There was a time when the collection was easily accessible to anyone who wanted to see it. Now it's a whole lot tougher, and unless you can convince them that you need to do research, they won't give you an appointment. Over the years they have been swamped by requests, and the collection has had a bit of damage (and likely theft) along the way. That's why they always keep a group of cards framed in the hallway right near the room where it's housed, so the public can at least see a sampling of it.
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