23. A-B, 1957

File — Box: 3

Scope and Contents

From the Series: The collection contains records from 1954-1973, encompassing McDaniel's tenure as Curator of the College of Physicians' Historical Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the records are arranged by year or group of years, and then alphabetically and chronologically by correspondent. (In most cases where this system is not in place, materials are arranged chronologically.) Records of McDaniel's tenure as Librarian are cataloged separately. There is overlap between the dates of McDaniel's papers as Librarian and his as Curator. Where logically appropriate, series that begin during McDaniel's time as Librarian and extend into his time as Curator are housed with the Librarian materials. Records may be filed under the personal name of the correspondent, an associated organization or institution, or both. Researchers should check under individual and institutional names.

Though it seems probable that the original order of this collection was disturbed prior to processing, the system of arrangement was created in an attempt to stay in keeping with McDaniel's original filing system, of which signs remain.

The collection sheds light on McDaniel as scholar, librarian, colleague, and as a person. In addition, the records reveal much about the College's Library itself, such as types of reference questions received and answered, details of acquisitions, successes and difficulties of daily operation, and relationships with Fellows. The records also provide a window into the library world in a larger sense. Through correspondence with librarians locally, nationally, and internationally, one may observe the library community at work, as they communicated with one another about their own libraries and the greater library and scholarly world.

The majority of this collection consists of correspondence, and is arranged in the following series:

I. Correspondence (1954-1973)

II. American Philosophical Society cataloging grant (1953-1964)

III. American Association for the History of Medicine 38th Annual Meeting (1963-1965)

IV. Miscellaneous (1971-1972)

Upon McDaniel's shift from Librarian to Curator, his correspondence with others included less of the greater library world than it once did, and concerned itself more with reference matters, particular publications, and the like. In this way, the documents reveal much about the workings and daily operations of the Library itself, such as types of reference questions received and answered, successes and difficulties, and relationships with colleagues and Fellows. At times, however, the correspondence still highlights cooperative efforts between local, regional, and national libraries and librarians.

The records are arranged in chronological groups and, where appropriate, alphabetically and chronologically by correspondent. (Documents may be filed under the personal name of the correspondent, an associated organization or institution, or both.) Both McDaniel and some of his correspondents on occasion used light-hearted nicknames or pseudonyms (such as "Rajahs" for Fred Rogers); in cases where such names are used, the records are filed under the given name of the correspondent.

I. Correspondence (1954-1973) The vast majority of the collection consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence, arranged alphabetically by correspondent within a given time frame, depending upon the amount of correspondence and its original arrangement. Correspondents include fellows, other librarians (from local, national, and even some international libraries), scholars, and the general public.

II. American Philosophical Society Cataloguing Grant (1958-1964) In 1958, the College of Physicians applied for and received a grant from the APS for the cataloguing of historical materials. This series includes grant applications, correspondence, receipts, and reports concerning this project.

III. American Association for the History of Medicine Annual Meeting (1963-1965) McDaniel served as the Chair of the Program Committee for the AAHM's 38u1 Annual Meeting, held 29 April-1 May 1965. Other members of the Program Committee included William Beatty, Whitfield Bell, Eric Carlson, John Duffy, and Leonard Willson. This series consists of correspondence, schedules, McDaniel's official communications and committee members' responses to these communications, tentative program schedules, abstracts submitted for consideration and accompanying correspondence, and other documents. Of particular interest may be correspondence regarding the Rath-Berg controversy (publication of a work was being contested due to the author's apparent past Nazi affiliation).

IV. Miscellaneous This series consists miscellaneous records, one folder from the American Literary Manuscripts Survey (19711972) and one folder of undated miscellaneous records.