Strict archival rules dictate that papers should be arranged chronologically, without separation into topics. Subject indexes, as well as those arranged by personal name, should provide alternative access to the papers. In the case of the Papers of Fred Berl, however, it was decided to stray from the usual methodology and to arrange the papers by subject, and within subject, chronologically. The reasons for this decision are not only to provide the user with a better sense of Dr. Berl's expanse of expertise and the structure of his life's work, but also to better organize the large numbers of untitled and undated papers. The table of contents provides perhaps the best overview of this man's talent, and it was hoped that this type of arrangement would truly do justice to an extraordinary thinker and practitioner.

Within each subject area, the papers are arranged chronologically, with undated works at the end of each section on that topic. Only the first page of eage document has been numbered, and this is used as the identifying number in both the inventory and the indices. Most of the papers are short enough (i.e., 1-10 pages) that this type of arrangement should be efficient for researchers.

Thanks are due to Helen Rosenbaum Mashbaum for her efforts in seeing to completion the initial arrangement of these papers.