Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Related Collections
Processing Information
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Additions to the Collection
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
sfhistory@sfpl.org
(415) 557-4567
Title: San Francisco ephemera collection
Identifier/Call Number: SF SUB COLL
Physical Description:
265.0 Linear feet
(in 153 file drawers)
Date (inclusive): 1850-present
Abstract: Consists of ephemeral materials, city records and clippings relating to the city of San Francisco and its citizens. Materials
date from the 1850s to the present, the bulk from the 20th century. Subjects cover a diverse array of San Francisco history
and primarily pertain to: municipal government; city planning; urban policy; environmental engineering; transportation; social
history; labor history; community relations; notable events; public events, fairs and celebrations; and various aspects of
local popular culture. Subjects also relate to specific local entities, such as: businesses; schools, colleges and universities;
political parties; and associations, groups and clubs. Specific places are also found here, including: buildings; public spaces;
bodies of water; and transportation terminals.
Physical Location: Collection is stored onsite; some materials require retrieval from separate storage.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the San Francisco Public Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco
Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item/Title of folder], San Francisco Ephemera Collection, San Francisco Public Library.
Related Collections
Related ephemera collections at the San Francisco Public Library include:
San Francisco Biography Collection
California Ephemera Collection
Grabhorn Ephemera Collection
Processing Information
Processed by San Francisco History Center staff; additional processing and description by California Ephemera Project staff,
funded by a Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources,
in 2009-2010.
Scope and Content
Consists of ephemeral materials, city records and clippings relating to the city of San Francisco and its citizens. Materials
date from the 1850s to the present, the bulk from the 20th century. Subjects cover a diverse array of San Francisco history
and primarily pertain to: municipal government; city planning; urban policy; environmental engineering; transportation; social
history; labor history; community relations; notable events; public events, fairs and celebrations; and various aspects of
local popular culture. Subjects also relate to specific local entities, such as: businesses; schools, colleges and universities;
political parties; and associations, groups and clubs. Specific places are also found here, including: buildings; public spaces;
bodies of water; and transportation terminals.
The range of ephemera includes: newspaper and magazine clippings, menus, pamphlets, brochures, political mailings and advertisements,
reports, maps, court transcripts, correspondence, exhibition catalogs, scrapbooks, certificates, fliers, programs, viewbooks,
souvenirs and other commemorative materials.
Individual ephemera files can contain a single item or more extensive amounts of material, ranging from photocopies to handwritten
documents.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged alphabetically.
Additions to the Collection
Additions to the collection are ongoing.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Advertisements.
Brochures.
California Ephemera Project.
Clippings.
Correspondence.
Ephemera.
Exhibition catalogs.
Fliers (Ephemera)
Menus.
Programs.
Viewbooks.