The Horseless Carriage Foundation, Inc. (HCFI), doing business as The Automotive Research Library, was established in 1985 in an effort to make automobile research and restoration information readily available to hobbyists, restorers, and scholars worldwide. This continues to be our mission. The Library encourages and supports collaboration between other institutions and automotive clubs within the United States and across the world.
Our funding comes from YOU, our membership, individual donations, grants, and from various charitable organizations; including the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation. Additional income is received from research fees to help maintain the collection of 500,000 printed items.
The Collection
The primary focus of The Automotive Research Library is to provide automotive related literature of all years with a primary focus on Pre-War (pre-1942) American automobiles. The Library has a comprehensive collection of motor vehicle literature which includes Classics (1916 to 1948 luxury cars), imported automobiles, race cars throughout the decades, sports cars and heavy equipment including trucks, buses, and large machinery. Materials include all aspects of pioneer motoring. We hold a collection of early periodicals along with automotive manuals, original factory literature and advertisements, club publications and the history of auto enthusiasts' organizations.
The Library maintains the following Automotive Literature Collections:
- The Richard A. Teague Collection
- The Art Twohy Collection
- The Julian Eccles Collection
- The James Valentine Collection
- The David Rice Collection
- The Lindley Bothwell Collection
Donations
The Automotive Research Library of the Horseless Carriage Foundation, Inc. (HCFI) is a 501(c)(3) public educational library.
The Automotive Research Library actively solicits the following:
- Gifts of cash
- Memorabilia
- Antique cars
- Automobile-related literature
NOTE - All gifts to HCFI are deductible from State and U.S. Federal Income Tax to the extent allowed by the law.
The Automotive Research Library of the Horseless Carriage Foundation, Inc. is not part of, or a subsidiary of, the Horseless Carriage Club of America.
