Archives: Archives & Special Collections

The Archives and its Collections

Three separate archives are housed within the repository at Manhattan University. These include the Archives of Manhattan University and the Archives of the De La Salle Christian Brothers of the New York District and the Long Island-New England (LI-NE) District.

Contact the Archives at:

Manhattan University
O'Malley Library Room 200
4513 Manhattan University Parkway, Riverdale, NY 10471-4098

Email (preferred contact method): amy.surak@manhattan.edu
Telephone: 718-862-7139

Hours

By appointment only

The Manhattan University Archives serves as the final repository for the historical records of Manhattan University. Its primary purpose is to document the history of the College and to provide source material for administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the College community, as well as scholars, authors, and other interested persons who seek to evaluate the impact of the College's activities on the history of American social, cultural, and intellectual development.

The Manhattan University Archives is operated as a component of Manhattan University. Its intent is to reflect the guiding mission and philosophy of the College to the operation of the archives. It is the function of the Manhattan University Archives to establish a viable historical records research and repository which will adequately serve the needs of the Archives patron and the Manhattan University community. In support of Manhattan University's mission, the Archives identifies, appraises, acquires, and preserves records of historical, legal, fiscal, and administrative value to Manhattan University in various media and formats. The Archives arranges, describes, and makes its collections accessible in support of scholarship, exhibitions, publications, and education. These services are offered in a professionally-managed archive on the Manhattan University campus and through databases, finding aids, and other forms of publication.

In support of Manhattan University's mission, the Archives identifies, appraises, acquires, and preserves records of historical, legal, fiscal, and administrative value to Manhattan University in various media and formats. The Archives arranges, describes, and makes its collections accessible in support of scholarship, exhibitions, publications, and education. These services are offered in a professionally-managed archive on the Manhattan University campus and through databases, finding aids, and other forms of publication. 

The Collection 

Manhattan University Archives consists of those records which are judged worthy of permanent preservation in order to facilitate reference and research purposes. Material that belongs in the Archives includes documents, regardless of physical form or characteristics, received or created by Manhattan University in order to document the history of Manhattan University and the surrounding area. 
Official records encompass the records or papers generated or received by the various administrative offices of Manhattan University in the conduct of their business. These records include:

• Administrative records
• Departmental records
• Student Life activities including materials on school functions, student organizations,
• Minutes, memoranda, correspondence and reports of the Board of Trustees
• Records of the Office of President, including correspondence, administrative subject files and reports
• Materials related to academic affairs
• Accreditation reports and supporting documentation
• Annual reports
• Alumni records, including minutes of the alumni associations
• All publications, newsletters and booklets distributed in the name of Manhattan University, including catalogs, special bulletins, yearbooks, student newspapers, College directories and faculty/staff rosters, faculty and administration newsletters and publications, alumni publications and ephemeral material.
• Photographs, negatives, slides, audio and video film, tapes, and reels, oral history interviews, and optical and compact discs documenting the development of the College
• Maps, prints and architectural drawings documenting the physical changes and development of the College
• Artifacts relating to the history of Manhattan University

The Archives of the De La Salle Christian Brothers serves as the final repository for the historical records of the Districts of New York and Long Island-New England. Its primary purpose is to document the history of each District as its constitutive institutions pursue their religious mission in relation to the international Institute and society at large. The Archives serves as the institutional memory of the two Districts and plays an integral role in the management of the information resources in all media and formats of the District and their ministries. The Archives documents the continuing mission of the Christian Brothers by identifying, acquiring, arranging, preserving, and making available the records which reflect that mission, chronicle the development of the Districts and their ministries with a view to their continued existence. The Archives of the New York District and those of the Long Island-New England District are kept as separate collections.

The Collections 

Official records encompass materials generated or received by the Districts of New York and LI-NE or by their constitutive institutions in the accomplishment of their mission. These records include:

• Records of the District administration
• Records of the Schools or other ministries in the District
• Materials created by or about Brothers both living and deceased
• All publications, printed or otherwise duplicated, distributed through the District or the ministries, including catalogs, booklets, bulletins, newsletters, yearbooks, directories and rosters
• Lasallian Research Library documenting the life, spirituality and pedagogy of John Baptist de La Salle and the history of his Institute
• Photographs, negatives, slides, audio and visual film, tapes and reels, oral history interviews, and optical or compact discs documenting the activity within the District
• Maps, prints and architectural drawings documenting the physical changes and development of District properties
• Artifacts relating to the history of the District and its institutions