The collections held by Manuscripts and Archives document a wide array of persons, institutions, and subject areas. Most of these areas have a strong link to Yale, either to the institution itself; to the faculty, students, alumni, and other members of the Yale community; or to areas in which Yale has had strong teaching and research interests.

Manuscripts and Archives collects broadly in the areas of public policy and administration; diplomacy and international affairs; political and social thought and commentary; science, medicine, and the environment; legal and judicial history; the visual and performing arts; urban planning and architecture; environmental policy and affairs; psychology and psychiatry; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender history and culture. In addition, the department has extensive holdings on New Haven, Connecticut, and New England history.

These collection areas vary in the breadth of holdings and the level of active acquisition currently underway. The variations reflect the changing nature of Yale's curricular interests and the range of contributions that Yale faculty and alumni have made to the development of modern society and culture. Through consultations with the Yale community, Manuscripts and Archives strives to maintain the vitality and relevance of its collection programs so that they can continue to serve the teaching and research needs of the university.

For more information, please see Research Tools.