The Greenways Archive is a collaborative collecting program of the North Carolina State University Libraries and the College of Design. The archive was conceived in 1991 to bring together materials that document the grass roots greenway movement. The Charles E. Little Papers of information and materials describing greenway projects across the United States forms the core of the Greenways Archive. Little wished to make his papers available to researchers and other greenway activists in an effort to increase awareness of greenways and raise environmental consciousness.

The International Greenways Resource Records builds on Little's idea by bringing together publications, pamphlets, maps, planning guides, newsletters, and other materials received from greenways organizations in North America. Materials have been sent to the North Carolina State University Libraries' Special Collection Research Center in response to records surveys sent to organizations in 1999 and 2000. Locally published greenway information was solicited from greenway advocates, planners, designers and local, state, and federal government with the intent of assembling material in a central location so that it might be available for research. New greenway-related material will be accessioned as it is received.