These acronyms are sometimes used by the Manuscripts and Special Collections Unit in finding aids, particularly to describe autograph materials, i.e., documents written and/or signed by a particular person.
A.D. - autograph document
A handwritten document that was not signed.
A.D.S. - autograph document signed
A document (other than a letter) that was hand-written and signed by the person named.
A.L. - autograph letter
A.L.S. - autographed letter signed
A letter that was hand-written and signed by the person named.
A.N. - autograph note
A brief hand-written message.
A.N.S. - autograph note signed
Brief message hand-written and signed by the same person.
A.S. - autograph signature
C.D.V. - carte de visite
A thin paper photograph mounted on a thicker paper card of about 2.5 by 4 inches, popularly used as visiting cards in the U.S. in the 1860s.
D - document
D.S. - document signed
A document (other than a letter) that was printed or hand-written by someone else, but signed by the person named.
EL - indicate a folio size or extra-large document
L.S. - letter signed
A letter that was hand-written by someone else, but signed by the person named.
M.S. - Manuscript Signed
Mss. - manuscripts
ca. - circa
"in approximately" or "around," referring to a date
n.d. - no date
An undated document whose date cannot be determined by its content.
n.p. - no place
The place where the letter or document was written is unknown.
n.s. - note signed
Brief message signed by the person named.
s.n. - sine nomine
Name of publisher unknown.
T.L.I. - Typed letter initialed
T.L. - Typed letter
T.L.S. - Typed letter signed
v.d. - various dates