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The Personal files series (0.6 linear feet, 1948-2015 with gaps) consists of two groupings: Childhood and High School. The Childhood group includes photographs, correspondence, an ephemera collection of monster movie ads, diaries, and samples of Ovshinsky's earliest writing and first newsletters. The High School group contains memorabilia from Ovshinsky's high school years, including photographs, personal writings, an independent literary magazine, and yearbooks. Folders in this series include Ovshinsky's own reflections on his childhood and adolescence. The series also contains Ovshinsky's preface to the collection, contained in a file labeled "Inventory and backstories." This file provides Ovshinsky's description of the contents of the collection and a detailed account of his life experiences from his perspective in 2015. However, although the order of materials remains the same, the box numbers indicated in Ovshinsky's description are obsolete; please refer to the contents list below to locate files.

The Professional files series (3 linear feet, 1965-2012) contains print materials that trace the developments of Ovshinsky's career in journalism, communications media, and teaching. The series is divided into six subseries: Underground journalism and The Fifth Estate; Civilian service as conscientious objector; Radio print materials and memorabilia; Video and television production print materials and memorabilia, Teaching; and Speaking engagements, presentations, and workshops. The series is comprised of press articles, photographs, professional correspondence, project files, and Ovshinsky's writings, notes, and personal reflections. The Underground journalism and The Fifth Estate subseries contains correspondence, personal memoirs, and writing on Detroit's counterculture in the late sixties through the early seventies. This subseries also includes the earliest issues of The Fifth Estate. The Civilian service as conscientious objector subseries focuses on the founding of Open City, a clinical self-help center providing social, medical and legal support to Detroit's youth. The Radio print materials and memorabilia subseries consists of scripts, photographs, and press articles. The Video and television production print materials and memorabilia subseries contains photographs, press articles, correspondence, and an extensive collection of records from Ovshinsky's own production and consulting company, HKO Media. The Teaching subseries is comprised of student evaluations, course materials, correspondence, and Ovshinsky's reflections on teaching writing. The Speaking engagements, presentations, and workshops group is a collection of promotional materials as well as Ovshinsky's preparatory notes, outlines, or complete texts of presentations and speeches.