Institute Archives and Special Collections provides many services to aid in the understanding of Rensselaer’s history and facilitate the use and research of collections in our care. Therefore, our collecting policies and guidelines are designed to help Archives staff balance the needs of the Institute, donors, researchers, collections, and staff time and resources by:

• providing guidance on what materials we can (and can’t) accept,
• maintaining physical and intellectual control over collections,
• providing access to collections by RPI students, faculty, staff, as well as outside researchers, and
• preserving unique materials for future generations of researchers.

The policies in this section serve two main purpose:

• Guide decisions by archives staff in regard to building collections of use to our researchers, both within the Rensselaer community and beyond. 
• Guide those who wish to donate materials by communicating what is - and what is not - appropriate for us to accept.  All of these decisions reflect priorities spelled out on our About page which includes our Mission Statement.

Anyone wishing to donate an item or collection should read through the policies listed on this site.  If you have any remaining questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!