Explanatory Note Concerning Manuscript Collections Cataloged in the Card Catalog
Prior to 1990 when archival cataloging procedures were adopted at the Ransom Center,
all manuscript collections were described in a card catalog.
Organization of Collections:
Manuscripts for each author collection were organized into four categories:
- Works: manuscripts by the author, arranged
alphabetically by title;
- Letters: the author's outgoing correspondence,
arranged alphabetically by recipient name;
- Recipient: the author's incoming
correspondence, arranged alphabetically by the author of the letter; and
- Miscellaneous: all other manuscripts and
correspondence, arranged alphabetically by creator.
Materials that did not fit into these categories, such as art, photographs, books,
and near-print materials such as newspaper clippings, were dispersed to other Ransom
Center collections for cataloging and storage.
Abbreviations Used in Descriptions:
The symbols below were used in combinations. For example ALS means autograph letter signed; Tccms means
typed carbon copy manuscript, etc.
- A = autograph (i.e., handwritten)
- T = typed
- S = signed
- I = initialed
- Ms = manuscript
- Mss = manuscripts
- L = letter
- FL = form letter
- N = note
- D = document
- C = card
- PC = post card
- cc = carbon copy
- p = page
- pp = pages
- l = leaf
- ll = leaves
- nd = no date
- inc d = incomplete date