Collection Guide
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Stark (Samuel) American Theatre Card File
M0602
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Samuel Stark Index of American Theater
Identifier/Call Number: M0602
Physical Description:
42.5 Linear Feet
(34 cartons, originally housed in 92 card catalog drawers. Approx. 100,000 cards)
Date (inclusive): 1752-1990
Abstract: Cards making up the "Stark Index" kept by American theatre expert Samuel Stark in reference to specific publications, scrapbooks,
files, and news articles in his collection.
Physical Location: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance.
Language of Material:
English
.
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was given to Stanford University, Special Collections by Samuel Stark in 1964 and by his estate in 1992.
Authority on history of the theatre, particularly American theatre, and collector of theatre material, including photos, autographs,
clippings, etc.
Expert on American theater, the "Stark Index" was Stark's means of amassing data from all sources. Some references on the
file cards refer to publications including journals and news articles, some refer to specific scrapbooks that Stark, himself,
assembled and then gave to the library. The original goal of the file was to compile an encyclopedia of American theater;
in the end the maintenance and building of the file became an end in itself.
Stark's original arrangement of the cards is maintained. Each drawer of the cabinet was moved into one card box; four card
boxes are in each carton. Each series represents a different index kept by Stark.
[identification of item], Samuel Stark American theatre card file (M0602). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives,
Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Related collections at Stanford include:
- M0593 Samuel Stark theatre collection addendum
- M1149 Samuel Stark theatre program collection
- MSS PHOTO 0171 Samuel Stark collection of film and stage actor photographs
- MSS PHOTO 0172 Samuel Stark film still photographs
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Theater.