The Cistercian Ephemera Collection is primarily composed of nineteenth and twentieth century pamphlets, offprints, photocopies of articles and book chapters, as well as postcards, video recordings and other items relating to the history of the Cistercian order, particular abbeys, significant figures in Cistercian history or the Roman Catholic Church, in general. The subjects of the materials include histories of abbeys, sermons of religious figures, observances and constitutions of the Cistercians, interviews with monks, archaeological studies of monasteries and adjacent regions, as well brochures and post cards from various monasteries. It also contains materials that relate to the history of the Center for Cistercian and Monastic Studies (formerly known as Institute for Cistercian Studies) and its accompanying collection of books and manuscripts held on permanent loan at Western Michigan University Libraries. The Cistercian Ephemera Collection includes materials deposited on permanent loan at Western Michigan University Libraries through an agreement between various American Trappist monasteries and the Center for Cistercian and Monastic Studies as well as later donations.