A manuscript collection can be any of the following:

• A group of records from one source
• The total holdings of a repository
• Large grouping of collections within a repository

A collection usually has a title, which identifies the creator or source of the records, and most titles include one of the following terms: "Papers", "Records", or "Collection."

Collection examples in the Manuscripts Department:

• Prudhomme Family Papers
• Anne Romaine Papers
• Charles Kuralt Collection
• Records of the College for War Training

Repositories acquire collections in a variety of ways:

• Unsolicited donations from benefactors who give personal, family, or organizational records
• Purchase at auction or through dealers
• Transfers from other departments within the institution
• Solicitation of donors by the repository's curator

Once a repository receives a manuscript collection, archivists and/or librarians arrange and describe the materials so that the collection is accessible to researchers.