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Frequently Asked Questions About The Collection

What is the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection?
What types of materials are included in the collection?
Is the collection publicly accessible and if so, how do I use it?
How can I see articles from the Collection if I visit the Library without an appointment?
How can I get copies of articles in the Collection without visiting the Library?
Does the Asbury Park Public Library accept donated materials and if so, what standards apply?
If I want to donate publications to the collection, how would I do so?

What is the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection?

Many public, academic, and other types of libraries maintain "Special Collections," which bring together significant materials about a particular subject; these materials are usually available for research purposes but are not part of the library's circulating collection. The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection is believed to be the world's most extensive Special Collection of books and magazines devoted to the life and career of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

The Springsteen Special Collection originated as a project of Backstreets magazine and Backstreets personnel remain active in the expansion of the Collection. The Collection exists to serve the research and informational needs of Springsteen fans, researchers, authors and others with a serious interest in Bruce Springsteen's life and career.

What types of materials are included in the Collection?

The Collection currently includes over 11,145 holdings containing Springsteen content and dating from 1964 to the present: books, song books, tour books, magazines, fanzines, internet articles, newspaper articles, academic journals and papers, selected printed items, and comic books. Virtually the entire collection is comprised of used publications.

Is the collection publicly accessible and if so, how do I use it?

The Collection's holdings are currently housed in two locations, one managed by the Asbury Park Public Library and the other managed by the Friends. Items listed on our various Holdings pages in black text can be accessed by appointment at the Libary; items listed in red text can be accessed by contacting the Friends' Executive Director, Bob Crane. The Library's Directions To The Library page has driving directions for those traveling via the Garden State Parkway; or call (732) 774-4221.

Accessibility and security are the shared concerns of the Library and the Friends. The Collection is available to researchers, scholars and the general public, but all holdings are housed in secure locations and cannot be browsed. Instead, specific items must be requested.

The Library has limited staffing and not all staff members are authorized to access the Collection. Accordingly, they ask that those interested in viewing Collection items at that location make an appointment with the Library staff by phone, FAX, or email prior to making a visit. The Library also asks that those interested in Collection holdings be ready to present current photo identification (drivers license or the equivalent) to the front desk personnel, along with the name of the desired publication(s) and the box number where each publication is located. The various Current Holdings lists on this website provide that information. Visitors should also be aware that certain physically fragile publications are only available on microfilm, as indicated in our various Holdings lists.

The Current Holdings list on the Collection website serves as a locator guide for the staff, indicating the number(s) of the boxes holding items of interest.

On arrival at the library, please present your current photo identification (drivers license or the equivalent) to the front desk personnel, along with the name of the publication(s) you wish to review and the box number where each publication is located. Use of material from the collection is restricted to four publications at a time for general visitors, and to eight publications at a time for Charter Members of the Friends who present our membership card. The publications are the personal responsibility of the viewer while in the viewer's possession.

Use must occur at the Asbury Park Public Library under the supervision of library staff. No material from the collection may be checked out of the library.

The publication(s) must be returned to the front desk personnel at the conclusion of your review and prior to requesting further publications. The library has a photocopier, and there is no restriction on note taking while using publications from the collection. There is also no particular time limitation on the use of materials, other than the normal business hours of the library.

How can I see articles from the Collection if I visit the Library without an appointment?

As indicated above, it's strongly recommended that visitors to the Library make an appointment if they wish to view items from the Collection. But even without an appointment, anyone who visits the Library can view copies of over 150 of the Collection's best and rarest articles--simply by requesting one or more of "the Springsteen binders" at the main counter. The Friends have created five binders with copies of exceptional articles from the Collection; each binder organized around a common theme, each with a full list of contents and a lively, informative introduction.

The printouts are of such high-quality color that some viewers mistake them for the original publications, and any must-have articles can be easily removed from the sleeves for photocopying.

The Friends have made available the following binders:

BEFORE THE TIDE: Highlights from the Collection 1966-1975
IN A WORLD GONE WILD: Highlights from the 34 countries in the Collection
DEDICATION: Highlights from the fanzines and newsletters
BACK IN THE PARK: The Springsteen experience in Asbury Park
COVER ME: All-Time Favorite Springsteen Magazine Covers As Voted By Fans

How can I get copies of articles in the Collection without visiting the Library?

If the items of interest are in red text, contact Bob Crane.

If the items are in black text, indicating that they are housed at the Asbury Park Public Library, you can request photocopies of material in the Springsteen Special Collection through interlibrary loan, a world-wide service which will usually be available at your own public or academic library. Your library will need the information about the publication which appears in the Current Holdings lists, and will inform you of any charges which might be involved.

The Asbury Park Public Library participates in interlibrary loan as a member of OCLC, the world-wide library data base; its library symbol is ABR. The Library also uses ARIEL, a world-wide electronic document transfer system for libraries.

What standards apply to donated items?

Most of the Collection is comprised of publications donated by Springsteen fans in the United States and around the world. We continue to rely on that generosity to expand our historic holdings and obtain current publications. The Collection is in need of any materials in the format types described above which contain significant content about Bruce Springsteen's life, career, and bands. It does not, at this time, include material such as memorabilia, CDs, LPs, 7" singles, videos, DVD or other non-print formats.

We welcome donations in the best available condition; to this point, the overall condition of the Collection ranges from very good to excellent. Since the Collection is a work in progress, many publications still needed; some are listed in the Wanted Items section of the Collection's web site while others, not currently known to organizers of the Collection, are nonetheless also "wanted."

If I want to donate publications to the collection, how would I do so?

Potential donors should first check the Current Holdings list on the Collection site to ensure that their intended donations are not already in the collection. Assuming that is the case, we strongly advise that you contact the Friends' Executive Director Bob Crane, pbjcrane@gmail.com, about your proposed donation. Mr. Crane keeps track of donations to the collection and needs to be informed about incoming materials.

Please package your donation securely and send it to the following address:

Springsteen Special Collection
12606 Billington Road
Silver Spring, MD 20904

Note that the library cannot pay shipping costs.

We want to honor those who donate items to the Collection by displaying their names on the Collection website, so please include your name and hometown as you would like them to appear. If you would prefer to have your donation remain anonymous, let us know and we will respect your wishes.

Please contact us if you have questions regarding the Collection which are not answered here.