United States, Overview of Manuscript Collections (National Institute)

Nearly every state archives, university library, or historical society has a manuscript collection, consisting of those records that do not easily fall into other categories. Most of these collections consist of old personal or business papers, and could contain diaries, account books, original probate or land records, old newspaper clippings, and many more different kinds of records.

You should always be sure to check nearby repositories. Most manuscript collections are now listed on the repository’s website, and many including finding aids that list details about each item in the collection. As the Internet itself continues to expand, you will also begin to see more special collections brought entirely online.

To search through many major manuscript collection catalogs at once, visit the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, maintained by the Library of Congress.

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