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Exploring the Collections

This guide describes the various ways the DC History Center collections are organized, and the methods the public can use to access them.

Ephemera

Ephemera are items of collectible memorabilia, typically written or printed ones, that were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness or popularity. Examples of ephemera include business cards, invitations, transit tickets, flyers, and brochures. Ephemera is cataloged in the Archives catalog. This link allows you to browse cataloged ephemera.

Ephemera is generally cataloged by subject or creator, and assigned an object ID following the in-house system of E plus 4-digit number. Ephemera that has a distinct connection to a named manuscript collection may be assigned an E object ID, but the collection name will reflect the individual item's connection to the named collection rather than the General Ephemera Collection. This allows items to remain connected to their provenance but be discoverable in the catalog.