The Manuscript Society
The Manuscript Society is an international organization that promotes the collection, preservation, and use of autographs, manuscripts, and historical documents.[1] It was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1948 as the National Society of Autograph Collectors. It publishes the journal Manuscripts and the newsletter Manuscript Society News.[2] Its archives are held in the collection of the Georgetown University Library.[1] Librarian, archivist, and historian Elizabeth H. Dow described the organization as the "oldest and best known organization for manuscript collectors and dealers" in the United States.[2] The Manuscript Society (TMS) held its first meeting in Chicago on January 3, 1948[3] at the University Club of Chicago.[4] TMS's Scholarship Committee provides grants and other assistance to scholars wanting to use manuscripts for research.[2]
TMS has had an adversarial relationship with the Society of American Archivists (SAA). Dow stated that the SAA viewed The Manuscript Society as "the enemy in their efforts to retrieve alienated documents".[2] TMS's Replevin Committee provides support to its members defending themselves against a replevin action.[2]
References
Citations
- 1 2 Taylor, Scott S. (August 11, 2023). "The Manuscript Society at 75". Georgetown University Library. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Dow 2012, p. viii.
- ↑ Baker 2000, p. 14.
- ↑ Taylor 1997, p. 1.
Bibliography
- Baker, Mark Allen (2000). Advanced Autograph Collecting. Krause Publications. ISBN 0-87341-632-5.
- Dow, Elizabeth H. (2012). Archivists, Collectors, Dealers, and Replevin: Case Studies on Private Ownership of Public Documents. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 979-8-216-20334-6.
- Prytherch, Ray (1990). Harrod's Librarians' Glossary. Gower Publishing . ISBN 0-7546-4038-8.
- Taylor, John M. (1997). History in Your Hand: Fifty Years of the Manuscript Society. Praeger Publishing. ISBN 0-275-95918-X.