Unidad de Archivo Histórico Universidad de Guadalajara

History and Founding

The Unidad de Archivo Histórico (Historical Archive Unit) of the Universidad de Guadalajara is housed at Casa Zuno, a historic residence donated to the university in 1974 by José Guadalupe Zuno and his wife Carmen Arce. The archive operates under the Coordinación General de Patrimonio (General Coordination of Heritage), a unit of the Secretaría General of the Universidad de Guadalajara. The university itself traces its origins to the founding of the Real y Literaria Universidad de Guadalajara in 1791 by royal charter of King Carlos IV of Spain. The first institutional predecessor to the current archive appeared in the university's Organic Law of 1937, which assigned archival responsibilities to the Oficialía Mayor.

Collections and Holdings

The archive preserves the documentary heritage of leading educational institutions in western Mexico dating from 1792 onward, including the Universidad de Guadalajara itself. Holdings include academic records, administrative documents, degree certificates, institutional correspondence, and historical records from predecessor institutions of the colonial and early national periods. Among the most notable documents is the Cédula Real (Royal Charter) issued by King Carlos IV in 1791 for the founding of the Real Universidad de Guadalajara. The archive holds over 96,000 catalogued documents, representing approximately 85 percent of the institution's total historical holdings.

Digitization and Virtual Access

Following five years of digitization work, the archive launched a Virtual Repository in October 2020, providing free, unrestricted online access to its catalogued holdings. This platform allows researchers worldwide to browse and download historical documents remotely.

Access and Usage

Researchers may access the physical archive at Casa Zuno by appointment. The Virtual Repository is freely accessible online. The archive offers documentary consultation services and maintains an electronic database indexed with a General Guide to Documentary Funds.