The Stephen Sondheim Collection at the Library of Congress
- Craig Glenday
- Oct 4
- 5 min read
The Library of Congress (LoC) has opened The Stephen Sondheim Collection, a major archival treasure comprising 5,000+ items that chart the life and working methods of one of musical theatre’s defining artists. The archive – bequeathed by Sondheim and formally acquired in June 2025 – includes music and lyric manuscripts, notebooks, scripts, correspondence, scrapbooks, recordings and other ephemera spanning his career from early student works to late masterpieces. It's now available to researchers in the Library’s Performing Arts Reading Room.
Before reading this guide to the accessing the material, watch this video hosted by Senior Music Specialist and Sondheim academic Mark Eden Horowitz for an overview of the collection:
The Stephen Sondheim Collection at the Library of Congress
What’s in the Collection?
Music and Lyric Manuscripts
At the heart of the archive are handwritten scores and lyric drafts that reveal Sondheim’s iterative crafting. The Library notes that for a single number – “Putting It Together” from Sunday in the Park with George – there are five annotated script pages, 61 pages of lyric sketches, 18 pages of music sketches and an 80-page fair copy... that's a staggering 164 pages documenting one song’s evolution. Such depth is typical across shows like Company, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods.
Drafts, Notebooks and Working Papers
The papers include working notebooks and multiple generations of drafts, capturing Sondheim’s habit of revising even “finished” work. Press coverage around the acquisition emphasizes the meticulous revision process visible across the archive, from college-era compositions to late-career projects.
Scripts, Screenplays and Special Pieces
Beyond canonical musicals, researchers will find scripts and screenplays, along with one-off specialty songs (including works written for friends and special occasions). These lesser-known corners broaden the picture beyond the major shows.
Correspondence and Professional Networks
The papers illuminate Sondheim’s professional relationships – letters with collaborators and peers – situating him within the larger American musical theatre lineage. The collection resides alongside materials from figures like Hammerstein and Bernstein, underscoring the scholarly value of cross-collection study.
Scrapbooks, Clippings and Ephemera
Scrapbooks and clippings document reception histories and production contexts. These materials are especially useful for researchers tracing a show’s public life across premieres, revivals and touring productions.
Audio-Visual Materials
Recordings – audio and video – are part of the gift, with A/V holdings transferred to the Library’s National Audio-Visual Conservation Center for stewardship and access per division protocols.
Early and Rare Items
The archive reaches back to high-school and college-era Sondheim, charting the emergence of his craft. These youthful works sit alongside materials for Tony-winning shows, providing a cradle-to-canon view of his development.
How It’s Organised (and How to Find Things)
The Library has issued a formal "finding aid" [opens as PDF] for the Stephen Sondheim Papers; this is your primary roadmap for series descriptions, container lists and access notes. Use the finding aid to identify boxes and folders before your visit; it also explains transfers (e.g., A/V to NA-VCC) and any special handling.
Complementing the finding aid, the Library’s blog features and magazine profiles provide curatorial context and examples of standout items. For instance, LoC’s “The Genius of Stephen Sondheim: Forever at the Library” gives a narrative overview and concrete item counts that can help you target specific research questions.
Highlights You Can Expect to Encounter
Canonical show materials: manuscripts and drafts for Company, Follies, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and more, often in multiple annotated states.
Process in granular detail: multi-stage lyric and music sketches that trace Sondheim’s problem-solving on the page (e.g., that 164-page dossier for “Putting It Together”).
Cross-media work: screenplays and special songs that expand beyond the stage repertoire.
Personal and professional networks: correspondence that situates Sondheim among collaborators and mentors; placed within LoC’s larger performing-arts constellation for comparative research.
Contextual ephemera: scrapbooks and clippings to track reception and production histories across decades.
How the Public Can Access the Collection
Who Can Use It
LoC reading rooms are free and open to the public (typically age 16+). You’ll need a Reader Identification Card to request boxes and consult special collections. See the LoC's FAQs to find out more
Where to Go
Most Sondheim materials are consulted in the Performing Arts Reading Room, James Madison Building, LM-113 (101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC). This is the access point for the Music Division’s collections.
When It’s Open
As of 2025, research centers generally operate Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with the Performing Arts Reading Room also open Saturdays. Always check current hours before you travel.
How to Plan Your Visit
Get a Reader Card: Obtain or renew your Reader Identification Card on site; bringing government-issued photo ID speeds things along.
Study the Finding Aid: Note box/folder numbers for the materials you want (e.g., lyric drafts for a specific song).
Request in Advance (where possible): The Performing Arts Reading Room allows some advance requesting via the online catalog for general music materials; for special collections, staff may pull on demand. As a courtesy, the division asks you to limit advance requests (often no more than 10 items) so staff can prepare efficiently.
On-Site Requests: Once in the Reading Room, you’ll submit call slips for boxes/folders. Some items may be stored offsite and have a pull time, so planning ahead is wise. (Procedures can vary by division; staff will advise.)
Ask a Librarian: If you’re unsure which series contains what you need, use Ask a Librarian to email the Performing Arts Reading Room in advance; they can help you scope a research strategy.
Digital/Remote Access
The Music Division maintains digital collections and curated web archives, many freely available online. While the Sondheim Papers are primarily an on-site collection at present, LoC is continually adding digital surrogates across its holdings. It’s worth checking the digital portal periodically and consulting staff about any newly digitized Sondheim materials.
Why This Collection Matters
Sondheim’s papers don’t just preserve a legacy; they document the act of invention – how a line becomes a lyric, a motif becomes a musical argument and a draft becomes the definitive version. Curators and journalists alike stress the research value of seeing every cross-out, substitution and rhythmic tweak, especially when compared against performance histories and parallel archives housed at LoC. For scholars, directors, dramaturgs and performers, the collection offers a rare x-ray of craft.
Practical Tips Before You Go
Build a shortlist of target songs/scenes (e.g., “A Little Priest,” “Being Alive”) and pull their box/folder references from the finding aid.
Budget time for handling large draft sets; a single number can span dozens of pages across multiple formats.
Combine sources: Pair Sondheim materials with adjacent LoC holdings (Hammerstein, Bernstein, etc.) for comparative research on collaboration and influence.
Confirm hours and any handling or reproduction policies with the Reading Room before your visit; rules can differ by format (manuscript vs. A/V).
In conclusion, the Library of Congress now holds within its walls the full arc of Sondheim’s career, secured for future generations of scholars, artists and theatre lovers. For anyone seeking to grasp how the American musical reached its modern heights, the collection is an indispensable resource – one that bridges the distance between process and performance, between private drafting and public art.
Collection Summary
Title: Stephen Sondheim Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1945-2019
Bulk Dates: 1966-2019
Call No.: ML31.S65
Creator: Sondheim, Stephen
Extent: Approximately 11,100 items
Extent: 125 containers
Extent: 112.25 linear feet
Language: Collection material in English and Italian
Location: Music Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
LC Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/2023575108
Summary: Stephen Sondheim (1930–2021) was an American composer and lyricist and is one of the most celebrated figures in twentieth-century musical theater. The collection includes music scores and sketches, lyric sheets, scripts, scrapbooks, and other miscellaneous materials.
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