Stony Brook University has received a donation of the archive of Dan’sPapers, the East End of Long Island’s weekly lifestyle publication, which has been gifted by publication founder Dan Rattiner.
The archive will be part of Stony Brook’s Special Collections, the library division that stewards and curates the university’s collections of rare books and maps, archival collections, manuscripts and historical maps. The collection is also currently undergoing a preservation assessment with the intention to microfilm it, digitize it and make it freely available online. Rattiner gifted more than a half century’s worth of his personal archives of the eponymous publication to Stony Brook University Libraries, which plans to make it available to the public.
“We are very excited to have Dan’s Papers as a part of Stony Brook University Libraries’ collections,” said Jamie Saragossi, Interim Associate Dean of Collection Strategy and Management at Stony Brook University.
“Dan’s Papers is an important addition to the library’s distinctive collections because of its depth and coverage of the social, political, and environmental history of Long Island. It benefits the mission of the university’s libraries and the wider research community,” said Kristen J. Nyitray, Director of Special Collections and University Archives, and University Archivist.
Dan’s Papers was established by Rattiner in 1960 and is presently one of the only weekly publications covering the entire East End. The collection, spanning 1960 to 2023, comprises the most complete print run of Dan’s Papers held by a research library.
“I started by taking the first paper home once it was printed and kept doing it,” said Rattiner. “I hope that people will enjoy reading the publication. I think people will learn why so many have come out here to enjoy this place because of its remarkable landscapes and beaches and woods. It’s just such a beautiful place.”
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