The administrative correspondence of the Harvard University Herbaria is divided into two collections, the Asa Gray correspondence files and the Administrative correspondence of the Gray Herbarium and Harvard University Herbaria.

The Asa Gray correspondence files, approximately 1820-1904, includes the personal correspondence of Asa Gray and Sereno Watson, official correspondence of other Herbarium staff, and some correspondence of noted botanists who were not affiliated with Harvard. Letters include important biographical information and also document the early history of botany in the United States. Most of this collection is digitized.

The Administrative correspondence of the Gray Herbarium and Harvard University Herbaria represents the work of various Gray Herbarium directors and other herbarium staff from the 1890s to the present day, but the bulk of the letters are from 1890-1960. The letters document herbarium business with Harvard administration and suppliers, the collection and exchange of specimens, and scientific communications from other botanists, prospective students, and amateurs.

Some correspondents are represented in both collections. Contact the archivist at botref@oeb.harvard.edu if you have any questions about individual letters or correspondents.

Additional administrative records can be found in the personal papers of the herbaria directors and at the Harvard University Archives.