Women's History Collections

A diverse range of women's stories can be found throughout the holdings of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library. Our Women in the Archive guide (available at https://www.nyhistory.org/womens-history/women-in-the-archive) provides some, but not all, of the myriad routes for discovering the history of women in the collection. While these records highlight the breadth of women's history to be found at New-York Historical, they also underscore notable silences. As one of the oldest research libraries in the United States, New-York Historical's collecting practices were until very recently shaped by biases that elevated some women's histories while underrepresenting others. It is our hope that in examining our current holdings and recognizing the gaps in our collections, visitors will be inspired to reflect on how the lives and legacies of all women have shaped the American experience. This digital collection presents some of the holdings relating to women in the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library that have already been digitized. We are continuing to digitize our women's history collections and will be adding more digital content in the future.