What is the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play®?
The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play is a multidisciplinary research repository devoted to the intellectual, social, and cultural history of play. In addition to housing the personal library and papers of its preeminent namesake, the 140,000-volume research library and archives holds a full spectrum of primary and secondary sources, including scholarly works, professional journals, other periodicals, trade catalogs, children’s books, comic books, manuscripts, personal papers, business records, and more. Also housed here are the library and archival collections of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG).
Who is Brian Sutton-Smith?
Brian Sutton-Smith is one of the foremost play scholars of the last 100 years. His The Ambiguity of Play (1987) stands alongside Johann Huizinga’s Homo Ludens (1938) and Roger Caillois’s Man Play and Games (1961) as a touchstone of play theory. For more than half a century, in more than 350 books and articles, Sutton-Smith has led or synthesized the major advancements in play studies. His collected works, papers, and personal library are a key element of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, and they symbolize the import of its holdings. Learn more
Why is the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play situated at the Strong?
The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based educational institution devoted to the study and exploration of play. At The Strong, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play resides alongside the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of dolls, toys, games, electronic games, and other artifacts of play, as held in The Strong’s National Museum of Play, National Toy Hall of Fame, and International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG).
Why is the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play unique?
The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play is the only library and archives devoted solely to collecting and preserving materials that illustrate and document the role of play in learning and human development, and the ways in which it illuminates cultural history. The collections of the library and archives chronicle the many facets of play and feature materials from play scholars and educators, such as Brian Sutton-Smith and Joseph L. Frost; game designers and inventors, such as Sid Sackson; and authors and illustrators such as Johnny Gruelle and Stan and Jan Berenstain. Also housed here are the library and archival collections of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG), which, among other materials, include personal papers and business records from video game industry luminaries such as Ralph Baer, Don Daglow, and Will Wright.
What types of materials does the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play collect and preserve?
The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play collects and preserves a broad range of play-related materials. Of primary interest are the records of toy and game designers and inventors; marketing, advertising, and other promotional and informational materials about toys and games; trade publications of the toy and game industries; personal and professional papers and publications of play scholars; primary and secondary publications that document the history of play; and published and unpublished works written by dedicated collectors of toys and games.
What is the scope of the collections of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play?
The holdings of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play reflect the multigenerational, multicultural, and multidisciplinary scope of play. The library and archives’ more than 140,000 print volumes and tens of thousands of archival records include the works of notable play scholars such as Brian Sutton-Smith and Joseph L. Frost; scholarly, popular, and industry-related journals and periodicals, including every issue in the more than 100-year run of Playthings magazine; hundreds of children’s books dating from the 1800s to the present; the largest collection of toy catalogs in the United States, numbering nearly 15,000 volumes; more than 21,000 vintage comic books, representing the full range of comics content; personal journals, such as those of prominent board-game designer Sid Sackson; historical game materials, such as game- and puzzle-related books, rules, and instruction sheets assembled by the Association of Game and Puzzle Collectors; and manuscripts, personal papers, and business records associated with writers and illustrators, such as Raggedy Ann creator Johnny Gruelle. The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play also houses the library and archival collections of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG).
Are the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play collections accessible to scholars, researchers, students, and the public either on site or online?
Scholars, students, collectors, and other researchers are welcome to conduct research on site. In order for library and archives staff to optimize collections access, please request an appointment. Appointments may be made online, by phone at 585-410-6349, or by sending an email to library@thestrong.org. Please provide a topic of research, indicate the materials desired, and any special needs.
To promote and advance play scholarship, The Strong invites academic professionals, independent scholars, museum scholars, and advanced graduate students at the Masters or PhD level to apply for The Strong Research Fellowships. Fellowships provide financial support for scholarly play research conducted on site at The Strong in Rochester, New York, for periods of study ranging from one week to three months.
The online catalog of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play provides a window into its vast collection of books and trade publications. The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play is a non-circulating research center, but some materials are available through interlibrary loan. Trade catalogs, documents, and other items that are irreplaceable, rare, or fragile are not available for loan.
Is the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play actively collecting additional play-related materials?
Yes. The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play is actively seeking and acquiring a broad range of play-related materials. Of primary interest are the records of toy and game designers and inventors; marketing, advertising, and other promotional and informational materials about toys and games; trade publications of the toy and game industries; personal and professional papers and publications of play scholars; primary and secondary publications that document the history of play; and published and unpublished works written by dedicated collectors of toys and games. Learn more
How can individuals or organizations donate materials to the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play?
The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play encourages queries from individuals and organizations that have important play-related documents, periodicals, books, and other materials that merit a permanent home where they can help inform future generations. Please contact Carol Sandler, director of library and archives at The Strong, at library@thestrong.org or 585-410-6349. Learn more
