Arrangement of the Materials

The collection is arranged into the following series:

1. Negatives, 1949-2004
   1. Format-Specific Numbering, 1949-1968
      • 4 1/2" x 5"
      • 2 1/4" x 2 1/4"
      • 35 mm
   2. Sequential Numbering, 1969-2004
      • 35 mm
      • 120 mm
2. Contact Sheets, 1970-2004
3. Indexes and Job Lists, 1949-2004

Within series 1 , negatives are arranged in two subseries that roughly correspond to chronological order: format-specific numbering, 1949-1968, and sequential numbering, 1969-2004.

Each job number represents a group of photographs, usually between 3 and 20, which were taken at the same photograph session. Not every job number was used by photo services to correspond to an actual job.

For format-specific negatives, the first two digits of the job number represent the format in which the negative was produced (e.g. all job numbers in the 4 1/2 x 5 subseries will begin with 45, all job numbers in the 35 mm subseries will begin with 35, etc.). Photo Services did not use zeroes as placeholders, so for browsing purposes job 4510 directly follows job 459, job 35100 directly follows job 3599, and so on.

Within series 2 , contact sheets are arranged alphabetically by the commissioning unit, and thereunder sequentially by job number. All contact sheets correspond to a job order in series 1 according to the number written on each, although not all negatives in series 1 have corresponding contact sheets in series 2. For this reason, series 2 should be used for access to negatives in series 1 in conjunction with other finding aids, described elsewhere. When requesting negatives, please give the Archives staff the job order number (usually found on the back of each contact sheet).

Series 3 is arranged by type of index; instructions for using each can be found in the "Other Finding Aids" section of this finding aid.