Monday - Friday , 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm - 4:30 pmWednesday evenings , 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The RIT Archives serves as the repository for historically valuable records of the University. RIT Archives contain paper records and other materials, dating from the mid-19th century to the present, that document the history of RIT and its predecessors, including the Rochester Athenaeum (founded 1929) and the Mechanics Institute (founded 1885). The mission of the RIT Archives is to acquire, preserve and make accessible a wide range of materials related to the administration, academic programs, and the social and cultural life of the University. Archives staff work with every department on campus to identify materials of enduring historical value and transfer them to the Archives.RIT Archives supports the administration, research, and teaching of the University and provides information that promotes the mission of the University both internally and to the wider community. Archives staff create exhibits of artifacts and present thematic electronic exhibits through the website.Holdings include:
- Minutes, correspondence, reports and other printed materials produced by administrative, academic, and research units in the course of University business.
- Examples of records including Minutes of the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association records, accreditation reports, new program proposals, and the Publications, including official university publications, student publications, college and departmental newsletters, and alumni publications
- Course catalogs since the founding of the Mechanics Institute in 1885
- Personal and professional papers of RIT faculty and staff
- Audio - Visual Materials This large collection includes over 100,000 photographs in varying formats, including prints, slides, negatives, contact sheets and digital images as well as videotapes, motion pictures and audio tapes.
- Examples in this category include photographs of buildings, student life, videotape marketing pieces and Scrapbooks and newspaper clippings from 1885
- Artifacts and memorabilia such as sports uniforms, trophies, t-shirts, and pennants.
- Graduate Theses