Gelman Library’s University Archives is responsible for preserving University documents and records, including issues of The Hatchet.

David Anderson is the University archivist and is in charge of making sure that all of the material sent to his department is properly stored. He said that the University Archives has records from as far back as the early 1800s, including every edition of The Hatchet.

Many people who use the facilities come to read the old Hatchets because they are such an accurate source of information, Anderson said.

“The Hatchet is a great reference in regard to the University’s history,” Anderson said.

There archives keeps two copies of each issue of every GW publication. This ensures that there will always be resources available for those individuals who need them for references. Anderson said the preserved publications also are useful for exhibits on GW.

Archives has originals of The Hatchet as well as other publications such as The Cherry Tree Yearbook, IT magazine and the GW law school’s Advocate newspaper. Archives employees also have The George Washington News, a Hatchet competitor; The pre-Cherry Tree Columbiad Yearbook; the campus magazine The Insider; and The Colombian Call, all defunct publications.

These original copies are kept in boxes lined with acid-free paper. This procedure slows down the deterioration of the paper and allows the publications to be better preserved.

Issues of The Hatchet from 1904 until 1988 also have been transferred onto microfilm. Papers published after 1988 are still in their original form but are usually transferred in five-year increments.

Old Hatchets can be found in the GW University Archives on the second floor of the Gelman Library and are available for the public to see during the library’s business hours.