Philip W. Anderson Papers, 1954-2012

Contents and Arrangement

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Collection Overview

Creator:

Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.) (1923-2020)

Title:

Philip W. Anderson Papers

Repository:

Manuscripts Division

Permanent URL:

http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/fn106z01j

Dates:

1954-2012

Size:

24 boxes

Storage Note:

ReCAP (scarcpxm): Box 1-25

Language:

English

Abstract: Philip Anderson was a condensed-matter theorist, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Princeton University, and Nobel laureate. This collection consists primarily of Anderson's research files, which include his article and book drafts, grant files, notes, memos and correspondence, a bound run of his talks and papers, and his research diaries and notebooks. To a lesser extent, the collection contains Nobel Prize nomination applications, recommendation letters, photographic prints, and ephemera.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of Anderson's research files and include his article and book drafts, grant files, notes, memos, and his research diaries and notebooks from his time as a graduate student, an employee at Bell Laboratories, and professor emeritus at Princeton University. There is a bound run of his talks and papers; various Nobel Prize nomination applications; recommendation letters he wrote; and correspondence regarding his work and his involvement in professional organizations, conferences, and other groups. There is a small amount of publicity materials, which are primarily ephemera (invitations and clippings) and photographic prints.

Arrangement

The order of materials at the time of their transfer has been retained.

Collection Creator Biography:

Anderson

Philip Anderson was a condensed-matter theorist. From 1949 to 1984, he worked at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, after which he was Professor Emeritus of Physics at Princeton University. He won the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physics together with Sir Nevill Francis Mott and John Hasbrouck van Vleck "for their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems."

Collection History

Acquisition:

Gift of Philip Anderson's family in 2011 and 2021 (AM 2011-110, AM 2021-074, AM 2023-021).

Appraisal

No materials were separated during 2011 processing.

When materials from the 2021 addition were incorporated in 2022, commercial materials and materials that are available elsewhere were removed and returned to the donor. These included a VHS and U-matic tape, fifteen optical discs.

A retirement award from Bell Labs and doctoral student dissertations gifted to Philip W. Anderson were removed and returned to the donor in 2022.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Regine Heberlein in 2011. Finding aid written by Regine Heberlein in 2011.

In 2022, materials from the 2021 addition were processed and described by Amy C. Vo. Loose papers were foldered in archival folders, and materials in hanging folders were rehoused with creator-supplied titles transcribed.

Materials from an undocumented donation were found in repository in 2022. These materials were incorporated into the collection by Amy C. Vo in 2023.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

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