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Dr. Bob Archives – The Robert Holbrook Smith Collection of Books, Manuscripts, and Memorabilia
This collection consists of more than five thousand items, including two hundred books, dozens of pieces of memorabilia, several hundred manuscripts (original and photocopied), and photographs once the property of “Dr. Bob”, the legendary co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. The collection was purchased in November 1999 from Sue Smith Windows, Dr. Smith’s daughter, and donated by Esmond Harmsworth, James Abernathy, Christopher Ohrstrom, Mark Ohrstrom, and Richard Ohrstrom. Books, all from Smith’s personal library, deal with religious and spiritual topics as well as the problems of addiction and recovery.
Manuscripts include the notes of Smith’s wife, Anne, who jotted down the spiritual principles that eventually became the AA movement’s twelve steps; a looseleaf binder containing the mimeographed instructions on how to set up an AA meeting that was sent out to chapter secretaries; and countless pages of Smith letters and notes. Among the notable items in this collection are the coffeepot that Dr. Bob and Bill W. first used to sober up in 1935.
- Individual cataloged titles (author search for “Robert Holbrook Collection”)
- Guide to the Robert Holbrook Smith (“Dr. Bob”) collection, 1873-1992 (bulk 1936-1992)
- “Archive of Recovery: Dr. Bob Comes to the Brown Library,” Brown Alumni Monthly, Volume 100, Number 4, March/April 2000
- “AA’s Dr. Bob: Alcoholics Anonymous founder’s archives acquired by Brown,”
George Street Journal, December 28, 1999
Rutgers Anti-Saloon League Collection of Temperance and Addiction Studies Periodicals
This collection of foreign-language temperance materials was originally amassed by the Anti-Saloon League. The collection was transferred by the League to the Westerville (Ohio) Public Library and in 1982 was donated by the Westerville Library to the Center of Alcohol Studies library at Rutgers University. In 1999 Rutgers transferred the collection to the John Hay Library. The collection comprises approximately 15,000 items dating from the first half of the 20th century. The database linked below lists all cataloged titles and offers the ability to sort by author, title, imprint, call number, and language. These materials are housed in off-site storage; with prior notice they can be retrieved for consultation in special collections.
» Database of cataloged titles
Archives of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
Marty Mann (1905 – 1980) founded NCADD and dedicated her life to teaching the public that alcoholism is a preventable and treatable disease, not a moral failing.
The archive comprises 15 record storage boxes containing official and personal correspondence, papers, articles, speeches, brochures, press clippings, field reports, board minutes, photographs, films, and audio cassettes. The collection is currently unprocessed and is housed in off-site storage. Prior notice is required for retrieval of these materials from off-site storage.
This outline gives a description or title only of the first and last folder or item in each box. A more detailed box contents inventory is available in the Manuscript Collections.
The Ernest Kurtz Collection on Alcoholism
Assembled by Ernest Kurtz, beginning in the 1970s, the major strengths of this collection are interviews with and testimonials by alcoholics, and talks given at various workshops. Subjects covered include personal narratives by individuals suffering and recovering from alcoholism. Materials include audio tapes and cassettes. This collection is currently being processed.
» Kurtz Collection Audio Cassettes (‘other Brown call number’ search for “Collections Kurtz”)
The Clarence Snyder A.A. Collection
This collection was acquired in 1999 from Mitchell R. Klein, CASAC. The collection contains correspondence, audio tapes, and other materials. This collection is currently unprocessed and is housed in the Manuscript Collections.
Clarence Snyder started Cleveland AA, Group #3 in Cleveland, Ohio. This was the first group to call itself “AA.”
» Individual cataloged titles (author search for “Clarence Snyder A A Collection”)
» Clarence Snyder Audio Tape Collection
» See “I’ve Never Quit Being Active“, by Clarence Snyder | A.A. Grapevine, November 1999
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