This collection was artificially assembled by University at Albany library staff in the mid to late 20th century to provide general reference information about cities, communities, and towns and various aspects of life in the Capital District of New York State.

The Louis C. Jones Papers consist primarily of the circular letters sent by Jones during World War II to former students of the State Teachers College and replies to these letters from service men and women. Jones was employed by the New York State College for Teachers, first as an Instructor (1934-42) and later as an Associate Professor of English (1942-46).

The Thomas Nattell papers document the life of a mental health worker and political activist active during the 1980s and 1990s in Albany, New York. He created and participated in organizations like the Albany Peace and Energy Council (APEC) and the Three Guys From Albany poetry troupe. He also acted as promoter and event coordinator for movie showings, poetry open mics and an annual 24-hour poetry reading alongside a coinciding international postcard art event. Nattell used poetry and other arts to advance world peace, anti-nuclear power and proliferation, and environmental issues. This collection contains videos of events, photographs, scrapbooks full of art and poetry mailed from around the world to Nattell, subject files with research on topics related to his professional work as well as his activism, poetry, correspondence, and clippings.