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Archives & Special Collections

History

New York State Senator John J. Marchi donated his papers, documenting his half-century career, to the College of Staten Island in 1999. This donation led to the creation of Archives & Special Collections within the Department of the Library. Archives & Special Collections officially opened in October 2000.

Mission Statement

In support of the College of Staten Island’s goal to support teaching, faculty and student research, the Archives & Special Collections unit of the CSI Library collects, preserves, and makes available to researchers primary and secondary materials that document the history of the College of Staten Island and of Staten Island.

  • The Archives focuses on nationally significant aspects of the history of the College, its predecessors (Staten Island Community College and Richmond College), faculty research, and alumni accomplishment.
  • The Special Collections concentrates on the history of Staten Island since consolidation with New York City  (1898), focusing on political history, public policy issues and citizen activism .

In addition to building a collection of primary and secondary source materials and providing research access, the unit has a strong commitment to  foster and enhance effective teaching and learning. For example:

  • Students are trained to use primary source materials in one-on-one instruction and through classroom activities.
  • The unit partners with faculty members to create assignments using primary source materials and to tailor presentations to specific classes.
  • Interns from CSI and area library and history graduate school programs learn the philosophy and methods of archival practice through readings, discussions, and supervised work projects.

To extend the benefits of CSI to the larger community, the unit maintains ties to organizations and individuals on Staten Island and throughout the metropolitan area. Examples include:

  • Cooperative projects with other Staten Island historical repositories to share knowledge and technology in order to promote preservation and access to Staten Island materials.
  • Programs, including lectures and round table discussions.
  • Exhibitions, through which we highlight collection materials and share Staten Island research.