The APA Library began in 1949 when its first Medical Director, Daniel Blain, M.D., invited APA members to donate autographed copies of their books to share knowledge and scholarship with their fellow members. These books formed the foundation of what became known as the APA Autograph Library.
Over the years, members and others continued to donate books and significant historical objects, expanding the collection and preserving the history of the American Psychiatric Association. Today, the Melvin Sabshin, M.D. Library & Archives continues this tradition by making these unique collections available for learning, scholarship, and research.