Welcome to the Rockefeller Archive Center's collections database in Re:discovery for Internet (RFI). This database allows you to devise your own search of the finding aids for most of the open collections at the Rockefeller Archive Center. Online access to the contents of the collections is not available from this database or any other source.

Please read the instructions and search tips below before proceeding with a search. If you do not find the information that you are looking for, or if you have other questions, please send an email message to the Rockefeller Archive Center (archive@rockefeller.edu) for further assistance.

Organization of the Records and the Database

Collections Available in the Database

The majority of the Archive Center's open collections are represented in the database, and additions are being made on a regular basis. A list of the collections currently in RFI is available.

Not all of the RAC's collections are available in the database. Currently, users will not find substantial results for the Rockefeller University Archives or the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Archives. Unprocessed collections or portions of collections are not included in the database.

Photographs listed in the database are available for researchers to view at the Rockefeller Archive Center; however, there may be restrictions on photocopying and using photographs. Please contact an archivist for further information.

Search Instructions

You can conduct a search on one collection at a time OR on all collections at once. You can conduct a search at the Record Group, Series, Container, or Folder level OR on All Levels. To maximize the results of your search, we recommend that you search All Collections on All Levels.

Search results will first appear in Brief View, providing the basic information about the record. You can click on an individual record to see the Details View, which provides additional details about the specific record.

In Details View, you can click on the Associated Records button to see a list of the records immediately before and after the record that you selected. The associated records feature reflects the physical arrangement of the material returned by your search; it is similar to looking at a print finding aid.

Search results are not presented in any particular order; be sure to review all results.

Search Tips

Saving Your Search Results

RFI will save the results of your search for up to 90 days. You will find a reference number for your search results at the bottom of the Brief Search Results page. For future reference, make note of that number (the SET number) and the Directory in which you are searching (SET numbers are directory specific). To retrieve your search results, return to the same directory, go to the Get Prior Research page, and enter the SET number.

Examining the Collections

Material at the Rockefeller Archive Center is available for research by qualified scholars by appointment. Researchers who plan to visit the Archive Center should contact an archivist to discuss their research topic further and to make a research appointment. For more information about planning a research visit, please visit the Information for Researchers section of our website.

Select a Directory to Search