The Wentworth Institute of Technology University Archives (WITUA) collects, preserves, promotes, and fosters the use of the history of Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) through items such as:
Access to the Archives is available upon research consultation and request with the Archivist on staff. Patrons cannot access the Archives space without the Archivist present.
Donors and representatives from WIT administrative and academic offices may access their collection through contact with the Archivist on staff.
Items are not to leave the Archives.
Physical access to Archival materials must be facilitated by contacting the Archivist.
The ultimate goal of the Archives is to digitize the collection so items may be more widely accessible. Digitization of items provides enhanced access to materials that might otherwise be unavailable for public use. Through the Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons' Digital Collections and other methods, users will have the ability to access digitized information both on site and remotely.
Priority will be given to Presidential records, chronologically earliest to oldest, beginning with founding documents through the present. Scans will be made text searchable when able.
**NOTE: Digitization of materials will begin in the coming months.
Archival research requests can be submitted via email to the Archivist on staff.
Depending on staff availability, research requests typically take 2-4 weeks to complete.
Items in the Archives may be digitized upon request, if they are not already digitized. Scans of files will be delivered via email. Priority will be given to Presidential records, chronologically earliest to oldest, beginning with founding documents through the present.
Depending on staff availability, digitization requests typically take 2-4 weeks to complete.
Theses are digitized on the Digital Collections.
Please cite any records used from our collection as follows: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection number or identifier, box number, folder number, Collection Name, Name of Repository, Location of Repository. URL if applicable.
For example (Chicago Manual of Style citation):
Aircraft Engine Laboratory Expansion, 1932-1948, AC1, Box 1, Folder 2, Office of the Principal Records, Wentworth Institute of Technology University Archives, Boston, MA. https://digitalcollections.wit.edu/uncategorized/IO_d7e65c83-1833-45f4-b48f-b9e067f8de82/.
If you have additional questions about citing archival materials, please reach out to the Archivist, or the Reference Team for assistance.
Restrictions to items in the Archives are as follows:
Per the Archives Charter (1988), “During the restricted period, the records will be available only to the Curator of Special Collections, Institute Archivist, and office of origin. Consideration will be given by access to others when a written request is presented to the Institute Archivist for approval by the office of origin. The Provost will permit or deny access to records of offices that no longer exist.”
Donors, such as WIT alum, who donate personal materials related to WIT's history may choose to restrict access to their collections or certain parts of their collections for a number of years after donation. These items may only be access with express permission from the Donor.
Regardless of any other characteristic, unprocessed materials are restricted. Unprocessed records may be used only by the archivists and representatives of the creating or successor office. Unprocessed papers may be used only by the archivists and the donor. Exceptions can be made by the Archivist.
The Archives collects materials documenting the history of the Institute, its students, faculty, and alum. Gifts of personal papers, manuscripts, photographs, or other materials are often valuable contributions to the Archives' collections. Items pertaining to WIT's history, including:
If you'd like to donate items to the archives, contact Ashley Bryan, Access Services Librarian & Archivist at bryana2@wit.edu or 617-989-4681.
Copyright is generally held by the creator of a document, with the exception of items created as work product. Any record, in any format, produced by an employee of the Institute while performing an official Institute function, is the property of the Wentworth Institute of Technology. Copyright of other items can be transferred to the Archives upon donation and is encouraged.
Per the Archives Charter (1988): “Any record, in any format, produced by an employee of the Institute while performing an official Institute function, is the property of the Wentworth Institute of Technology.”
Upon copyright transfer, all items become the permanent property of Wentworth Institute of Technology University Archives and are to be used in preserving and presenting the history of Wentworth Institute of Technology.
In 1988, the University's Board of Trustees approved the creation and maintenance of an Archives for the “interests of preserving the administratively and historically valuable records of the Institute."
Access Services Librarian & Archivist
Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons
617-989-4681
Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Wentworth Institute of Technology