About us

Rare book from the Vail Collection. Distinctive Collections, MIT Libraries.

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.

• Our staff has a wide array of experiences and expertise.
• Explore our Projects & Initiatives
• Read our Collection Development Policy Statement