BPSI History Collections

The Archives of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute holds a significant number of collections that cover the history and operation of the organization from the time of its birth in the 1930s to the present day. Records of scientific meetings, symposia, forums, seminars, and other events held at the Institute could be found in the collections listed below (please note: some of the BPSI History Collections have detailed finding aid files attached to them):

25th Anniversary – Birth of an Institute (Ives Hendrick), 1930-1967
The collection features materials related to the birth of BPSI: papers on similar organizations, early by-laws and membership lists, related research correspondence. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

50th Anniversary, 1983-1988
The collection consists of video bills, clippings, and correspondence concerning the celebration of the BPSI 50th anniversary. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

75th Anniversary, 2008
The collection features one folder of clippings and photographs concerning the celebration of the BPSI 75th anniversary. Included are the exhibit materials, histories of the library, Institute, and the Back Bay psychoanalytic offices written by Sanford Gifford, as well as Daniel Brenner’s 75th anniversary film.

Annual Reports, 1959-1987
The collection consists of 2 boxes of the BPSI Annual Reports from 1959 through 1987.

ATP Conference Papers, 1984-2014
The collection comprises one box of papers presented at the Advanced Psychotherapy Training (ATP) conferences from 1984 through 2007, arranged chronologically. Finding Aid for this collection is available here.

BPSI Photograph Collection
The collection consists of black and white and color photographs depicting BPSI events, members and candidates (BPSI Photographs Vol I-IV, 4 photo boxes), historic and more recent pictures of the building (1 photo album). The archive also includes the portraits of BPSI members (Portraits I-III, 3 photo boxes arranged alphabetically), and black and white oversized photographs of noted psychoanalysts, BPSI founders and members (1 photo box). You could search for some of the BPSI Photographs Vol I-II and Portraits in the Library Catalog, as instructed below.

Search Tips: Make sure you are in the ENHANCED SEARCH mode. To retrieve any of the BPSI I-II photographs or Portraits I-III, select Call Number from the Browse pull-down menu, and enter “BPSI” (for photographs) or “Port” (for portraits) in the search line.

Finding aids for BPSI Photographs Vol III and BPSI Photographs Vol IV have been published separately.

Bulletins, 1945-1993
The collection contains BPSI General Information Bulletins from the first 1945 edition to the later editions in the 1990s (1 box, arranged chronologically).

Child Analysis Meetings, 1965-1975
The collection consists of papers presented at the Child Analysis Meetings from 1965 through 1975. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Constitutions, By-Laws, and Related Documents, 1930-1968
The collection contains 2 boxes of early BPSI constitutions and by-laws as well as other documents related to their creation and revisions (arranged chronologically).

Hanns Sachs Library Records, 1938-1996
This collection contains the documents Dr. Sanford Gifford created or collected while he was the director of the library from 1966 through 1996. There are library annual reports from 1938 to 1996, correspondence from the 1990s, as well as some library committee records and histories of BPSI and the Hanns Sachs Library.  Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Historical Files, 1935-2016
The Historical Files collections contains administrative records and miscellaneous materials of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. Of particular note are materials relating to the early years of BPSI as well as 18 years worth of Audited Reports of the Treasurers and photographs of previous BPSI Presidents. Finding Aid for this collection is available here.

Joint Meetings – Western New England Psychoanalytic Society, 1965-1977
The collection contains papers presented at the joint meetings of the BPSI and Western New England Psychoanalytic Society from 1965 through 1975. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Members Seminars, 1962-1974
The collection contains six papers presented at the members’ seminars in the 1960s and 1970s. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

Minutes, pre-1941-1974
The collection consists of 2,234 PDF files and 14 boxes of BPSI Annual, Business and various committee meetings’ minutes from the early 1940s through 1974 (arranged chronologically). Partially processed finding aid is for the digitized portion of the collection is posted here

Miscellaneous Annual Reports and Meetings, 1950-1977
The collection includes amendments and drafts of the BPSI Annual Reports as well as the Annual Meeting minutes covering the period of 1950-1977 (1 box, arranged by topic).

Newsletters, 1970-2010
The collection contains 2 boxes of BPSI newsletters, Presidential newsletters, Focus and Psychotherapy Forum issues arranged chronologically within each publication type. Finding aid containing the keyword index of newsletters is available here.

Papers Not Presented, 1957-1979
The collection contains fifteen papers that have not been presented. Among the authors are Henry Fox, P.H. Knapp, W.F. Murphy, Paul Kay, E. de Wind, Sidney Levin, Myron Stocking, Norman E. Zinerg, Samuel Ritvo, Charles Brenner, Lucille B. Ritvo. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

PINE Collection 1973-2010
The collection contains 2 manuscript boxes of materials reflecting the formation and early history of the Psychoanalytic Institute of New England, East, Inc (PINE), which was founded by members of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (BPSI) in 1974. The collection also includes PINE Newsletters. Finding Aid for this collection and the keyword index to the newsletters is available here.

Printed Matter, 1942-2001
The collection contains 2 boxes of miscellaneous brochures, booklets, programs, lectures, rosters, and announcements printed by BPSI from 1942 through 2001.

Programs and Papers, 1939-1972
The collection features typescripts of papers and programs created for various scientific and other BPSI meetings from 1939 through 1972 (one box, arranged chronologically).

Scientific Meetings, 1940s-1977
The collection contains 9 manuscript boxes of papers presented at the BPSI Scientific Meetings from the early 1940s through 1977. Finding Aid for this collection is posted here

Symposia, 1949-1990
The collection contains 2 manuscript boxes of materials from the BPSI Symposia from 1949 through 1990. Finding Aid for this collection is available here (viewing it requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).


Related BPSI Collections
BPSI Event Records, 1946, bulk 1971-2010
Child Analysis Materials, 1926-1989

Gardner, M. Robert
Gifford, Sanford
Hendrick, Ives (1898-1972)
Photograph Collections

Related Sites
Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
Western New England Psychoanalytic Institute and Society
Psychoanalytic Institute and Society of New England, East (PINE)