The War for Women’s Peace Archives at the New York Public Library: An Examination of Conflict in Curation and Stewardship

Abstract

Archivists and donors often experience conflict when promises made during the acquisition process are vaguely defined or do not match expectations. What is the long-term impact of this conflict? And what are the best ways of navigating such conflict? This article takes as a case study the acquisition and stewardship of the Schwimmer-Lloyd Collection at the New York Public Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division, beginning in 1940. This article explores how promises made by NYPL and expectations set by donors and upheld by collection consultant Edith Wynner impacted researcher access to the Schwimmer-Lloyd Collection both before and after its opening. Struggles over the Schwimmer-Lloyd Collection provided many lessons to NYPL archivists and administrators, and in the present day these lessons serve as poignant reminders about the importance of professional ethics and core values, namely responsible stewardship.