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Introduction
Editorial Note

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Introduction

This new edition of the 1979 U.S. Naval History Sources in the United States is the first Naval Historical Center publication planned and created especially for the Internet. Issuing the new Guide online eliminates the limitations of size and cost associated with a traditional printed volume. By doing so, the Center has been able to provide much more extensive information than was possible in the original. Further, an online publication is far easier to update and revise, allowing us to provide the most current information available. We hope this will aid students of naval history in locating primary source documents and stimulate interest in researching naval history.

Most of the materials listed in this publication are the private papers of officers, enlisted personnel, and civilian officials of the U.S. Navy. Additionally, the listings include personal papers collections of the chairmen of Congressional naval committees and other individuals with a significant interest in naval affairs, the records of a number of business firms that acted as naval contractors, and official records of the U.S. Navy. When information was available for private and official documents relating to other uniformed maritime services of the United States, or foreign navies closely associated with our nation's history, entries for these documents were also included. Whenever possible the entries for each repository contain a link to the repository's website, many of which include finding aids to their holdings. The scope of the listed material covers naval history from Colonial times to the 1990s.

The Naval Historical Center greatly appreciates the cooperation of all the repositories that answered our appeal for new information on their holdings and hopes that the archives and libraries listed in this publication will continue to provide updates to the Center's Website Committee. We also welcome the descriptions of naval history related materials from other U.S. repostitories not yet listed in the Guide.

It is evident from this Guide that the sources of naval history are extremely rich and widely distributed throughout the United Sates. I wish to commend the Center's Webmaster Kathleen M. Lloyd and the Guide's editor Wade Wyckoff, as well as assistants Kenneth Johnson and Carolyn Stallings, for their perseverance and careful attention to detail in updating the previous edition. I hope that this online publication will encourage and facilitate research in the many aspects and time periods of U.S. naval history.

William S. Dudley
Director of Naval History  

Editorial Note

In this new edition of Sources on U.S. Naval History in the United States, we have attempted to provide both an update and an expansion to the original 1979 edition. Without the space limitations imposed by a traditional published volume, we have been able to include much fuller descriptions of the various documents and collections than was previously possible. The revision effort began nearly two years ago, when requests for updates were sent to all of the repositories listed in the original Guide. Response was strong, and we received new information from many of those contacted. Most of the respondents referred us to their online catalogs either as a supplement to the information provided or in lieu of a lengthy response. Online catalogs were also a major source of information on the holdings of those repositories that did not respond to the request for updates. Selected information provided by the repositories and their catalogs has been included here, along with a link to their websites.

Putting the Guide online also makes future revisions and additions far simpler than with a printed volume. Those repositories listed are encouraged to send changes and descriptions of their new holdings by mail to the above address, by fax (202-433-2833), or e-mail (Privacy Advisory). Institutions wishing to be listed for the first time are also most welcome to send information about their holdings on naval history. (Please note that we are not able to respond to reference inquiries via e-mail. Many reference questions are answered in the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website. For information not found on the website, we welcome your questions in writing via mail or fax.)

The new edition has been very much a team project. It could not have been completed without the efforts of Kenneth Johnson, who sent out the request for updates to the institutions listed in the original volume; Carolyn Stallings, who compiled the responses; and Kathleen M. Lloyd, who read and revised the final draft. Their support and assistance is greatly appreciated.

Wade Wyckoff
Editor

May 2002

02 June 2004