Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum


Records of the National Archives and Records Administration:
Records of the Harry S. Truman Library:
Director's Reading File (Record Group 64)

Dates: 1957-1985.

These records consist of letters written by the director of the Truman Library and by other staff members, along with interoffice memoranda and reports on Library activities. The records are arranged chronologically.

[Administrative Information | Agency History Note | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: 23 linear feet, 2 linear inches (approximately 42,400 pages).
Access: Open, except for items that are closed for reasons of personal privacy.
Copyright: Documents prepared by United States Government employees in the course of their official duties are in the public domain.
Processed by: Dennis E. Bilger (2003); Sharie Simon, David Clark and Randy Sowell (2010).


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AGENCY HISTORY NOTE

The Records of the Harry S. Truman Library are included among the Records of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Record Group 64. From the time of the Library’s establishment in 1957 until 1985, the Library was part of NARA’s predecessor agency, the National Archives and Records Service (NARS), which in turn was part of the General Services Administration. NARA was established as an independent agency in 1985.

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COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The Director’s Reading File contains copies of letters from Philip C. Brooks and Benedict K. Zobrist, the first two directors of the Harry S. Truman Library. Dr. Zobrist became the Library’s assistant director in 1969, and succeeded Dr. Brooks as director in 1971. Also included are copies of letters from other Library officials, interoffice memoranda, and reports on Library activities.

The records in this series provide detailed information about the early history of the Truman Library, which was founded in 1957 as the second presidential library in the National Archives system, and the first to be created under the provisions of the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955. Former President Truman maintained a working office at the Library and was there on an almost daily basis from 1957 to 1966. Still an active and controversial public figure throughout this period, he was also keenly interested in the Library’s research and educational activities.

The correspondence, memoranda, and reports in this series document personnel and procedural matters at the Truman Library; contacts with the National Archives and with other presidential libraries; relations with Mr. Truman and his personal staff; the dedication and opening of the Library; the creation of museum exhibits; the processing and opening for research of Truman’s papers and other archival materials; the progress of the Library’s oral history program; the solicitation and acquisition of manuscripts, books, and artifacts; the accommodation of visiting researchers; comments of museum visitors, construction and renovation projects at the Library; responses to requests for information; conferences of Truman scholars; and contacts with Margaret Truman Daniel and other members of the family after Mr. Truman’s death in 1972.

In addition to Brooks and Zobrist, other authors of documents in this series include Milton F. Perry, Philip D. Lagerquist, and J. R. Fuchs. Perry was the first curator of the Library’s museum. Lagerquist and Fuchs were the Library’s first two archivists, and were involved in processing manuscript collections and assisting researchers.

The Director’s Reading File from 1972-1985 was opened for research in 2010.

More information relating to this subject can be found at the Truman Library in the papers of Philip C. Brooks and Benedict K. Zobrist, in the Library’s oral history interview with Philip D. Lagerquist, and in other Library records that are available for research.

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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos. Series
1-53 DIRECTOR'S READING FILE, 1957-1985
Correspondence, memoranda, and reports written by the director of the Truman Library and by other staff members. Arranged chronologically.

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FOLDER TITLE LIST
    DIRECTOR'S READING FILE, 1957-1985

Box 1

  • March 1957
  • April-June 1957
  • July August 1957
  • September 1957
  • October 1957
  • November-December 1957
  • January-February 1957
  • March 1958
  • April 1958
Box 2
  • May 1958
  • June 1958
  • July 1958
  • August-September 1958
  • October 1958
  • November-December 1958
  • January 1959
  • February 1959
  • March 1959
  • April 1959
  • May 1959
Box 3
  • June 1959
  • July 1959
  • August 1959
  • September 1959
  • October 1959
  • November 1959
  • December 1959
  • January 1960
  • February 1960
      [1 of 2]
Box 4
      [2 of 2]
  • March 1960
  • Conference of Scholars, March 25-26, 1960 [on research opportunities at the Truman Library]
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1960
  • May 1960
  • June 1960
  • July 1960
Box 5
  • August 1960
  • September 1960
  • October 1960
  • November 1960
  • December 1960
  • January 1961
  • February 1961
  • March 1961
Box 6
  • April 1961
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1961
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1961
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • July 1961
  • August 1961
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 7
  • September 1961
  • October 1961
  • November 1961
  • December 1961
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • January 1962
  • February 1962
  • March 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 8
  • April 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1962
  • July 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • August 1962
  • September 1962
Box 9
  • October 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1962
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • December 1962
  • January 1963
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • February 1963
  • March 1963
Box 10
  • April 1963
  • May 1963
  • June 1963
  • July 1963
  • August 1963
  • September 1963
  • October 1963
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 11
  • November 1963
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • December 1963
  • January 1964
  • February 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • March 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1964
      [1 of 2]
Box 12
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1964
  • June 1964
  • July 1964
  • August 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • September 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 13
  • October 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1964
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • December 1964
  • January 1965
  • February 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 14
  • March 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • July 1965
Box 15
  • August 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • September 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • October 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • December 1965
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • January 1966
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 16
  • February 1966
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • March 1966
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1966
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1966
  • June 1966
  • July 1966
  • August 1966
Box 17
  • September 1966
  • October 1966
  • November 1966
  • December 1966
  • January 1967
  • February 1967
  • March 1967
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 18
  • April 1967
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1967
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1967
  • July 1967
  • August 1967
  • September 1967
  • October 1967
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 19
  • November 1967
  • December 1967
  • January 1968
  • February 1968
  • March 1968
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1968
  • May 1968
  • June 1968
Box 20
  • July 1968
  • August 1968
  • September 1968
  • October 1968
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1968
  • December 1968
  • January 1969
  • February 1969
Box 21
  • March 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1969
  • June 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • July 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • August 1969
      [1 of 2]
Box 22
      [2 of 2]
  • September 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • October 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1969
  • December 1969
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • January 1970
Box 23
  • February 1970
  • March 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • May 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 24
  • July 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • August 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • September 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • October 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • November 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 25
  • December 1970
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • January 1971
  • February 1971
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • March 1971
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • April 1971
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 26
  • May 1971
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • June 1971
  • July 1971
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • August 1971
  • September 1971
  • October 1971
  • November 1971
  • December 1971
Box 27
  • January 1972
  • February 1972
  • March 1972
  • April 1972
  • May 1972
  • June 1972
  • July 1972
Box 28
  • August 1972
  • September 1972
  • October 1972
  • November 1972
  • December 1972
  • January 1973
Box 29
  • February 1973
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • March 1973
  • April 1973
  • May 1973
  • June 1973
Box 30
  • July 1973
  • August 1973
  • September 1973
  • October 1973
  • November 1973
  • December 1973
  • January 1974
  • February 1974
Box 31
  • March 1974
  • April 1974
  • May 1974
  • June 1974
  • July 1974
  • August 1974
Box 32
  • September 1974
  • October 1974
  • November 1974
  • December 1974
  • January 1975
  • February 1975
  • March 1975
Box 33
  • April 1975
  • May 1975
  • June 1975
  • July 1975
  • August 1975
Box 34
  • September 1975
  • October 1975
  • November 1975
  • December 1975
  • January 1976
  • February 1976
Box 35
  • March 1976
  • April 1976
  • May 1976
  • June 1976
  • July 1976
Box 36
  • August 1976
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
  • September 1976
  • October 1976
  • November 1976
  • December 1976
  • January 1977
Box 37
  • February 1977
  • March 1977
  • April 1977
  • May 1977
  • June 1977
Box 38
  • July 1977
  • August 1977
  • September 1977
  • October 1977
  • November 1977
  • December 1977
  • January 1978
Box 39
  • February 1978
  • March 1978
  • April 1978
  • May 1978
  • June 1978
  • July 1978
  • August 1978
Box 40
  • September 1978
  • October 1978
  • November 1978
  • December 1978
  • January 1979
  • February 1979
  • March 1979
Box 41
  • April 1979
  • May 1979
  • June 1979
  • July 1979
  • August 1979
  • September 1979
Box 42
  • October 1979
  • November 1979
  • December 1979
  • January 1980
  • February 1980
  • March 1980
  • April 1980
Box 43
  • May 1980
  • June 1980
  • July 1980
  • August 1980
  • September 1980
  • October 1980
  • November 1980
Box 44
  • December 1980
  • January 1981
  • February 1981
  • March 1981
  • April 1981
  • May 1981
Box 45
  • June 1981
  • July 1981
  • August 1981
  • September 1981
  • October 1981
  • November 1981
  • December 1981
Box 46
  • January 1982
  • February 1982
  • March 1982
  • April 1982
  • May 1982
  • June 1982
Box 47
  • July 1982
  • August 1982
  • September 1982
  • October 1982
  • November 1982
  • December 1982
Box 48
  • January 1983
  • February 1983
  • March 1983
  • April 1983
  • May 1983
  • June 1983
Box 49
  • July 1983
  • August 1983
  • September 1983
  • October 1983
  • November 1983
  • December 1983
  • January 1984
Box 50
  • February 1984
  • March 1984
  • April 1984
  • May 1984
  • June 1984
  • July 1984
Box 51
  • August 1984
  • September 1984
  • October 1984
  • November 1984
  • December 1984
  • January 1985
      [1 of 2]
      [2 of 2]
Box 52
  • February 1985
  • March 1985
  • April 1985
  • May 1985
  • June 1985
  • July 1985
Box 53
  • August 1985
  • September 1985
  • October 1985
  • November 1985
  • December 1985
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The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is one of thirteen Presidential Libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.

500 W. US Hwy. 24. Independence MO 64050
truman.library@nara.gov;
Phone: 816-268-8200 or 1-800-833-1225;
Fax: 816-268-8295.

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