Columbia University Libraries (CUL) remain closed until further notice to aid in the containment of COVID-19. While unable to physically process materials, RBML’s archivists are working on offsite locations to update finding aids and create greater accessibility for our collections. Here, Head Archivist Kevin Schlottmann shares these updates.
Please be safe, wear your mask and take advantage of this time to engage with materials you may have collected on previous visits to the RBML. You are also welcome to explore these resources:
– CUL’s Digital Library Collections
– the Columbia University Archives online and
– the RBML’s Digital Collections and Exhibitions.
Newly digitized Oral History Collections
Chinese Oral History project (**This collection is heavily used; digital assets include the 10,000+ page, multi-part audio Wellington Koo interview)
Iranian-American Relations project
Hollywood Film Industry project
Southern Intellectual Leaders project
University Archives
Victor Kayfetz Photograph collection, 1963-1965
“Victor Kayfetz was a student at Columbia College between 1962 and 1966 and served as photography editor of Spectator from early 1964 to late 1965…”
School of General Studies Records, 1946-2004
“The School of General Studies serves as the liberal arts division of Columbia for adults “dedicated to the belief that highly motivated [adult] students should have full access to the quality of instruction offered by the University,” in the words of its 1992-1993 Bulletin”
“As part of the Nuclear Science and Engineering program, a nuclear reactor was built for education and research purposes in the Engineering Terrace building. The application for construction was accepted by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in 1963 and the building project was completed in April 1967 at a total cost of approximately one million dollars. However, the reactor was never fueled and was never radioactive.”
Reformatted Bakhmeteff Finding Aids
Vladimir Feofilovich Zeeler Papers
Vladimir Feofilovich Zeeler (Владимир Феофилович Зеелер; 1874-1954) was a Russian lawyer, state official and political activist; the Interior Minister in the South Russian Government; a pivotal figure of the Russian emigration; and a journalist, editor, memoirist and philanthropist. The collection includes correspondence, manuscripts, and photographs of many prominent cultural figures in the Russian emigration. A sizable part of the collection also concerns the painter Il’ia Repin (1844-1930).
Ariadna Vladimirovna Tyrkova-Williams Papers
Correspondence, manuscripts, documents, photographs, subject files and printed material of Russian émigré writer, journalist, and Kadet Party leader Ariadna Vladimirovna Tyrkova-Williams. The collection also contains material by her husband, Harold Williams, and her son, Arkadiĭ Borman.
Nadezhda Aleksandrovna Teffi Papers
Correspondence, manuscripts, documents, photographs, drawings, sheet-music and printed material of Teffi (Nadezhda Aleksandrovna Lokhvitskaia, married name Buchinskaia; 1872-1952. Тэффи, Надежда Александровна Лохвицкая, в замужестве Бучинская), a Russian émigré writer
RBML Collections
Harry Stephen Keeler papers, 1929-1980
“Author, editor. Keeler (1890-1967) was the very prolific author of nearly 100 long and intricately plotted murder mystery and adventure novels which were published in English from 1924 until 1953 and continued to appear in Spanish translation long after his death.”
Manuel Komroff papers, 1897-1979
“Novelist & author, died in 1974.”
“Mostly photostat negative copies of various primary resources from the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.”
Citizens Union of the City of New York records, 1892-1976
“Letters, documents, clippings, and printed matter related to the work of the Citizens Union of New York, including correspondence, memoranda, and reports which survey, analyze, and criticize bills introduced in the state legislature and city council; 244 boxes of “Who’s Who” biographies of candidates for city and state offices; files of campaign and election materials; records of affiliated “good government” organizations in New York City; and extensive financial records.”
The Law Practice of Alexander Hamilton publication project, 1961-1981
“Correspondence, typescripts, research notes, index cards, photocopies, and photographs of THE LAW PRACTICE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON publication project, 1961-1981.”
Eduard Lindeman papers, 1911-1953
“Teacher, author. Professor Lindeman taught at the New York School of Social Work, 1924-1950. He was a prolific writer in the field of social work and was associated with THE NEW REPUBLIC for twenty years.”
Lenore Marshall papers, 1887-1980
“Lenore Guinzburg Marshall, 1897-1971 (Barnard College A.B. 1919), American author and peace and anti-nuclear activist.”
Stephen William Rousseas papers, 1966-1979
“Rousseas (1921-2012) (Columbia B.S., 1948; A.M., 1949; Ph.D., 1954) taught Economics at Columbia University, New York University, and Vassar College. A friend of Andreas and Margaret Papandreou, the Greek political figure and his wife, he was very active in American organizations supporting Papandreou after the 1967 coup d’etat in Greece.”
Edward Van Dyke Robinson papers, 1884-1915
“Professor of economics, University of Minnesota, 1907-1915, and at Columbia University, for three months during 1915.”
Charles Stelzle papers, 1889-1941
“Clergyman”
Oriental Club of the City of New York records, 1896-1982
“The Oriental Club of the City of New York (also called the New York Oriental Club) was founded in 1896 to promote Oriental research and as a social organization for scholars in Oriental studies.”
David Flaherty papers, 1913-1965
“The papers consist of David Flaherty’s personal and family correspondence, scripts, accounts, notes, manuscripts, etc. of the films which he directed.”
James Lawrence Fly papers, 1920-1977
“James Lawrence Fly was the General Counsel of the Tennessee Valley Authority, 1934-1939; Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.), 1939-1944; and later in private practice as an attorney before the F.C.C., a member of the board of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a frequent lecturer about radio, television, and freedom of speech.”
Robert M. MacIver papers, 1930-1969
“Robert Morrison MacIver (1882-1970) was the Lieber Professor of Political Philosophy and Sociology at Columbia University.”
Crime Writers’ Association records, 1958-1972
“The Crime Writers’ Association was founded in London, in 1953, by John Creasey and Nigel Morland.”
Shirley Leon Quimby papers, 1918-1974
“Shirley Leon Quimby (1893-1986) was a physicist (Columbia Ph.D., 1925), Columbia faculty member, 1919-1962, fellow of the American Physical Society and treasurer of that organization from 1957 to 1970.”
Nikola Tesla papers, 1894-1931
“Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was an electrician and inventor.”