About the Collections

Guidebook to Collections

The staff of the American Antiquarian Society chose to prepare the first edition of this guide for researchers as our contribution to the Society's 175th-anniversary celebration in 1987. The revised edition presented here was completed in 1992 as a tribute to AAS President Emeritus, Marcus A. McCorison, upon his retirement after more than three decades of distinguished service to the Society.

• Alphabetical Index
• Topical Index

Alphabetical Index

Topical Index

FOREWORD by Jill Ker Conway

INTRODUCTION by Nancy H. Burkett and John B. Hench

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY by Marcus A. McCorison

THE LIBRARY

• Collecting Policies
  Catalogues and Arrangement of Collections
  Cataloguing Programs
  Conservation

GUIDE TO THE COLLECTIONS

• General Collections
  • Dated Books and Dated Pamphlets
    Broadsides
    Almanacs
    The Reserve Collection
    Bindings
    Miniature Books
    Miscellaneous Pamphlets

  Topical Collections

  • The Book Arts
    • Bibliographies
      Printing and Publishing History
      Book Salesman's Samples
      Booksellers' and Auction Catalogues
      Library Catalogues
      Bookplates and Booksellers' Labels

    The United States

    • American History and Culture
      First Democracy Project The First Democracy Project is a collection of election returns for the United States during the period 1787-1824. The data includes popular votes cast for President, Congress, governors, state legislators, and county offcials.

      Government Documents
      Local, County, and State Histories
      Western Americana
      The Hawaiian Collection
      Biography
      Genealogy
      Directories
      Maps and Atlases

    American Institutions

    • General Institutions
      Canals and Railroads
      Educational Institutions
      Learned Societies

    Canadiana

    Latin Americana

    Foreign History and Travel

    Theology and Religion

    • Religion
      The Mather Family Library
      The Mather Family Collection
      Devotional Literature

    Literature

    • American Fiction
      First Editions
      English and European Authors
      Literary Annuals
      

    Plays and Librettos

    Children's Literature and School Books

    Graphic Arts

    • Engravings and Lithographs
      Ephemera
      Portraits and Artifacts Portrature Collection (NEW, Nov. 2001)

      
      Photographs
      
      Stereographs and Postcards
      Photographs of Sculpture on American Gravestones
      Secondary Works in the Arts

    Music

    • Hymnals
      Sheet Music
      Secular Music
      Songsters
      Sound Recordings

    Cookbooks

    Albums

    Encyclopedias

    Trade Catalogues

    Newspapers and Periodicals

    • Newspapers
      The Periodicals Collection
      Amateur Newspapers

    Manuscripts and Archives

    • Manuscripts
      Archives

    Microforms

PROGRAMS OF THE SOCIETY

• Department of Research and Publication
  • Publications
  • 
    Fellowships
    Education
    Research
  Development and Public Relations
  • Annual Giving
    The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Challenge

  Buildings and Grounds

  • Antiquarian Hall
    Other Properties

NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS

HOW TO PURCHASE A COPY OF "Under Its Generous Dome"