Collections : [Business, Literary, and Local History Manuscripts]

Contains materials about Kennedy's first novel The Ink Truck, initially published in 1969 and then re-issued in 1984 following his success with Ironweed and his receiving the MacArthur Foundation's Genius Award. The novel details the last days of an unsuccessful newspaper strike and is very loosely based on Kennedy's experiences during a newspaper strike in Albany in the mid-1960s. The series includes multiple manuscript drafts, author's notes, book reviews, galleys, publisher agreements and correspondence, and advertising. Please note that the overall series dates are not inclusive.

The William Kennedy Papers document nearly a half century of research, writing, and publishing efforts of the internationally recognized, Pulitzer Prize winning author, playwright, essayist, journalist, script writer, professor, and champion of the arts. The collection consists of records related to all of Kennedy's fiction and nonfiction books through 2002, including his "Albany Cycle" of novels, film scripts, essays, and newspaper articles from the Albany . In addition, there is correspondence with other significant authors of American literature, biographical materials, and records documenting a trip to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with President Bill Clinton.

Sir Thomas Smith served in official positions during the reigns of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. This collection contains the manuscript entitled, "A Discourse for the Common Welthe of England," which was one of five known early manuscripts of a political treatise completed in 1549 in response to socio-economic problems in Tudor England at the time and first published in 1581.

The collection consists of correspondence and transcripts of interviews which Walter Zenner conducted with his family concerning their life in Germany and the United States. In addition, there are other materials pertaining to the life and work of the Zenner Family.

This collection includes writings on regional political affairs of Siberia and China in the 1920s by U.S. Department of War representative William G. Bannon.