About Our Collections

Founded in 1824, HSP is one of the largest history libraries in the nation, showcasing collections on regional and national history, and offering a manuscript collection renowned for its holdings that span from the 16th - 21st centuries. HSP also contains one of the largest family history collections on the east coast, containing genealogical material from every state east of the Mississippi River. The collection consists of some 600,000 books, pamphlets, serials, and microfilm reels; 20 million manuscripts; and over 300,000 graphics items, making it one of the nation’s largest non-governmental repositories of documentary materials.

 

HSP holds many national treasures, such as the first two drafts of the United States Constitution, an original printer’s proof of the Declaration of Independence, and the earliest surviving American photograph.

HSP's Collections Management Policy (latest version approved by the Board of Councilors on November 23, 2015) is available online.

Types of Materials

HSP’s collections include a number of different types of materials:

• Books and pamphlets – ranging from limited-edition and out-of-print volumes to current reference works and scholarly monographs. HSP's pre-1820 imprints are housed next door at The Library Company of Philadelphia.

• Serials and newspapers – spanning almost 300 years, in either original format or microfilm copy.

• Manuscripts – materials such as letters, diaries, account books, deeds, minutes, and scrapbooks. Manuscript collections include personal papers created by individuals and families, and records created by organizations and businesses.

• Graphics – prints, watercolors, and other works of art on paper, architectural drawings, photographs, broadsides, maps, posters, and other images.

• Printed ephemera – such as event programs, brochures, invitations, advertisements, trade cards, certificates, and menus.

• Microforms – microfilm and microfiche reproductions of newspapers, genealogical resources, manuscript collections, and other materials.
  
   

HSP's collections are quite varied, but we don't collect everything. Click for a brief summary of our collecting scope.

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Click here to read HSP's Statement on Harmful Language in Collection Descriptions

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Interesting in making a collections donation to HSP? Click to learn about what we collect and how to donate.

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On occasion, HSP must temporarily restrict use of some of its collections. Click here for the current list of unavailable collections.

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