Horace Howard Furness, Sr. Guidelines for Collection Development Chronological. Materials that originate from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries currently predominate. Codex manuscripts from the Middle Ages through the early modern period are also acquired selectively, as opportunity and programs permit. Archival research materials are acquired in a wide variety of formats.
Emphasis is placed on American and European materials.
Materials from India are also acquired selectively. The preponderance of materials acquired are English-language. Western European languages are also emphasized. We have an agreement with the University Archives and Records Center not to collect University records or faculty papers, except for those faculty papers that directly relate to current holdings. We do not actively collect architectural drawings, for which the Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania remains the primary repository.