Collecting at the Archives Center

The Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center acquires primary source materials that document the scholarly community of the Institute for Advanced Study. We collect archives, manuscripts, printed ephemera, photographs, prints, audiovisual materials, and born-digital files as well as three-dimensional objects. We actively seek to support the creation of new scholarly documentation by working with oral historians and community collectors. We acquire holdings predominately through transfer and donation. We work directly with institutional partners and donors to develop ethical collection and stewardship practices.

As we grow our collections, we strive to: 

• acquire unique, rare, and/or original documentation of a given historic moment;
• develop collections that reflect the research and culture of the Institute community; 
• advance on-going research initiatives across Institute Schools and disciplines; and
• support collaboratives initiatives that promote and preserve the cultural legacy of the Institute. 

For more information concerning transferring or donating materials to the Shelby White and Leon Levy Archives Center, please contact the Archives Center at archives@ias.edu.