New-York Historical Society, Executive Committee minutes, 1843-1938

The Executive Committee Meeting Minutes series includes the twenty bound volumes of minutes recorded at the meetings of the committee from April 1843 to the last of its meetings in 1937. The series also includes the 1938 minutes of the committee's successor governing body, the Board of Trustees; the 1938 minutes are bound in the same volume as the 1936-1937 committee minutes. Matters routinely considered by the Executive Committee and recorded in the minutes include the recommendation for election of individuals nominated for membership; consideration of publishing initiatives; vetting speakers and papers to be presented at Society meetings; review of finances and banking arrangements, including the performance of mortgages held for investment; approval of library hours and other operational matters; assessment of the condition of the collections, including the Abbott Egyptian collection, which is discussed extensively in 1916; compilation of member lists; consideration of acquisitions by purchase or by donation; approval of the payments of bills (which are listed in the minutes until sometime in the 1920s); maintenance of the buildings; permissions to photograph objects; and proposals of changes to the N-YHS Constitution and By-laws. In addition to its broad scope, the Executive Committee also worked closely with the Fine Arts Committee and the buildings committees so references to their activities are found in these minutes also. In short, the full range of management matters was conducted by the committee and is reflected in the minutes.