American School of Architecture Archive
Information
The American School refers to the imaginative school of design and practice that developed under the guidance of Bruce Goff, Herb Greene, and others at the University of Oklahoma in the 1950s and ‘60s. Under the leadership of Bruce Goff (1904-82), Herb Greene (b. 1929), Mendel Glickman (1895-1967), and many others, OU architecture and design faculty developed a curriculum that emphasized individual creativity, organic forms, and experimentation.
University of Oklahoma Libraries and the Gibbs College of Architecture have collaborated to collect, preserve, and provide access to an expansive archive of primary source materials including architectural drawings, photographs, planning records, and models that document the legacy of the American School. The American School Archive is accessible to the public on the 5th Floor of Bizzell Memorial Library in Special Research Collections.
View information about our collection materials below. For more help, visit our American School of Architecture Research Guide.
All visitors are required to follow the Special Research Collections' reading room policies. The policies include no food or drinks and leaving bags in the designated lockers.
Plan a Research Visit
Anyone can use the American School of Architecture Archive materials regardless of their university affiliation or geographic location. We require appointments to view collections in person as many of our materials are stored offsite. Our staff are available for in-person, virtual, and email consultations if you need assistance with your research. Collection materials may not be checked out and are made available for use in the Duane H.D. Roller Reading Room on the 5th floor of Bizzell Memorial Library.
To view materials in person, request an appointment.
To request assistance with distance research, please email us.
Visit our Research Services page for more information.
Plan an Instruction Session
The Special Research Collections user services team welcomes discussions with faculty about integrating primary sources from our collections into teaching and research activities.
Visit our Instruction Services page to learn more.
Search Our Collections
You can use these links to identify research materials:
- Archival Collection Finding Aids: This database contains inventories, also known as finding aids, for archival collections in Special Research Collections.
- Library Catalog: This database includes records for books, journals, and archival collections located in the Special Research Collections at the University of Oklahoma Libraries.
- Digital Collections: This repository provides access to digitized archival collections and rare books. Please note that any collection available online is not available for in-person research.
You can also find these resources on the Search Special Research Collections page.
Notable Initiatives
New Digital Collections Platform
The University Libraries is beta testing a new digital repository platform. The purpose of the University of Oklahoma Libraries' digital collections is to provide free online public access to high-resolution digital images of OU Libraries Special Research Collections materials to enhance scholarship, teaching, and community engagement. We invite you to explore the new beta site and share your feedback to help us improve.
Ongoing Programs
Contribute to the Collections
Thank you for considering a donation to the American School Archive. For information about the types of donations we accept and how to contribute, please visit the Contribute to the Special Research Collections page.
FAQ
Many American School items are stored off-site and require 48 hours' notice to ensure materials are available for appointments.
We offer a sample of works in our Murphy Hall display of select items from each of our collecting areas including American School.
Staff members do not interpret information contained in collection materials and are not available to perform in-depth research. For research that requires more than one hour of staff time, we will direct you to a researcher-for-hire.