The [ Free Library of Philadelphia] announced Monday that it is selling the collection to the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Southwest Philadelphia and the Antique Automobile Club of America Library in Hershey.
It will be known as the Thomas McKean Collection, named for the collector of auto manuals and ephemera who started what’s now a cache of more than 100,000 items, also including advertising literature, technical bulletins, photographs, books, journals, and historic license plates.
“It’s the single best collection of owners’ manuals in the world. For people who own classic cars, that’s a great resource,” said Steve Moskowitz, who noted that the AACA is building a new library facility to house its portion of the archive, where collectors and restorers can get hyper-accurate information on how to keep their cars in pristine shape.