This site is maintained by the Hostos Community College Archives Unit (part of the Hostos Community College Library). Visit the archives.
Hostos College Archives: Mission Statement
The Hostos Community College Archives functions as the institutional memory of the college. The archives collects unpublished materials of permanent historical value including official records, correspondence, papers and publications generated by the administration, academic departments, faculty, staff, special programs and student organizations since 1970. Through its collections the archives promotes an awareness of the diverse ethnic and cultural history of this unique bilingual institution and the surrounding South Bronx community that inspired it.
The library’s archive unit also maintains a comprehensive collection of works published by and about Eugenio María de Hostos, namesake of the college.
Hostos College Archives: Collection Development Policy
The Hostos Archives collection development policy is a planning tool to guide department staff in making informed decisions on potential accessions. The collections development policy is therefore an essential component of the appraisal process through which materials are added to the collection. Equally important, the guidelines provided ensure an appropriate balance between department resources and commitments.
Through a systematic archival management program, only those records which maintain historical, administrative, legal, and fiscal value are identified and retained permanently.
In order to add material to the collection items must:
- support the archives existing collections
- extend the archives strengths, interests and needs in a logical and rational manner
- support the institution’s curriculum and the academic interests of its students and faculty
- show a high ratio of use to volume and processing costs
- complement and reflect the ethnic population of Hostos and the immediate South Bronx community
- anticipate future needs and research interests
The decision to select and preserve records of historical value is the responsibility of the Hostos archivist and the Archives Advisory Committee. The purpose of collecting such records is to provide documentation of the development and growth of the college, including its functions of teaching and education, its role in the community, the activities of the students and alumni and the development of the physical grounds. The Hostos archives also acts as a repository of last resort for materials of local interest that might otherwise be destroyed.
Please note that the ability to accept large-scale collections includes consideration of financial support from the donor for processing the collection, preservation, and to house the material according to archival standards.
Materials that do not reflect the subject areas or types of materials collected by the Hostos archives may be returned or declined according to these guidelines. Collections may also be offered to a more appropriate repository