The Reports to the President is a major resource for understanding the continuing development of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Collectively, the volumes represent the starting point for any research into the history of the Institute.

The Reports to the President serves as summary of the year’s activities and an introduction to the next year’s goals. Each volume, with a few exceptions (noted below), is a compilation of annual reports from the president, and the academic and administrative entities of the Institute. Included in some years are reports from the secretary, treasurer, and chancellor of the Institute.

The report from the president included in the Reports to the President , is an expanded written version of an oral report, which the President is required to present at the annual fall meeting of the Corporation. Early reports covered a calendar year, later reports covered an academic year ending in September or October, and those currently published cover the Institute's academic year of July 1st to June 30th.

Reports often include the following relevant information for both the Institute and its academic and administrative units:

Current goals, objectives, priorities
Statistics
Accomplishments
Administrative initiatives
Finances and funding
Future plans
Personnel information
Teaching and curriculum
Research activities

1871 first report given by the President at the Corporation meeting (published in 1872)
1872-1877 contain the reports of the Secretary of the Institute
1874 contains also a list of members of the Society of Arts
1875 contains a list of the Society of Arts, abstracts of the graduating theses, abstract of the course of instruction, catalogue of books, photographs, casts, etc., in the Architectural Department, list of alumni, committees of the Corporation, etc
1876 contains a list of Society of Arts, abstracts of graduating theses, the catalogue of the Institute Exhibit at the Centennial Exhibition, and a catalogue of material collected at the Centennial Exhibition
1877 contains a list of the Society of Arts and abstracts of the graduating thesis
1878-1882 no reports published
1883-1885 contains only the report from the President to the Corporation
1887-1888 contains Ch. 103, Acts and Resolves of 1887 Mass. General Court, and Remarks of the President to the Graduating Class, May 31, 1887
1889-1927 includes report of the Treasurer
1931 includes report of the Treasurer
1960 contains only the report from the President to the Corporation
1961 contains only the report from the President to the Corporation
1965 no reports published
1972-1980 includes report of the Chancellor
2004- reports are available in individual DSpace collections, one collection for each year. See https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/155440

For a list of Presidents of the Institute, including biographies and inauguration dates, see http://info-libraries.mit.edu/mithistory/institute/offices/office-of-the-mit-president