University Library for creating the vision to permanently integrate testimony into their campus experience and look forward to the research insights and teaching that spring from it,” said Finci-Viterbi Executive Director of USC Shoah Foundation, Stephen D. Smith. The Cornell Chronicle published an article announcing the news.