The bulk of the records of the New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs are papers collected during the tenure of each elected president of the organization. These papers document the history of the organization from 1898 – current. Minutes from meetings, reports of the New York Districts, Convention programs, and club events are common documents found in the presidential records. Financial records, newsletters and yearbooks of the organization are not complete. Most notably absent are records from the administrations of nine presidents including the first three: Mrs. Jennie Cunningham Croly, Mrs. William A. Montgomery and Mrs. Cornelius Zabriski.

The Robert D. Smith Papers document Smith’s involvement with community organizing in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Schoharie County, New York from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. The bulk of the papers are community proposals and articles pertaining to community organization. Smith’s experiences related through articles and reports as well as his documented association with Saul Alinsky are highlights of the collection.