New York State Reformatory (Elmira, N.Y.) Inmate Newspaper, <emph render="italic">The Summary</emph>

Chronological by date of issue.

The Summary, printed and published by and for the inmates of Elmira Reformatory, claims to be the oldest penal inmate publication, dating from 1883. The four page newspaper reports on national news, sports, and entertainment as well as inmate activities, including contributions from inmates. The newspaper was permitted by the Elmira administration to assist in inmate rehabilitation.

B1001-14: These bound volumes and loose issues of The Summary were transferred to the New York State Library by the State Reformatory at Elmira at an unknown date. They were subsequently transferred to the State Archives in 1978 and initially accessioned as part of Series A0636, State Reformatory Annual reports and handbooks, ca. 1880-1920. In 1980, one volume of The Summary was transferred directly to the State Archives by the State Reformatory at Elmira and accessioned as Series B1001. Later examination of the records in A0636 suggested that the volumes and loose issues of The Summary should be removed from that series and combined with those in Series B1001. Therefore, these materials were reaccessioned as an accretion to Series B1001 in 2014.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.