Distinctive Collections collects, preserves, and fosters the use of unique and rare materials such as tangible and digital archives, manuscripts, ephemera, artists’ books, and more. With these collections the Libraries seeks to cultivate an interest in the past, present, and future; the humanistic and the scientific; and the physical and the digital in order to inspire and enable research, learning, experimentation, and play for a diverse community of users.
The MIT Department of Distinctive Collections is located at
Building 14N, room 118
160 Memorial Drive
Cambridge. MA 02139
Phone and voicemail: 617-253-5136
Email: distinctivecollections@mit.edu
Website: http://libraries.mit.edu/distinctive-collections/
The reading room is generally open 10am-4pm Monday through Thursday. The DDC is open 9-5 Monday through Friday although staff work schedules vary. The DDC is closed for MIT holidays; a list is linked on the homepage on our website. In the event of inclement weather, check the MIT snow emergency website. When MIT closes the Libraries are also closed. Your supervisor will alert you to any schedule changes or special closings.
Collections in the DDC include the Aga Khan Documentation Center, Institute Archives, Manuscripts, Rare Books, Theses, MIT Publications, Wunsch Teaching Collections, and Visual Collections.
The following are among the subjects documented in the archives:
The founding and growth of MIT
The work and discoveries of MIT's faculty and students
Current issues of the Institute and their evolution
The development of modern science and technology and its impact on society
The role of scientists and engineers in the formation of US science policy
MIT's influence in the world beyond the Cambridge campus
The research materials in the Department of Distinctive Collections are complemented by the collections at the MIT Museum.
To support the administration, research, and teaching of the MIT community.
To encourage the use of its collections by researchers outside the Institute.
To administer MIT's Records Management Program and advise administrative and academic offices on records-keeping practices for non-permanent records.
Distinctive Collections Home Page — Overview of many of the services the DDC provides to the Institute and researchers globally.
The DDC does not have its own social media accounts, but rather contributes to the general MIT Libraries social media presence.
We primarily contribute to the MIT Libraries Instagram account. If you have ideas for Instagram posts, let your supervisor know and you can work together to create a post. Learn more about social media guidelines.