Cornell University History: A Research Guide: Directories

The History Center in Ithaca has digitized a number of directories and gazetteers for Ithaca and the surrounding area covering 1864 through 1986. Online access is at Directories on the TCPL digital books page. Some of the larger directories have been divided into parts for digitization.

Olin Library also has a microfilm set, Film 6315, of Manning's Ithaca, including Cayuga Heights Village (Tompkins County, New York) directory that covers 1864 to 1952.

Cornell University Faculty Memorial Statements

1868 to date. Annual publication available in eCommons or search Google for "memorial statements" and [faculty name]. Useful for biographical essays on deceased faculty.

The Legacy of Cornell Faculty and Staff

Various years. Useful for biographies, autobiographies, lectures, interviews, etc.

Cornell People Search

Current faculty, staff, and students.

The Class Book

Covers 1891, 1893, 1895-1918. Uris Library (Shelved on Open Shelves in Dean Room). Interfiled with The Cornellian. LD 1387 .C811 [1900-1902, 1906-1913, 1915-1916, 1918]; also University Archives

The Cornellian

1868/69- Olin Library, Oversize LD 1387 .C81 ++. Online: 1869-1976* is digitized and searchable in HathiTrust
*HathiTrust missing years 1924, 1960, 1962 and 1974. Useful for students, activities, photographs, and sports.
Also shelved in the open bookshelves on the west end of the Dean Room.

Freshman Handbook or Deskbook

Located in the University Archives. Useful for all aspects of campus life.

Freshman Register and succeeding titles

Covers years 1957-2004. Located in the University Archives; Additionally, all volumes shelved at Olin Library Stacks LD 1350 .F93++:

Title changes:

1957-1971: Freshman Register

1972-1980: Cornell Freshman Register

1981-1982: Cornell New Student Register,

1983-1988: Cornell University New Student Record

1989-1993: Cornell University New Student Directory

1999-2004: New Student Record; ceased in 2004

Useful for photos, and first-year students.

Cornell Register aka The Register

1868/69-1931/32: Located in the University Archives. 1882-1932: available online. Useful for courses, faculty, and departments.

Faculty, Staff, and Students Telephone Directory

1997/98- : Located at Olin Library Reference LD 1350 .D596. Combined student, faculty, staff directory.

Directory of Students

1948-1996/97: Located at Olin Library Reference LD 1350 .D595

Directory of Staff

1948-1996/97: Located at Olin Library Reference LD 1350 .D594

Student and Staff Directory

1947: Located at Olin Library Reference LD 1350 .D593. One year only before the directories split.

Cornell University Alumni Directory [aka Directory of Living Alumni]

1922, 1931, 1938, 1960, 1967, 1987, 2002. Located at Olin Library Reference, LD 1361 .A4 [yr]; also located in the University Archives. Note: 1987 split in graduate and undergraduate volumes; 2002 has searchable CD-ROM in ETC

The Ten-Year Book of Cornell University

1878, 1888, 1898, 1908. Located at Olin Library Reference LD 1387 .A4 [yr]; also located in Uris Library Dean Room.

1878: all students who attended Cornell

1888: biographical sketches of all graduates, name and original address of non-graduates

1898: graduates only, name and address

1908: all attendees, 1868-1908

All volumes list "names of officers of administration and instruction"

Deceased alumni folders

All years. Located in the University Archives. Provides additional biographical information beyond what's available in directories; available only for deceased alumni.

Cornell Alumni News, etc.

Volume 1, 1899, to volume 123, May/June 2021. The complete run of the Cornell Alumni News and successors is online. Browse by date or search the full text. The Class Notes section contains biographical updates on alumni.

TIP: Find names and subjects in the Alumni News using a Google site search [site: http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/ with the name or subject].

Search the Cornell Library Catalog.

Search RMC's Archival Guides [aka finding aids].

Search ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
The New York Times is a good source of photographs.

See the links under the Cornell University Digital Archives entry on the Digital Collections page.

The History Center in Ithaca has digitized a number of directories and gazetteers for Ithaca and the surrounding area covering 1864 through 1986. Online access to these records is available through the Tompkins County Public Library. Some of the larger directories have been divided into parts for digitization.

Olin Library also has a microfilm set, Film 6315, of Manning's Ithaca, including Cayuga Heights Village (Tompkins County, New York) directory that covers 1864 to 1952.