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Manuscripts, Maps & Ephemera
Manuscript Collections
The manuscript collection features more than 8,000 individual, original, published and unpublished source materials documenting Iowa’s founding, growth, development and citizen experiences.
- Account and minute books
- Advertisements
- Diaries
- Ephemera
- Letters
- Organization, school, church, club, business and labor union records
- Personal papers
- Personal reminiscences
- Scrapbooks
- Sheet music
Use the collection lists below to get started.
- Manuscript Collection – Des Moines
- Manuscript Collection – Iowa City
- Ephemera Collection – Des Moines
Map Collections
Collections feature thousands of published and unpublished printed and hand drawn maps — including fire insurance maps and pre-1940 Iowa county plat maps on microfilm.
Collections Catalog
In addition to the listings below, some records for manuscript collections have been added to the online catalog, which may contain detailed descriptions.