Using the Theatre Archives: Strategies for Research

Located in the heart of the Lincoln Center complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the Billy Rose Theatre Division is housed on the third floor of the Performing Arts Library, along with the music, recorded sound. and dance research collections. Staff members, knowledgeable in all aspects of theatre history, are available to assist users in their research. Most materials are retrieved from closed stacks upon receipt of a call slip. Additionally, a growing portion of our collection is stored at NYPL's offsite facilities. Researchers can request offsite items for delivery to the library. All materials are noncirculating and must be studied on the premises.

Begin your work at the 2nd floor reference desks. Materials from the Research Collections are accessed on the 3rd floor.

Archival materials, rare books and other special collections materials may be used in the Katharine Cornell-Guthrie McClintic Special Collections Reading Room. The Theatre on Film and Tape (TOFT) Collection can be viewed in the Lucille Lortel Screening Room.

Locating Materials

Strategies for locating materials in the Division depend on the type of materials users seek. The Collection can be broadly divided into two categories-book and nonbook material. Different approaches must be pursued to access each type of information.

Books and Periodicals

Easy access to books cataloged after 1972 can be obtained by entering author, title, or subject into the online Catalog of The New York Public Library. Computers can be found at all NYPL Branches and Research Libraries. For print materials cataloged before 1972, consult the free-standing card catalog labeled "Books. Scripts, Periodicals before 1972" or Parts I and II of the Dictionary Catalog of the Theatre and Drama Collections and its supplements, published by G K. Hall and Company. These large-bound volumes are available on the premises and in reference libraries throughout the country. The computer and card catalogs do not duplicate one another, so both must be consulted. To consult published plays, users should visit the Circulating Drama Collection, or the General Research Division of Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. The Billy Rose Theatre Division does not house such literary works, unless a copy has been used as a promptbook during production.

Nonbook Items

To locate the Division's extensive nonbook materials--including scrapbooks, clippings, programs, photographs, reviews, posters and original artwork--start by consulting the free-standing card catalog on the 2nd floor. Material can be found under title (play, film, or television program), personal name, company, or subject heading. Programs and reviews are arranged chronologically. Users may also consult the 30-volume Dictionary Catalog of the Theatre and Drama Collections, Part III: Non-Book Collection, published by G. K. Hall and Company, for nonbook materials cataloged before 1974. Available onsite and at reference libraries throughout the country, this resource is particularly valuable to out of-town researchers.

Rare Archival Material

A separate card catalog lists rare and restricted items. This supplements the Dictionary Catalog of the Theatre and Drama Collections, Part III: Non Book Collection which provides access to material cataloged before 1974.

Theatre on Film and Tape

The Lucille Lortel Room, adjacent to the main reading room, houses the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. Material is listed under production title, author, theatre company, and dialogue participants. Advance appointments are required for viewing. Users may telephone TOFT to ascertain tape availability. Please call (212) 870-1642.

E-Mail and Fax Service

The Theatre Division accepts reference questions by E-mail and fax from persons located outside New York City. Please supply us with your full name and mailing address. The email address is theatrediv@nypl.org. The fax number is (212) 870-1868.

Telephone Reference Service

The Division's professional staff answer brief reference queries by phone. Questions range from birth and death dates to film cast information. Please call (212) 870-1639.

Letter Reference Service

Questions that cannot be answered quickly by phone may sometimes be handled by letter. Knowledgeable staff members can respond to mail queries from outside New York City and can forward photocopies of material, provided there are no copyright or other restrictions. If the query requires in-depth research, please contact Ask NYPL Express. Lists of dealers in performing arts and movie memorabilia, and appraisers of theatre material, may also be obtained upon request.

Interlibrary Loan

In rare cases, books and periodicals may be obtained through interlibrary loan. However, the core of the Division - nonbook materials and scripts - may not be borrowed.

Copy Service

Within copyright restrictions, a copy service on the premises duplicates materials for a fee. For conservation reasons, photocopying of rare and fragile materials is not permitted. Such items may sometimes be reproduced by other reprographic methods.

Requests for copy service or orders that require extensive research may be referred to Ask NYPL Express. Requests by mail may be addressed to Copy Services, The New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, New York, New York 10018. If the Division has the material and it is unrestricted, a cost estimate will be supplied. The order will be initiated upon receipt of full payment.

VISA, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards may be used to pay for onsite or mail orders of $12 or more.

Publication of Materials

Permission to reproduce materials from the Division for publication in books, magazines, documentaries, calendars, greeting cards, and advertisements, or for other use, including broadcasting. must be requested in writing. A fee may be charged. Users are responsible for obtaining reproduction and/or copyright clearances, which often do not rest with The New York Public Library.