Reference Collection

• Introduction
• Surname Index & Vertical Files
• Card Indexes
• Special Collections

Surname Index & Vertical Files

The vertical files contain magazine and newspaper clippings, handwritten information donated by patrons, bibliographies, programs, brochures, flyers and other materials that, by reason of their physical formats, cannot be placed on the shelves with books. Patrons locate these files through subject cards in the card catalog and/or the Vertical File shelf list cards. The files are not open to public browsing; Society staff retrieves folders upon request.

Surname Vertical Files

• Although the Surname vertical files are primarily Family Surname Files, they include files on individual Missouri politicians, pioneers, past and present celebrities, outlaws, and architects. Examples of individuals included are Daniel Boone, Jesse James, Harry S. Truman, Morris Frederick Bell, Sheryl Crow, and Brad Pitt. Within this collection are purple vertical file folders for Missouri Military Personnel Deaths occurring during the past twenty-five years.

Missouri Artists Vertical Files

• The Missouri Artists vertical files are orange files containing information about native Missouri artists or artists who have focused on Missouri for inspiration in their work. Included are multiple files on well-known Missouri artists Thomas Hart Benton and George Caleb Bingham. There are also files on artistic organizations and galleries throughout the state.

Missouri Author Vertical Files

• The Missouri Authors vertical files are green files containing information about native Missouri authors or authors who have focused on Missouri in their writings. This includes multiple files on author Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) and poet Eugene Field.

Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial Vertical Files

• In the early 1990’s, the Missouri State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of the Police and the Missouri State Trooper’s Association established a memorial to Missouri Law Enforcement personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. Society staff members helped in this project by researching and documenting line-of-duty deaths. A large set of blue vertical files containing information on the service and deaths of these law enforcement personnel grew out of the project. Society staff members still help to document and verify the eligibility of past law enforcement personnel whose names are added to the memorial in Jefferson City. Information concerning the deaths of current law enforcement personnel is also gathered, and each individual’s name is added to the collection of blue vertical files.

Missouri Fallen Firefighters Memorial Vertical Files

• In 2003, the Reference Library staff began the Fallen Firefighters Memorial vertical files as a companion to the Law Enforcement Memorial vertical files. The Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Kingdom City, Missouri, was the inspiration and starting point for this collection. Information has been located on almost all of the firefighters listed on the memorial, and additional red folders are added to the collection when new information becomes available about past or present line-of-duty deaths. The collection also includes the names of emergency medical personnel who have been killed in the line-of-duty.