Introduction

The archives of private and public institutions in the Cleveland area are an important source of information for the neighborhood researcher. It is best to contact an archives for the latest information about hours of operation, restrictions, other policies, as well as the kinds of holdings of the institution. Correspondence should be addressed to the director of the institution or head of archives. It is also useful to know that an informal network exists among librarians and archivists. They can recommend other institutions and agencies which might have information on your particular research topic. For this reason it is oftentimes wise to discuss your research topic in detail with a librarian or archivist. Finally, the College of Urban Affairs of Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College, the City Planning Commission, the Cleveland Public Library and other local libraries are among those institutions possessing resources to help the neighborhood researcher.