Historical Society of Pennsylvania
From ArchivesWiki
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP), a special collections research library, is dedicated to making the rich variety of America’s past accessible to all. Founded in 1824, and significantly augmented by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 2002, the society has been one of the nation’s most important resources for scholars of American history and the social sciences. The society’s collections of 20 million manuscripts, books, and graphics provide essential primary documentation for numerous scholarly works. The HSP is a private, nonprofit institution. The governing board of councilors presently consists of 32 members who serve three-year terms, two ex officio members, and five emeritus members. The society has a staff of 33 professional and support personnel and a membership of 1,100.
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[edit] Address and Contact Info
Address:1300 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107-5699
Phone:(215) 732-6200
Fax: (215) 732-2680
E-mail: webmaster@hsp.org; PMHB@hsp.org (magazine)
Web page: http://www.hsp.org.
President: Kim Sajet
[edit] Hours and usage restrictions
The library is open Tuesday and Thursday 12:30–5:30 p.m., Wednesday 12:30–8:30 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Off-site researchers can access the society’s collections through the fee-based Research-by-Mail service. Daily admission fee to the library and archives for regular, non members is $6. The daily admission fee for student non-members is $3. Depending on their membership, HSP members get a certain number of free annual visits with their membership.
[edit] Collection Summary
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections document the social, political, commercial, ethnic, and cultural history of Pennsylvania and the Middle Atlantic region, with an emphasis on Philadelphia, from the 17th century to the present and its importance in U.S. history, particularly during the colonial, revolutionary, and early national periods. The HSP’s manuscript and archive holdings of more than 19 million items include the papers of William Penn and the Penn family, Benjamin Franklin, the third largest collection of George Washington papers, Matthew Carey, Nicholas Biddle, James Buchanan, Jay Cooke, Gen. George Gordon Meade, Pennsylvania Abolition Society, Bank of North America, Baldwin Locomotive Works, and other personal, business, and organization records; 7,500 Pennsylvania maps and atlases dating from 1683 to the present; and 312,000 photographs, prints, watercolors, sketches, and architectural drawings. The library houses 560,000 books and pamphlets, published and unpublished genealogical material, newspapers, and periodicals.
[edit] Reproductions and Permissions
The HSP allows researchers to use digital cameras for reproductions for a daily fee of $5 per 50 images. The archives staff will provide researchers with a slip that details copyright information, which needs to be included in every image. In-house photographic reproduction services and permission to reproduce, publish or exhibit images of HSP's collection materials are also available, for a fee, through the Rights and Reproductions service. Contact the Graphics Rights Coordinator at 215-732-6200 ext. 230 for details.
[edit] Usage Discussion
Suggestions for approaching the material:
Housing and getting by for less in the area:
