The New York City Department of Records and Information Services, through its Municipal Archived and Municipal Reference and Research Center, both located at 31 Chambers Street, provides the public with extensive historical and contemporary information about the city. The mission of the Archives is to preserve and make available the historically valuable records created by the government of the City of New York. Established in 1950, its collections date back to 1647, and comprise approximately 100,000 cubic feet of manuscript material, office records, photographs, moving images, vital records, sound recordings, and architectural maps. The Municipal Reference and Research Center is New York City's official depository for all official reports and studies. Established in 1913, its resources include annual and special reports of city agencies, budgets and other financial materials, minutes and prceedings of City boards and legislative bodies, biographical files, clippings and pamphlets, biographies of city and state officials, neighborhood files, annotated street name index, rules and regulations of city agencies and materials related to civil service.
