Newspaper Clippings

The Urban Archives houses more than 90 photographic collections with total holdings in excess of five million images. The collections contain primarily black and white glossy prints and film negatives although other forms such as glass negatives, color transparencies, lantern slides, videotape, and motion picture film are included. The majority of videotape and film held by the Archives is described under the heading Television Audiovisual Collections.

With the exception of the extremely large newsphotograph and related collections all our photographic holdings will portray the Greater Philadelphia Area. Photographs in these collections generally reflect the activities and concerns of organizations or persons whose records/papers we hold and from whose collection the photographs were withdrawn.

Due to limited staff, only a minimum amount of research can be undertaken for patrons. In depth research within the photograph collections, as within other collections at the Archives, must be undertaken by the patron.

PACSCL Photograph Directory

In 1996 the Archives published the PACSCL Photograph Directory. This publication was the result of a grant project sponsored by the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. Included in the Directory files are more than fifteen hundred photographic collections located at more than 250 institutions within an area encompassing Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware.

Inquiries concerning the collections should be directed to:
Urban Archives (urban@temple.edu)

Photographic Collections

PACSCL Photograph Directory