Berklee College of Music photographic collection by Alma Berk, 1940s-1980s

This collection comprises 76 albums of photographs and associated negatives and contact sheets pertaining to Berklee people, places, and events from the school's founding as Schillinger House in 1945 through the mid-1980s, though the majority of photos date between 1968 and 1984. Most photos are uncredited, so it is thought that Berk likely took several the photographs herself, and that many may have also been taken by her personal photographer, Dino.

Most prints are measure 3.5x5 or 4x5 inches in size, with some 8x10-inch and other odd-sized prints. While some photos do have written labels, the prints often lack description or other context. In some cases, the associated negatives will have more information on the people, places, and events depicted. Older photos in this collection are less likely to be dated, labeled, or have associated negatives or contact sheets.

The albums of negatives are linked to the print albums through a complex code, presumed have been Berk's. Photos taken between 1969 and 1980 tend to have negatives and contact sheets associated with the prints. These can be found in the respective Negatives and Contacts album based upon ID number written on the print and the ID number range given to the Negatives and Contacts albums. There are two different types of IDs, one that was in effect from 1969 to 1976, and another that last from 1977 to 1980.

Many albums also included sticky notes that did not appear to come from Berk or her photographer. These notes, which provide information on photos or how the album was used or who had possession of it, were transcribed during processing onto archival-quality paper and included in the rehoused albums.