RU Digital Archives

The Cory Library for Humanities Research, situated at Rhodes University in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, serves as one of the country’s premier repositories of regional and humanities scholarship. Founded on the foundational deposit of historian Sir George Cory’s manuscripts, publications, and personal papers, the Library has developed a distinctive focus on the history, cultures, and intellectual life of the Eastern Cape, with particular attention to the development of the region's documentary record and its people.

The International Library of African Music (ILAM) aims to discover, record, analyse, and archive the music of sub-Saharan Africa, with the object of establishing a theory of music making in Africa and assessing the social, cultural, and artistic values of African music. ILAM is attached to the Music Department at Rhodes University and coordinates its Ethnomusicology Programme, which offers undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Ethnomusicology that include training in the performance of African music.

The Labour Research Service (LRS) is a South African organisation founded in 1986 to support trade unions and labour movement organisations with research, information, capacity building and education. Its work has focused on strengthening the collective bargaining power of unions and enhancing workers’ participation in socio-economic policy debates since the late apartheid era.

The Rhodes University Botanical Collections support teaching, research and conservation in plant sciences and house significant historical and contemporary botanical materials. Central to these collections is the Selmar Schonland Herbarium (GRA), one of South Africa’s oldest and largest herbaria, incorporating both the historic Albany Museum and Rhodes University herbaria. The collections are particularly strong in specimens from the Eastern Cape and southern Africa and include type specimens of international scientific importance.

Together with associated botany teaching and research collections, these holdings provide an essential resource for botanical research, biodiversity documentation and environmental studies at Rhodes University.

A functional archive of the Rhodes University Drama Department wardrobe. This site is designed to assist production teams in identifying and sourcing costumes for departmental plays and independent projects.

Browse: Explore by period, color, or production.

Request: Note the Asset No. for inquiries with the Wardrobe Master.

History: View the original context of garments used in past Rhodes productions.

Please cite the Asset Number when requesting items for fittings.

The Rhodes University History Archive preserves and provides access to the documentary and visual record of the institution’s development since its founding in 1904. The archive comprises administrative papers, personal collections, institutional reports, photographs, and ephemera that collectively document the academic, social, and architectural development of the university. As a resource for researchers, alumni, and the broader community, the collection supports the study of institutional memory, governance, student life, and the wider educational context in South Africa. Through ongoing preservation and digitisation, the archive ensures that the legacy and lived experiences of Rhodes University remain accessible for future generations.

The Rhodes University Visual Representation of Arts and Culture (VRAC) is a digital repository and research platform hosted on Omeka S, dedicated to preserving, curating, and analysing the university's diverse artistic and cultural assets through scholarly research.

As a centralised hub for the university’s institutional memory, VRAC bridges the gap between physical archives and global digital accessibility. The site is designed to support the university's pedagogical goals while serving as a public-facing showcase of South African heritage.