Paul Felix Lazarsfeld papers, 1930-1976

Summary Information

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

SERIES I: Arranged correspondence, Boxes 1-3B; Subject Files, Boxes 4-35; Manuscripts by PFL, Boxes 36-39; Miscellaneous Notebooks, Boxes 40-48; Miscellaneous Notes, Boxes 49-51; Methods File-Part 1, Boxes 52-114; Methods File-Part II, Boxes 115-128; Latent Structure Analysis, Boxes 129-140; Activities File, Boxes 141-152; Math and Communication File, Boxes 153-154; Manuscripts by Others, Boxes 155-164; Manuscripts by PFL, Box 165; Personal and Professional Documents & Photographs, Box 166; Printed Material;, Boxes 167-177; Miscellaneous Material, Box 178.

SERIES II: THE ACADEMIC MIND (1958). Miscellaneous materials related to study, Boxes 1-5; Respondent Sheets, 0001-2453, Boxes 6-8; Unsorted Questionnaires, Boxes 9-12; Questionnaires, 0001-2453, Boxes 13-90.

SERIES III: ADDITIONAL SUBJECT FILES, 1960-1974 Arranged alphabetically. These files contain those for the Bureau of Applied Social Research; Columbia University. Sociology Dept.; Office of Naval Research; UNESCO Seminars; and PFL articles and papers, Boxes 1-11.

SERIES IV: PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH FILES: organized into 4 groups. Group I-Subject files (Personal names arranged alphabetically), Box 1-2; Group II-Classified files (Genre headings, personal names, geographical headings, etc.), Box 3-4; Group 3-Irrelevant files (Arranged numerically), Box 5-6.

SERIES V: 2001 ADDITION: This addition contains additional subject files, research project files, and personal and professional files related to the activities of Paul F. Lazarsfeld (14 boxes).

• Series I
• Subseries I.1: Arranged Correspondence
• Subseries I.2: Subject Files
• Subseries I.3: Manuscripts (Research Papers by PFL)
• Subseries I.4: Miscellaneous Notebooks
• Subseries I.5: Miscellaneous Notes
• Subseries I.6: Methods Files Part I
• Subseries I.7: Methods Files Part II
• Subseries I.8: Latent Structure Analysis
• Subseries I.9: Activities File
• Subseries I.10: Math and Communication File
• Subseries I.11: Manuscripts by Others
• Subseries I.12: Manuscripts by PFL
• Subseries I.13: Personal and Professional Documents & Photographs
• Subseries I.14: Printed Material
• Subseries I.15 Miscellaneous Material
• Series II: The Academic Mind, 1958
• Series III: Additional Files, 1960-1974
• Series IV: Public Opinion Research Files
• Subseries I.1: Group 1, Subject Files
• Subseries IV.2: Group 2, Classified Files: Classical Traditions
• Subseries IV.3: Group 3, Irrelevant Files
• Series V: 2001 Addition, 2001
• Subseries V.1: Files on Research Projects
• Subseries V.2: Subject Files, 1940s-1950s
• Subseries V.3: Manuscripts by Others
• Subseries V.4: Personal and Professional Files

Description

Summary

Correspondence, manuscripts, notes, technical reports, memoranda, questionnaires, interview schedules, personal and professional documents, several photographs, one tape recording, and printed materials. The correspondence files contain letters to colleagues and researchers such as Bernard Berelson, Robert Lynd, Robert Merton, and Frank Stanton. The subject files document Lazarsfeld's many research projects such as the Admissions Officers Project, 1964-1970, the Planning Project for Advanced Training in Social Research, 1950-1955, and his first major endeavor, the Princeton Radio Research Project, 1937-1940. There are complete records for his 1954-1955 study on McCarthyism's effect on college teaching. These original materials consisting of correspondence, interview schedules, and questionnaires contain many detailed comments which could not be included in the published version of this study, THE ACADEMIC MIND (1958). Numerous files relate to Lazarsfeld's position as Associate Director of the Bureau of Applied Social Research (BASR). There are manuscripts of books, research papers, lectures, and articles by Lazarsfeld as well as by his students and colleagues.

A large portion of this collection is devoted to social science methodology. These classified methods files include notes for his writings, student papers, questionnaires, related correspondence, mimeographed and printed articles, and technical reports. Topics covered include sociology, psychology, statistics, and computer science. The activities files have material on the ACLU, BASR, College Entrance Examinations Board, Harvard Business School, and UNESCO.

• Series I

• Series II: The Academic Mind, 1958

  SERIES II: THE ACADEMIC MIND (1958). Miscellaneous materials related to study, Boxes 1-5; Respondent Sheets, 0001-2453, Boxes 6-8; Unsorted Questionnaires, Boxes 9-12; Questionnaires, 0001-2453, Boxes 13-90.

  A bound volume that links questionnaire numbers to individual faculty members, who are identified by institution and academic discipline, is found in box II.4. Boxes 9-12 contain numbered questionnaires that were not interfiled into the in-sequence questionnaires in boxes 13-90. If a questionnaire is not found in the number sequence, check boxes 9-12.

• Series III: Additional Files, 1960-1974

  (Arranged Alphabetically. Correspondence, manuscripts activities and subject files (in one A-Z file) Includes files for many of the topics found in SERIES I. Among the major files are those of the Bureau of Applied Social Research, Columbia University Sociology Department, the Office of Naval Research "Uses Project," UNESCO Seminars and typescripts for Lazarsfeld's articles and papers.)

• Series IV: Public Opinion Research Files

  (Organized into three groups)

• Series V: 2001 Addition, 2001

  (This material includes personal and professional files related to Paul F. Lazarsfeld, additional subject files, and files related to specific research projects.)

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Other Finding Aids

Index of 8,000 cards serves as a guide to part one of the methods files.

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Theodor W. Adorno"Memorandum: Music in Radio" Princeton Radio Research Project, 1938. 161p. listed in Box 26 is on microfilm. Readers must use the microfilm copy.

Unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Paul J. Lazarsfeld Papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Related Materials

A data set related to the Academic Mind is available via Research Data Services: http://www.columbia.edu/acis/eds/holdings/1079/

The University of Vienna holds a Paul Lazarsfeld Archive (https://www.soz.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/lazarsfeld-archive/).

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Ownership and Custodial History

Transferred from the Bureau of Applied Social Research, 1977 & 1988.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Lazarsfeld, Paul F. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1969. Accession number--M-69.

Papers: Source of acquisition--Gollin, Albert E. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--11/30/90. Accession number--M-90-1130.

Gift of Paul F. Lazarsfeld, 1969.

Gift of Mrs Paul F. Lazarsfeld, 1978 & 1979.

Gift of Albert E. Gollin, 1990.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 07/--/89.

Papers Processed RL 03/25/91.

Revision Description

2009-06-26 File created.

2014-03-18 XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

2021-05-21 Broke out Series II boxes. kws

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Paul Felix Lazarsfeld (1901-1976) was a professor of sociology at Columbia University, 1940-1976.