Jerome Robbins Collections: About

The Dance Division has been gifted over the years with an enormous collection of materials documenting the life and works of Jerome Robbins, our namesake, including collections he donated himself. Reflecting donations made at various times, from various sources, materials on Robbins comprise a items in multiple formats, including papers from his personal life, choreographic notes, photographs, files from his personal attorney, audio, video, and film. Materials are described and grouped in several collections, and so are not always easy to find. This guide brings all of these collections together to aid researchers in accessing the materials they need. 

Manuscript and photograph collections are either wholly restricted, partially restricted, require an appointment, or have complete open access. They have been grouped according to the rules governing access, and the collection descriptions include guidance on any restrictions. To access any collections with restrictions, please contact the Jerome Robbins Dance Division and we will process your request as soon as possible. You can reach us via email at dance@nypl.org or request an appointment with a librarian. If you are interested in contacting the Robbins Rights Trust, you can visit their website here.

Jerome Robbins at the beach balancing in arabesque on ball. Credit: Jerome Robbins, 1936-1939.

Jerome Robbins Photographs, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID 57495009.