• L: letter. An unsigned letter in the hand of a clerk or person other than the author. 
• LS: letter signed. A letter in the hand of a person other than the author, but signed by the author. 
• AL: autograph letter. A letter in the hand of the author, but not signed 
• ALS: autograph letter signed. A letter in the hand of and signed by the author. 
• TL: typed letter. Any mechanically reproduced letter, such as mimeograph, offset, ditto, or diazo. Printed letters would more logically be cataloged as broadsides. Include here letters signed with rubber stamp, mimeograph, or any other artificial means of reproducing the author's signature. 
• TLS: typed letter signed. A typed letter signed by the author 
• D: document. Any paper of legal or official nature such as an indenture, deed, certificate, receipt, etc. Include here printed documents of the type described above with manuscript additions. Also include documents signed by a clerk or other person in the name of the author. 
• DS: document signed. A document written by another person, but signed by the author. 
• AD: autograph document. A document written by the author, but not signed. 
• ADS: autograph document signed. A document written and signed by the author. 
• TD: typed document. Typed or other mechanically reproduced (except printed) document. 
• TDS: typed document signed. Typed document signed by the author. 
• MS: manuscript. Unsigned manuscript, non-legal or nonofficial, in hand of a person other than the author. (Older records may have the variant Ms.) 
• AM: autograph manuscript. Non-legal or nonofficial papers such as speeches, biographical sketches, sermons, reminiscences, writings, and other items of a generally narrative nature, in the hand of the author but unsigned. 
• AMS: autograph manuscript signed. Manuscript in the hand of and signed by the author. (Older records may have the variant AMsS.) 
• TMs: typed manuscript. Typed manuscript not signed by the author. 
• TMsS: typed manuscript signed. Typed manuscript signed by the author. 
• C: card. Postcard, picture postcard, or greeting card. 
• AC: autograph card. Unsigned handwritten card or message on a printed greeting card. 
• ACS: autograph card signed. Any card with a handwritten message by the author and signed. 
• TC: typed card. An unsigned typed postcard or printed greeting card. 
• TCS: typed card signed. Entire card, or a message, typed and signed by the author. 
• AN: autograph note. Any unsigned fragment. This designation is rarely used, and then only to identify a manuscript in the hand of a famous person. 
• ANS: autograph note signed. A line or two, at most a page, or any fragment that could not be classified as AMsS, such as signed memorandum. 
• TN: typed note. Any unsigned typescript fragment . 
• TNS: typed note signed. A signed typescript fragment. 
  

Legacy institution names

When referring to a historic institution that is now closed or has a different name, use the historic name with the updated name in parentheses.

          Examples:

          Wright graduated as the 1912 valedictorian of Clark University (now called Clark Atlanta University), Atlanta, Georgia, a school founded to primarily serve African American students. (Louis Tompkins Wright papers, re-described              described by Charlotte Lellman)

         Between Between 1951 and 1985, Murray served as Director of the Surgical Research Laboratory at Harvard Medical School and at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now Brigham and Women’s Hospital). (Joseph E. Murray papers, processed             by processed by Bryan Sutherland)