The oldest society of autograph and manuscript collectors in the United States today, The Manuscript Society has become an international organization with members in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. While collectors formed the heart of the organization in 1948, its membership today includes archivists, manuscript curators, librarians, and prominent manuscript dealers and auction houses. That expanded focus led the organization to change its name from the National Society of Autograph Collectors to The Manuscript Society in 1953. The shift also recognized that its members are serious manuscript collectors--not just autograph seekers.