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Ann Arbor, Michigan, businessman and attorney, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party State Central Committee, U. S. Congressman-at-large, 1963-1964, gubernatorial candidate in 1964, member of the U. S. Federal Election Commission, 1975-1978. Chronological, congressional and topical files relating to political and personal activities; include political files detailing state election campaigns 1948-1964, particularly the campaigns of G. Mennen Williams and John B. Swainson; also photographs and transcript of oral interview, 1979.

Neil Staebler first began donating his files to the Michigan Historical Collections of the University of Michigan in 1961 following his eleven year tenure as chairman of the Democratic Party State Central Committee. Periodically thereafter and continuing into the 1970s, Staebler continued to add to his collection with Congressional papers (1963-1964), campaign files when he ran for governor in 1964, topical records created from his years of service with the Democratic National Committee (see attached vita), and records from his term as commissioner on the Federal Election Commission (1975-1978).

This collection comprised of twelve series documents Staebler's career and the course of Democratic politics since World War II. Since Staebler was principally an organizer of campaigns, a behind-the-scenes manager who preferred to handle the details of an election rather than to step into the candidate's spotlight himself, the collection concerns all phases of a successful campaign not just the posturings of the party's candidates. There is, for example, much information relating to the day-to-day operations of the party, i.e. fund-raising activities, the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, the formulation of the party's platform and related resolutions at the Spring and Fall conventions, and the activities of party-related special interest organizations.

Professor of Law and American History at the University of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Papers include correspondence, diaries, lectures, notes and photographs.

The Thomas McIntyre Cooley papers document the life and career of an attorney, jurist, teacher, scholar, and public official. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence received. A comprehensive calendar of these letters has been compiled by Virginia Ehrlicher in her doctoral thesis Thomas McIntyre Cooley : a calendar of his papers, 1846-1898. This three volume calendar is an important tool in accessing names of correspondents and topics covered. The remainder of the collection includes diaries, speeches, scrapbooks, course notes from some of his classes taught at the University of Michigan, and a scattering of photographs.

Reports and administrative records of WPA project to survey historical records in Michigan; includes correspondence, drafts of guides to county archives, proceedings of county boards of supervisors, field reports of workers, and copies of land patents for some counties; also material relating to the history of Blacks in Michigan.

The Historical Records Survey record group documents the activities and the product of the legions of depression era workers who inventoried the records held in county courthouses, municipal offices some private repositories. The records include correspondence, drafts of guides to county archives, proceedings of county boards of supervisors, field reports of workers, and copies of land patents for some counties; also material relating to the history of Blacks in Michigan.

Originally the H.R.S. records transferred to the Michigan Historical Collections measured about 121 linear feet. After processing, the collection consisted of 26 feet of records relating to the H.R.S. and 65 feet of transcripts of county and municipal records. Of the remaining 30 feet, 29.5 feet of duplicate, extraneous, or insignificant materials were discarded (described in more detail further on) and approximately half of a linear foot of printed material was transferred to the library's printed collection.

The H.R.S. material has been divided into the following series:

1. Survey of County Records
2. Survey of Municipal Records
3. Survey of Federal Records
4. Survey of State Records
5. WPA Project Files
6. Manuscripts Survey
7. Inventory of Negro Manuscripts
8. Transcripts of County Records
9. Transcripts of Municipal Records
10. Photographs
11. Historical Records Survey Correspondence
12. Survey Forms of 1987 Survey of Records in Counties and Municipalities.

Central Michigan University Communications (UComm) Collection, 1946, 2018, and undated

The Collection, 1946, 2018, and undated, 184 cubic foot (in 193 boxes, 1 Oversized folder) and an additional 1.2 TB of digital data beyond the digital content in the boxes, includes thirty-five series and subseries of publications and audiovisual materials, created and collected by Central Michigan University (CMU) University Communications (UComm) and its predecessor organizations. This is one of multiple donations/transfers of materials from UComm and its predecessor organizations to the Clarke. The collection is incomplete and ongoing and in good physical condition. Arrangement is by the original order of each series, which varies from one series to another.

The collection document CMU students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, campus, events and organizations. The original names and order for each series, which varies from one series to another, was retained as much as possible, with slight modifications to assist the researcher. Formats in the collection include: paper newsletters and inventories, note cards, negatives, photographs, some of which are on foamcor board or matted, proof, contact or galley sheets, digital images on CDs and prints of digital images, color slides, and video recordings on BetacamSP, Ampex UMaticSP microcassettes, VHS videotapes, and DVDs. Many series are a mixture of paper, photographic and digital formats. The workstation uses multiple digital software formats including microworkbk, .tif, .gif, and .mov. The DVDs include .mov or quicktime files, can be accessed using a DVD player and VLC media player software. CDs include .tif, .gif, and .jpg files. There is a microcassette recorder to access the microcassettes.

The boxes in each series, listed below, are not all physically shelved in order or next to each other due to how they were moved into the Clarke from UComm. They are listed in the Box and Folder Listing in the order in which they are shelved.

Series Description:

CDs/DVDs. This series, 1 cubic foot (1 box), 2003, 2011 and undated, is completely CDs and DVDs. They were originally packed together in multiple box lids. The series is color images or recordings of CMU people, places and events. The series is organized in chronologically by year and then alphabetically by description. Undated CDs/DVDs are at the end of the box, in alphabetical order by description. The DVDs throughout the collection can be accessed using a DVD player and VLC media player software, some use .mov or quicktime files. CDs include .tif, .gif, and .jpg files.

CMU News This series, 5 cubic feet, 2003-2005, is a CMU. UComm newsletter, which continues its predecessor series, News. CMU News series is organized by publication number and date. Boxes 60-63.

Digital Image Database Lists. This series, .5 cubic foot (in 1 box) includes 4 folders of database lists, 1997-2012. Box #191. These lists do not seem to match the digital information in the collection on DVD/CDs/ or in the workstation. It likely matches digital information retained in 2020 by UComm.

Faculty News Releases. Faculty News Releases. This series, 4 cubic feet, undated, is mostly news released by CMU and other sources about CMU faculty with a few folders of prominent CMU graduates and organizations. It is organized roughly alphabetically by surname. While materials inside folders are dated, the folders are undated. Boxes 49-52.

Headshots/Mugshots. There are three subseries to this series: Historic mugshots, small headshots and outdated headshots or individual portraits of CMU faculty, emeritus faculty, staff, sometimes including department name, and some CMU students or non-CMU speakers, Michigan people, or CMU topics, there is sometimes description such as valedictorian and homecoming queen and a year. They total 11 cubic feet, 1950s-1970s, and undated.

Historic mugshots. This series, 2 cubic feet, 1950s-1970s, and undated. Most photographs are black and white, 4x5 inches or smaller. Mug shots are often in individual original envelopes, although some envelopes include multiple images. They are organized alphabetically by surname or topic. (See also its descendant series, small headshots.) While materials inside folders may be dated, some folders are undated. Boxes 16 and 79.

Headshots, outdated. This series, 4 cubic feet, undated, is the first subseries continuing Historic Mugshots. It is organized alphabetically by surname or topic. As headshots became outdated, they were sorted into this series, while current headshots became the Small headshots series. While materials inside folders may be dated, the folders are undated. Boxes 93-96.

Small headshots. This series, 5 cubic feet, undated, is the more current Headshots images. It is a continuation of Historic mugshots and Headshots, but most of the images are smaller than those found in the earlier subseries. It is organized alphabetically by surname or topic. While materials inside folders may be dated, the folders are undated. Boxes 87-91. Box 91 also includes some Miscellaneous.

Information Services News. This series, 6 cubic feet, 1979-1997, is a newsletter which was published by UComm’s predecessor unit, CMU. Information Services. It is organized by publication number and chronologically by year. Boxes 42-47.

Microcassettes. This series includes 1 cubic foot (1 box) of Ampex UMaticSP microcassettes, 1998, 2016. They are packed into three box lids within the box, and organized in numerical order according to their labels, which is mostly chronological. The few without description are dated and are located at the end of the Box Lid #3. Only microcassette #740 has a partially illegible description. The series is color recordings of CMU people, places and events. The microcassettes can be viewed by inserting them into a microcassette recorder in the Clarke and viewing the recording in its monitor screen.

Miscellaneous and Mixed Photographs. This series, 9 cubic feet, 1991-2008, and undated, 6 boxes and 1 Oversized folder. This series includes photographs, negatives and prints, some mounted on foamcor board, and some headshots, including black and white, color, all mixed together in the boxes, and digital images and prints from digital images. Box 74 is mostly digital prints. Sometimes UComm called them Miscellaneous Photos (Photographs) and sometimes Mixed Photos (Photographs). Some of the boxes are in their original order, which is neither alphabetical nor chronological, while other boxes are organized alphabetically into broad CMU topics. Boxes 19, 21, 72-74, 91. Box 91 also includes some Miscellaneous). See also CDs/DVDs series. Also included here is 1 Oversized folder of color, matted photographs, 1980s, 2001-2018, and undated, which measure 26x18 inches on foamcor board, dated by the photographer, Peggy Brisbane.

Mixed Files. This series, 5 cubic feet, 1965-1967, 1980s, but mostly undated, is a mixture of paper and photographic materials on various CMU topics. It is organized alphabetically into broad CMU topics. There is some overlap in Boxes 75-76. While materials inside folders may be dated, the folders are mostly undated. Boxes 75-78, 124.

Name Cards. This series, approximately 2 cubic feet, undated, in five 5x7 inch note card boxes. The note cards are organized alphabetically by surname, except for the last part of W-Z was filed at the end of the M box due to space issues. There is usually one card for each CMU person in the series. Each card documents each time a person was featured in some type of news release from CMU or other sources, such as Michigan or out-of-state newspapers, and the name and date of the source. A small number of people often featured in the news have multiple cards.

Negatives: This series, 74 cubic feet, 1946, 2012, and undated, includes boxes full or almost completely full of negatives in original sleeves. The negatives are mostly organized chronologically by year with negatives in numerical order. There are some gaps in the series. Some negatives are one per sleeve, several per sleeve. Strips of negatives are in various negative sleeves. Information on the sleeve may include any or all of the following: date, negative number, strip number, or either a name or description of a CMU person, organization, building, location or event. Boxes 109-118, 125-188 Box 109 also includes one CD of images, 2005-2012. Box 184 has CDs, 2000.

News. This series, 7 cubic feet, 1983-1985 2010, mostly undated, is copies of a CMU UComm newsletter, organized rougly alphabetically into broad CMU topics. Folder are undated. This is a subseries of the series News by Publication Number/Date (see that series description). News was continued by CMU News (a CMU newsletter, see also that series description). Boxes 40-41, 48, 53-55, 57.

News by Publication Number/Date. This series, 3 cubic feet, 1997-2003, is the same CMU newsletter, but is organized by publication number and date. For anyone researching major CMU events and news in a specific time period this is a good series in which to begin your research. Boxes 56, 58-59. Some copies of News were organized into a series organized alphabetically by topic. See also the News series.

News [of] CMU Board of Trustees [Members]. This series, .25 cubic foot, undated [1970-2014], is mostly news documenting some of the CMU Board of Trustees Members who served between 1970 and 2014. There is also one folder labeled CMU Information and one folder each for Kevin Dambrot, men’s basketball coach 1991-1999, and Donita Daventport, winning women’s basketball coach 1984-1996, and Kevin F. Kelly, who was neither a member of the Board nor a CMU faculty or staff member. The folders are undated. The news in the folders was created by CMU and other sources and UComm collected it. UComm probably used the series as both an ongoing current and historical research file. The series is organized in original order, which is neither in alphabetical nor chronological order, and labeling was not systematic. The order of names and abbreviations used on folder labels varies. Matyn researched when the people were active on the Board or at CMU, and added dates in the Box and Folder Listing in square brackets. Box 67.

News of Faculty. This series, 2 cubic feet, undated [1940s-1990s] is news by CMU and other sources mainly about CMU faculty members, administrators, and some topical subjects, that UComm collected. It is roughly organized alphabetically by surname. The order of names and abbreviations used on folder labels varies. The folders are undated. Boxes 64-65.

News of Faculty, Retired. This series, 1 cubic foot, undated [1940s-1990s], is news by CMU and other sources mainly about retired CMU faculty members and a few administrators, that UComm collected. It is organized alphabetically by surname. A number of people for whom CMU buildings are or were named are included in this series. The only president included is Grawn. Folders are undated. Box 66.

The New Releases series, 5 cubic feet, 1986, undated, is a UComm newsletter organized alphabetically in broad CMU topics, such as Football, Graduate Studies, and Parking. It does not include the names of CMU people. While materials inside folders are dated, the folders are undated, except for Flood of ‘86. Boxes 97-101. Some News Releases were organized into a subseries, New Releases Faculty. See also the New Releases Faculty subseries.

Proof, Contact or Galley Sheets series, 9 cubic feet, 1946, 2010, and undated, includes proof, contact or galley sheets and some photographs, both black and white and color, in various formats mixed together in folders. Galley sheets are a page with multiple images from the negatives. Photographers reviewed these, usually circling in red crayon which images were worth printing. Sometimes they would also draw a red X through images that were not worth printing. The series is organized alphabetically by mostly broad CMU topics and most of the proof, contact or galley sheets each measure 8.5x11 inches. Boxes 15, 17, 80-86.

Slides. This series, 12 cubic feet, 1970, 1989, 1997-2012, mostly undated, includes boxes which were entirely or mostly filled with color slides of CMU, but may contain some other photographic materials. The slides are in original order and are organized variously, alphabetically by broad or specific CMU topic, in slide carousels, slide storage pages, folders or boxes. Boxes 189-190 were originally in a wooden drawer and were rehoused in two archival slide boxes. Occasionally, a few slides are also mixed in with other series. Boxes 14, 20, 68-71, 92, 102-103, 107-108, 189-190.

The Videotapes series, 31 cubic feet, 1991-2007 and undated and digital videos, 1.2 TB, 2012-2016 includes. three subseries of color videotape recordings documenting a wide variety of CMU people and events. Some of the videotapes were edited for broadcasting, while others are informal and unedited, or partially edited, with or without music, CMU logos, or credits. The two main physical subseries are Videotapes, Videotape masters (master recordings) and Videotapes (not masters). The then videographer, Adam Miedmia, was in the midst of a project to transfer videotapes onto DVDs when the collection was transferred to the Clarke. The vast majority of these Videotapes are BetacamSP format Masters, but there are some Ampex UMaticSP videotapes (measures 5.2x8.5 inches) and VHS videotapes. Both of these subseries are in numerical order by tape number, the original order in which they were transferred to the Clarke. Videotape dates are either when they were recorded or broadcasted on television, if they were broadcasted. The dates and topic for both series overlap. There are gaps in the numerical sequences and dates, and there are some unlabeled videos.

Videotape masters. This series, 11 cubic feet, 1991-2007 and undated, is the master videotapes. Boxes 1-11.

Videotapes. This series, 20 cubic feet, 1997-2007 and undated, is the non-master videotapes. Boxes 12-13, 22-39.

The last, most modern subseries of videos is Digital Videos, 1.2 TB images (with images), 2012-2016, were originally stored on the MAC Pro harddrive, but are now stored on a Clarke server labeled UComm.

The last series is the Workstation MAC DOS digital information. The following related equipment was also transferred to the Clarke by UComm: Pioneer DVD player and two parts of Sony BetacamSP Deck for video editing; and a MAC Pro with 1 harddrive containing 1.2 TB images and Videotapes, 2012-2016, a series now stored on a Clarke server labeled UComm. Please Note: A careful review found that the digital information stored on the workstation, harddrive and CDs/DVDs in the collection indicates that the vast majority are NOT duplicated in other series in this collection, nor does the workstation digital information match the database inventory lists. The workstation uses multiple digital software formats including microworkbk, .tif, .gif, and .mov. The Workstation includes the following nine digital subseries:

Workstation subseries 1: B Roll Inventory, 2000-2009, 176 KB, in microworkbk format (Note: this is larger than the Master Tape Inventory.)

Workstation subseries 2: Logging, 2007, 29 KB, is a topical list, in microworkbk format, of Videotapes consecutively #377-497 of various topics, 2004-2005. Note: BetaSP #377-419, 2004, are found in Boxes 35-37. BetaSP#420-497 are not in this collection.

Workstation subseries 3: Tape Inventory Masters, 2007, see attached list, 111KB, in microwkbk format, list of Tapes #1-690 description may include year, running time, general category Ex. Events, Sports, a printed copy of this list was in the first video box.

Workstation subseries 4: VideoBRoll.Doc, 2007, 33KB, micro…unit is a list identified on the Workstation as minority tapes from #2-139 (very scattered). The description may include year, 1997-2001, and running time. These minority tapes numbers and dates are not found (duplicated) in the collection on either DVDs or physical videotapes.

Workstation subseries 5: 2013 Masters, which, when opened, is dated January-September 2016. This subseries includes one folder/month for January-September 2016, each of which includes 1-5 Videotape movie formats. Ex. 1 video is 1 hr 31 mins, another is 2 hrs running time. No total storage is given.

Workstation subseries 6: Test footage football honors event 13 seconds in movie format, no year. No total storage is given.

Workstation subseries 7: Images 4,256 in .gif, .tif files. No total storage is given.

Workstation subseries 8: Movies 254, 2006-2009, some are CMU Videotapes, others are generic for editing purposes, formats are diverse. No total storage is given.

Workstation subseries 9: Documents “more than 10,000,” formats vary.

Related collections:

Researchers may also be interested in several collections in the Clarke from UComm’s predecessor units, CMU. Information Services and PRM. Please see the finding aids and catalog records for these collections. All of these collections consist of output (images and publications). None of the inner workings of the unit, for example meeting minutes of UComm staff, planning or project files or unit annual reports are in these collections. Also, the CMU Photographs (stored in vertical filing cabinets by the CMU Vertical Files), which were donated to the Clarke prior to 1996, originally came from Public Relations and Marketing and include images from Information Services. CMU Photographs is not cataloged, but an inventory is available to assist researchers.

Digitized newsletters:

Researchers may also be interested in UComm’s various newsletters, with their different names and formats over time, which were scanned as a separate project by the Clarke staff in 2019 and are available in 2020 on the Clarke’s digital collections website.

Processing Notes:

The Move and its impact on processing: The collection was transferred from UComm to Clarke February 10, 2016, suddenly, unexpectedly, very quickly and without advanced warning. This situation led to complications with the move and processing the collection. At UComm, the majority of the physical collection had been stored in hanging folders in filing cabinets and other, variously sized cabinets and assorted containers. To decrease their weight during the move, the movers shifted materials from some of drawers into large, portable moving tubs, destroying the original series order for the collection. The materials filled the entire back hall of the Clarke when they arrived.

Boxing: Matyn and her students, notably Suli Albinhamad and Cassie Olson, among others quickly boxed the collection from the filing cabinets and moving tubs into acid free cubic foot boxes, noting original order when possible. The last third of the collection was the most disorganized and is in the best order it could be restored to in a timely fashion. It was decided by Matyn and Director Frank Boles in February 2016 to reestablish box order through the finding aid and not reorganize boxes on the shelves.

Inventory: An inventory began March 4, 2016, which continued through March 2020 as archival students were available. Matyn and the following students inventoried the collection and typed the inventory: Lindsey Rogers, Brad Davis, Clarissa Klein, Haley Schleicher, and Michael Watts, who notably typed the majority of the inventory.

Rehousing: Due to the estimated substantial cost of archivally rehousing this large a collection, specifically the audiovisual materials, the decision was made by Director F. Boles and Archivist Marian Matyn in February 2016 not to rehouse the collection in acid-free folders or audiovisual archival housing. The only exception for this was slides which were stored in a wooden drawer and were rehoused in archival slide boxes #189-1990. Most of the physical collection is in hanging files in archival boxes. Negatives and slides are in their original containers.

Labeling: Most of the physical materials in the collection were originally labeled variously. Some materials are undated, and the use of acronyms, partial names, or abbreviations is common and varies throughout the collection. When necessary and if possible, Matyn added additional information to the Box and Folder Listing to aid the researcher. Labels were created by Matyn for unlabeled folders. When labels had fallen into the body of the folder, they were found and written on the folder or container. In a few cases, parts of labels or description were illegible. When title/label and description did not match, additional description, when possible, was added to assist the researcher.

Abbreviations, acronyms, and slang: Abbreviations, acronyms, or slang have been written out to assist researchers if their meaning was known. CMU acronyms that are now no longer commonly known or used were written out by Matyn the first time the acronym appears in the Box and Folder List to assist researchers. When Matyn was unable to determine what an abbreviation meant, so the original abbreviation was retained in the Box and Folder Listing.

Withdrawn materials: 14 cubic feet of material was withdrawn during processing, including: duplicates, non-CMU information, particularly publications, newspapers and newspaper clippings for Michigan newspapers and CMU publications which are digitized, search committee information for commencement speakers, CDs with customers’ orders, and obsolete storage formats which were inaccessible.

Lawyer with the Bendix Corporation and the Ford Motor Company, and member of numerous legal and public service organizations. Speeches, articles and public statements; material relating to his activities with the American Bar Association, the National Legal Aid and Defender Association, and other legal groups; some files concern his interest in such topics as business ethics, campus government and student dissent in the 1960s, electoral college reform, and legal education; there is also material detailing his involvement in public service organizations concerned largely with civil rights and education; also contracts, agreements, and other documentation relating to reorganization of Wesco Corporation (later National Theatres Corporation), 1933-1936; and reorganization of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures, July-August 1935.

The William T. Gossett collection chronicle his professional career as a lawyer and businessman as well as those many public service activities in which he was active. The collection was received in two accessions, 1981 and 1997. The 1981 accession, the largest of the two, consisted of the following series: Vita; Speeches, Articles, and Statements; Professional Activities; Topical Files; Public Service Files; Hospitals and Organizations; Colleges Universities, and Schools; and Personal Correspondence. The smaller 1997 accession included these series: Biographical and Personal Materials; Speeches, Articles, and Statements; Photographs; and Twentieth Century-Fox. There was some slight overlap in the content of the two accessions, particularly in Gossett's speeches and articles. No attempt was made, however, to intersperse this similar material.

William Reuben is an investigative reporter and author who wrote, most notably, about the Rosenberg espionage case and the Alger Hiss-Whitaker Chambers libel and perjury trials. The Collection includes correspondence, research and interview notes, drafts of books and articles, published and unpublished, on the trials of the "Trenton Six," Morton Sobell and Robert Soblen, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and Alger Hiss, with much research on Whittaker Chambers.

In general, most of the series consist of similar kinds of material: Reuben's research notes, drafts of his writings, correspondence, clippings, and reviews of other writings about the case or individual. Some of the series have further value because they include Reuben's collection of printed material about the case. For example, Reuben was particularly active in the Committee to Secure Justice in the Rosenberg Case, and the Rosenberg series includes some of the printed matter put out by this organization. Reuben also collected correspondence of the Civil Rights Congress, a major organization lobbying on behalf of the Trenton Six.

In many ways, the Reuben papers are an assemblage of secondary material. Reuben had little first-hand dealings with either the Rosenbergs or the Trenton Six. Nevertheless, the files have value for their documentation of the manner in which this one investigative reporter worked. Reuben was a meticulous and persistent researcher, who tracked down a variety of leads in a story, first analyzing the available court transcripts and other official records, then corresponding as much as he was able with the people involved in the case (including other writers like himself), and finally monitoring the amount and kind of press coverage given to the case. Unfortunately, Reuben did not gain as much first-hand contact with the principals in his investigations as he would have liked, and thus the collection is not as substantive as the researcher might like. Reuben 's correspondence, furthermore, is often superficial and anecdotal in character. Another disappointment of the collection are Reuben 's notes and drafts, which because they are fragmentary or unidentified, are difficult to use and of questionable research value.

Architectural firm founded by Gunnar Birkerts, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Textual records, architectural and engineering drawings and photographs document fourteen of the firm's major buildings including the Federal Reserve Building (Minneapolis, MN), Corning Glass Museum (Corning, NY) and the University of Michigan Law School Library Addition.

The Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection offers researchers a rich perspective on the work of one of the masters of American modern architecture whose career spans the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. The initial accessions of Birkert's material encompassed 69 linear feet of the firm's textual records, which are associated with 14 of Birkerts' distinguished buildings, and 7158 original drawings and prints documenting the evolution of the architectural design process for each project. In 2008, the records and drawings of 74 more projects were included in the collection, bringing the total amount of textual material to 82 linear feet and the number of drawings to over 10,000. Altogether, these visual materials detail many of the expressive elements for which Birkerts' architecture is renowned, including his bold forms, simplification of detail, innovative selection of surface materials and dramatic use of indirect light. Although six of the buildings in the original collection of 14 projects are located in Michigan, along with the offices of the firm, nine other structures were built in New York, Indiana, Mississippi and Minnesota, testimony to the national scope of this architectural practice. The following buildings were selected for inclusion in the collection by Birkerts and Bentley Historical Library staff because they represent the significance, diversity and evolution of the architect's work:

1. Haley Funeral Home (1960-1961)
2. University Reformed Church (1960-1964)
3. Freeman Residence (1964-1966)
4. Lincoln Elementary School (1965-1967)
5. Tougaloo College Master Plan, Library and Dormitories (1965-1972)
6. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (1967-1973)
7. Duluth Public Library (1969-1980)
8. S.U.N.Y., Purchase, Dance Instructional Facility (1970-1976)
9. Corning Municipal Fire Station (1973-1974)
10. Calvary Baptist Church (1974-1977)
11. University of Michigan Law Library Addition (1974-1981)
12. Corning Museum of Glass (1976-1980)
13. Ferguson Residence (1980-1983)
14. St. Peter's Lutheran church (1981-1988)
15. Additional Projects (added in 2008)

The initial accessions Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection are arranged in 14 series, each of which contains the business records and architectural drawings for one building. The finding aid begins with a description of the narrative records in chronological order in each series. An item-level description of the architectural and engineering drawings follows, grouping drawings in folders according to design phases, as described above. The finding aid lists the titles of drawings, when they exist, as well as title bar information including original dates, revision dates, numeric sequencing and, in some cases, names of consulting engineers. A description of the medium and support of each drawing is also given.

The 2008 accession to the collection includes of documentation of 74 additional projects consisting of 3,000 drawings and 13 linear feet of textual materials and photographs. The documentation for these projects is generally not as extensive as for the fourteen in the original accessions and the finding aid does not describe them in as great detail. They have been grouped together as single series titled "Other Projects" and the individual projects are listed in alphabetical order by project title

One of the collection's greatest strengths is found in its emphasis on the architectural design process, offering researchers a broad, visual representation of the evolution of each building through the "Schematic Design," "Design Development" and "Construction Document" sequences. Because Gunnar Birkerts and Associates meticulously saved each drawing associated with the firm's projects, this collection provides an exceptional view of the daily design process, as solutions were sought which defined the architectural character and individuality of a structure. Each of the 14 buildings in the Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection is conceived as an individual series, which contains the textual and visual documents associated with the project. Within each of the 14 series, the architectural and engineering drawings are arranged chronologically by design phase, beginning with "Schematic Design," when the owner's program is analyzed and sketches are drawn to illustrate the scale and relationship of the project's components. Researchers interested in viewing the earliest conceptual drawings associated with each building are encouraged to consult the finding aid of the collateral Gunnar Birkerts Collection, which amasses the sketches by the architect's own hand for most of his projects. Digital images of 284 of these conceptual sketches can be seen online in the Bentley Historical Library Image Bank through Gunnar Birkerts, Conceptual Drawings. An understanding of the beginning stage of design for each building is best obtained by studying the conceptual and "Schematic Design" documents in both the Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection and the Gunnar Birkerts Collection.

The second "Design Development" stage in each building series includes more precise site plans, floor plans, elevations and sections which further define the dimensions, mechanical/electrical systems, building materials and architectural character of the project. This phase often ends with the production of artistic presentation drawings which are used to obtain the client's approval of the design. Although the collection contains a large majority of original sketches and drawings on tracing paper, vellum, linen and mylar, many blue-line and sepia prints have been retained in each series if they are substitutes for missing originals or if they are annotated and thus show the ongoing search for solutions in the evolution of the design process.

Each series in the collection also records the third "Construction Document" phase, during which the final working drawings are developed before being sent to contractors for bids. These drawings are the graphic representation of the written "Specifications," included in the textual records of every series. The "Construction Documents" for each building, which were often revised to show changes after construction began, may be of significant value to historic preservationists or future owners seeking to restore the building to its original condition or adapt it to a new use.

The Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection is also significant in its pairing of the visual documentation described above with the textual records of each building, which describe the decisions and actions of the firm during the design and construction process. Thus, scholars can read the program information, specifications, addenda and memoranda associated with the architectural drawings during each chronological stage of the building's design. Written contracts, correspondence, transmittals and field inspection reports further inform historians about the relationship between the firm and its clients, contractors, consulting engineers, landscape architects and sub-contractors, documenting in rich detail the business affairs of a nationally known architectural firm in the second half of the twentieth century. Of particular value within the narrative records of each building series is the "Architect's Conceptual Statement". These statements offer design and history students an opportunity to understand the interchange of objective and subjective influences on Mr. Birkerts' creative process and the solutions which define the architectural character of each building.

The Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection is also of exceptional value to scholars because it represents the end of the era of hand-drawn architectural documents. By the end of the twentieth century, many architects have begun to use the computer in the development of design and construction drawings. However, this collection of the original 14 buildings contains only drawings which show the flow of the creative process from the brain, through the hand, to the paper. Even drawings which are marked "void" are retained because, like annotated prints, they show the evolution of the design as the search for architectural solutions begins to define the building. Whereas the use of computer-aided design would undoubtedly delete many intermediary design drawings from a collection, this aggregation of hand-drawn documents shows the artistry and complexity of the creative process. The beauty of the architect's pencil line on delicate tracing paper, smooth vellum and opaque mylar is preserved here for future generations of scholars, just as its use in the late 1990s is being abandoned by many architects.

In 2015, Gunnar Birkerts donated a large collection of 7,840 color 35 mm slides, associated with the design and construction of 123 projects, documenting through photographs the work of his entire career. This additional collection is encompassed in the series titled, "Photographic Slides of Projects."

The Middle English Dictionary (MED) is a comprehensive dictionary of the English language as it was used between 1100 and 1500. The MED was in production at the University of Michigan from 1930 to 2001. The collection contains correspondence of the chief editors, administrative records, files on editorial matters, and miscellaneous files and production material.

In August of 2001 the administrative records and most of the materials pertaining to the history and making of the Middle English Dictionary (MED) from its beginnings at the University of Michigan in 1930 up to its completion in 2001 were deposited in the Bentley Historical Library by the project and by the administrative unit responsible for it, the Office of the Vice President for Research. These materials consist primarily of correspondence, administrative records (including budget), files on editorial matters, and miscellaneous files and notes on other matters. In February of 2010 the remainder of the MED materials was transferred to the Bentley Library from the Buhr Storage Facility, where they had been kept since the fall of 2001, along with the books from the former MED library (now dispersed), under the supervision of the Special Collections Library. All of these materials form a collection separate from the citation slips used in the printed MED (along with the supplementary slips), which are now catalogued as Middle English Dictionary Citation Slips. The total number of boxes in the present collection is 98 (of various sizes), amounting to 68 linear feet.

The Middle English Dictionary records are organized in three major subgroups, RECORDS BY EDITORIAL ERA, MISCELLANEOUS MED MATERIALS, and NON-MED MATERIALS.

In the first 20 boxes (21 linear feet) the materials are in standard-size boxes in 8 1/2" x 14" folders and are arranged strictly chronologically by the editorial eras of the chief editors: Samuel Moore (1930-1934), Thomas A. Knott (1935-1945), Hans Kurath (1946-1961), Sherman M. Kuhn (1961-1983), and Robert E. Lewis (1982-2001), except that the Moore and Knott eras have been combined because of the difficulty of separating the files, other than correspondence, in those two eras. In the later MED boxes (21 through 78), the materials are stored in a mixture of formats (8 1/2" x 14" folders, 6 1/2" x 9" cards, 3" x 5" cards and slips, etc.), and the organization is topical, though still generally chronological. Non- MED materials (specifically, the Early Modern English Dictionary (EMED) materials) appear at the end (in boxes 79 through 98).

Chairman of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and previously Director of the University of Michigan’s Office of Automotive Transportation (OSAT). Collection documents Cole’s activities as the Director of OSAT and his consulting work.

The papers of David E. Cole document his activities as the Director of the Office for the Study of Transportation (OSAT) and his consulting work. This collection contains nine series: University of Michigan; Associations and Government; Company Files; Correspondence; Research; Speaking Engagements; Publications, Papers and Clippings; Topical Files; and Audio-Visual Material.

Established as a separate unit of the university in 1946, the University of Michigan Museum of Art serves as a research and teaching facility for the university and surrounding communities. The record group documents the museum's exhibitions and installations of the permanent collection and complementary interpretive programming. Records include exhibition files; executive committee minutes and director's correspondence; photographs; publicity files; and material related to the Museum Practice Program.

The records of the University of Michigan Museum of Art document its exhibition program, administration and its educational function through the Museum Practice Program. The UMMA record group has been arranged into seven series: Exhibition Files, Executive Files, Photographs, Publicity, Museum Practice Program, Historical Background, and Docents. The records include correspondence, committee minutes, publicity material and photographs. Exhibit catalogs and other publications are described separately in the Museum of Art Publications finding aid.