You like the idea of working with historical documents, but you're not sure exactly what is an archivist? You might want to first read the article: "So You Want to Be an Archivist: An Overview of the Archival Profession." from the Society of American Archivists (SAA) website.

Interested in archives? View some helpful resources to further your career as an archivist..

Buffalo

• Buffalo and Erie Country Historical Society
  http://www.bechs.org/
  
  
• Albright-Knox Art Gallery -- G. Robert Strauss, Jr. Memorial Library
  http://www.albrightknox.org/library.html
  
  
• Canisius College Archives
  http://www.canisius.edu/archives/
  
  
• Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries -- Special Collections
  http://www.buffalolib.org/libraries/collections/index.asp
  
  
• The Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo
  http://www.holocaustcenterbuff.com/
  
  
• City of Buffalo Records Management
  http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/document_115_23.html
  

Rochester

• City of Rochester Archives & Records Center
  http://www.cityofrochester.gov/index.cfm?id=363
  
  
• George Eastman House Archives and Study Center
  http://www.eastmanhouse.org/inc/collections/ge-archive_study.php
  
  
• Rochester Historical Society
  http://www.rochesterhistory.org/
  
  
• Rochester History journal published from the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
  http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/~rochhist/index.html
  
  
• Rochester Images
  http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/index.html
  
  
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Library Special Collections
  http://library.rit.edu/collections/special.html
  
  
• University of Rochester Rare Books and Special Collections
  http://www.lib.rochester.edu/rbk/rarehome.htm
  

Western New York

• Amherst Musem (Amherst, NY)
  http://www.amherstmuseum.org/collections.htm
  
  
• The Baker-Cederberg Museum and Archives / The Genesee Hospital Archives
  http://www.viahealth.org/body_rochester.cfm?id=506
  
  
• Chautauqua Institute Archives
  http://www.ciweb.org/history.html
  
  
• Niagara County History website (links to historical societies and resources in Niagara County
  http://www.niagaracounty.org/index.htm
  
  
• Syracuse University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
  http://libwww.syr.edu/information/spcollections/
  
  
• Western New York Genealogical Society, Inc.
  http://www.wnygs.org/
  
  
• Western New York Heritage Press
  http://www.wnyheritagepress.org/index.htm
  
  

• New York State Archives
  http://www.archives.nysed.gov/aindex.shtml
  
  
• New York Historical Society
  https://www.nyhistory.org/web/
  
  
• New York State Library Genealogy Main Page
  http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gengen.htm
  
  
• New York History Net
  http://www.nyhistory.com/
  
  
• Research Library at the New York Historical Association and Farmers Museum
  http://www.nysha.org/library/

• University at Albany
  http://library.albany.edu/speccoll/uarchive.htm
  
  
• Alfred State: Jean B. Lang Western NY Historical Collection
  http://web.alfredstate.edu/library/Western%20New%20York%20Historical%20Collection.htm
  
  
• Binghamton University
  http://library.lib.binghamton.edu/special/
  
  
• SUNY Brockport
  http://www.brockport.edu/~library1/archives.htm
  
  
• Buffalo State College
  http://www.buffalostate.edu/library/archives/
  
  
• SUNY Cortland -- Memorial Library
  http://library.cortland.edu/archives.asp
  
  
• SUNY Downstate Medical Center -- Medical Research Library of Brooklyn
  http://library.downstate.edu/about/kiosk26.htm
  
  
• Farmingdale State College -- Thomas D. Greenley Library
  http://www.farmingdale.edu/library/archives/index.html
  
  
• SUNY Fredonia -- Archives & Special Collections in the Daniel A. Reed Library
  http://www.fredonia.edu/library/special_collections/
  
  
• SUNY Geneseo Libraries -- Special Collections
  http://library.geneseo.edu/about/collections.shtml
  
  
• SUNY Maritime College
  http://www.sunymaritime.edu/StephenBLuceLibrary/specialcoll.htm
  
  
• SUNY New Paltz -- Sojourner Truth Library Special Collections
  http://lib.newpaltz.edu/banner/archives/collect.html
  
  
• SUNY Oneonta -- The Alden Room in Milne Library
  http://www.oneonta.edu/library/scc/
  
  
• SUNY Oswego
  http://www.oswego.edu/library/archives/index.html
  
  
• SUNY Plattsburgh
  http://www.plattsburgh.edu/library/specialcollections/index.php
  
  
• SUNY Potsdam -- Snell Room in Crumb Library
  http://www.potsdam.edu/library/home/Archives_at_Potsdam.php
  
  
• Stony Brook University
  http://www.stonybrook.edu/libspecial/
  
  
• SUNY Upstate Medical University
  http://www.upstate.edu/library/history/

Online resources:

Online Buffalo and Western New York resources:

• UB Arts and Sciences Libraries' local genealogical Internet resources
  http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/genealogy-resources.html
  
  
• Buffalonet.org
  http://www.buffalonet.org/
  
  
• The Buffalonian
  http://www.buffalonian.com/
  
  
• Buffalo Architecture and History
  http://www.buffaloah.com/
  
  
• Buffalo History Works
  http://www.buffalohistoryworks.com/
  
  
• BuffaloResearch.com (resources pulled together by Buffalo librarian, Cynthia Van Ness)
  http://www.buffaloresearch.com/

• Uncrownded Queens: African American Community Builders of Western New York
  http://wings.buffalo.edu/uncrownedqueens/
  
  
• Western, NY Suffragists: Winning the Vote
  http://winningthevote.org/index.html