Manuscript collections to be processed through this project have been selected from a list of the collections held in backlog, based on content and research value. The collections vary in size from small to large and contain original historical source materials relating to a number of important urban history and humanities themes. These themes mimic those of the most heavily requested manuscript collections at Museum Center--business, religion, social services, military history, women's history, African American history, politics, and science. Two of the collections are highlighted below. Fred A. Lazarus, Jr. Collection, 1916-1978: Fred Lazarus Jr. was the founder of Federated Department Stores and served on the Commission on Money and Credit, the Committee for Economic Development and the Citizens Development Committee. He is credited with persuading President Franklin D. Roosevelt to lengthen the Christmas shopping season by moving Thanksgiving up a week. Braun Sisters, 1909-1989: This collection contains the papers of E. Lucy and Annette F. Braun. E. Lucy Braun was a botanist and ecologist and was the first female president of the Ecological Society of America. She is best known for her 1950 book, Deciduous Forests of Eastern North America. Annette Braun was an entomologist well known for her works on Lithocolletis Hubner, Elachistidae and Tineid moths.