The Norman Saks Collection was donated by Saks to LaBudde Special Collections in the summer of 2014. The expansive nature of this collection is a reflection of Mr. Saks’ dedication to all aspects of Jazz music. A series of personal documents feature Saks ’correspondences as well as research materialsspecifically related to jazz artists, including: newspaper clippings, interviews, and artist contracts. Includedwith this series is a copy of The Charlie Parker Discography, completed by Saks, Leonard J. Bukowski, and Robert Bregman. These research material are complemented by a series of publications that features commercially produced promotional materials, discographies, directories, calendars, record inserts, and an extensive collection of periodicals. A stamp series includes hundreds of first day covers from 18 different countries, envelopes collected specifically for their meter stamps, and many decorative cachets featuring original artwork related to the jazz artists born on the faces of the stamps they accompany. Several paintings, photographs, and artist proofs feature the autographs of their creators, while several others feature the autographs of their subjects. Norman Saks’ love of Charlie Parker is perhaps best represented by a piece of foundation and a single brick from the artists birth place, 852 Freeman Kansas City.

Vinyl LPs from the collection are searchable in the UMKC Libraries catalog. Cataloged Sound Recordings from the Norman Saks Collection