These are collections comprised of unpublished materials, unique items, ephemera, personal papers, artifacts, or institutional records, that support original research across disciplines — from American political history and California architecture to music manuscripts, fine printing to presidential campaigns and artworks.
Below is a selection of collections grouped thematically. Some are centered on individual figures — like Upton Sinclair, Franz Liszt, or Charles Fletcher Lummis — while others document broader social, cultural, or political moments. All materials are available for on-site research by appointment through the Research Request form. This is not a comprehensive list, so contact us to learn more!
William Jennings Bryan Papers
Japanese American Incarceration Collection
F. Ray Risdon Collection of Lincolniana & American Political Life
Bill Henry Papers
Joe and Henk Friezer Photography Negatives
Robert Winter: Architecture in California
Stereographs Collection
Lawrence Clark Powell Collection
Gloria Stuart Ephemera
Ward Ritchie Collection
Fine Printing and Independent Presses Collection
Clyde Browne and his Abbey San Encino Press
Elmer and Ruth Belt Collection on Upton Sinclair
Charles Fletcher Lummis Daily Journal (1912-1926)
Southern California Historical Pamphlets, Brochures & Ephemera
Northeast Los Angeles Newspaper Collection
E.L. Doheny Research Foundation Collection on Mexico
Nelson Eddy Music Collection
Franz Liszt Manuscripts
Johann Christian Bach Manuscripts
John Lloyd Butler Collection of Railroadiana
William H. Schuchardt Collection on Urban Planning
Carl Dentzel Collection on WWII Public Information & Propaganda
The Saigon Post
WWII Posters