Reference Library

Since its formation in the mid-1980s, the PCA has taken the lead in acquiring, preserving, and disseminating copies of rare and otherwise-unobtainable pen reference material. The PCA Library comprises thousands of pages of original catalogs, advertisements, repair manuals, company publications, and other ephemera. Its holdings are continually growing, as PCA volunteers scan, edit, and catalog documents generously shared by other collectors.

Access to the Reference Library was originally limited to PCA members only. At the 2014 annual general meeting, however, it was decided to expand the PCA’s educational mission by opening the Library to the general public, excepting only ongoing publications still under active copyright protection — most notably, back issues of Pen World and recent copies of the Pennant®.

Direct access to the Reference Library was interrupted by the demise of the PCA’s old website. We are now bringing its contents back online, organized under the headings listed to the right. Please note that not all entries are fully cross-referenced; for example, a Chicago mail-order catalog offering Parker and Waterman pens would be found under “Multi-Brand Catalogs and Ads”, but would not be listed on the Parker or Waterman index pages.