Guide to the Herbert P. Weiss papers, 1970-2025

Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Ave
Providence, RI, 02908
Tel: 401-456-9653
email:digitalcollections@ric.edu

Published in 2025

Collection Overview

Title:	Herbert P. Weiss papers
Date range:	1970-2025
Creator:	Weiss, Herbert (Journalist)
Extent:	1 cubic foot and 155.65 GB
Abstract:	The collection contains publications authored by Herbert P. Weiss, publications edited by Weiss, and Weiss’s degrees, certificates, awards, and essays. The subjects covered by the publications are generally related to health care and ageing.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library
Collection number:	MSS-0149

Scope & content

The collection consists of the works of Herbert P. Weiss and documents related to him and his accomplishments. Much of the collection contains various publications to which Weiss contributed as a writer, editor, or as a member of the editorial board. These include magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and trade publications all dealing with the topics of aging, senior life, healthcare, and federal and state public policy issues. Also featured in the collection are the degrees, certificates, and awards Herbert P. Weiss received through higher education and his career as a journalist.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Lombardo, Nancy Emerson
• Weiss, Herbert (Journalist)

Subject Organizations

• American College of Health Care Administrators
• Brown University
• Contemporary longterm care
• McKnight’s long-term care news
• Providence Journal Company
• St. Anthony’s Publishing
• The journal of long term care administration

Subject Topics

• Aging
• Journalism—Editing
• Medical care
• Older people
• Public policy
• Senior family

Geographical Names

• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• Providence (R.I.)
• Texas

Document Types

• Periodicals—Publishing

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into the following series and subseries based on format:

• Series 1: Physical materials; 1970-2013.
• Series 2: Electronic Records; 1980-2025.
• Series 2: Electronic records. Subseries 2a: Digitized newspaper and magazine articles, and newsletters; 1980-2017.
• Series 2: Electronic records. Subseries 2b: Herb Weiss blog; 1996-2025.

Biographical/Historical Note

Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1954, journalist and author Herbert “Herb” P. Weiss graduated from the University of Texas in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a concentration in Social Work. He received his Master of Arts in Studies in Aging in 1977 and a Specialist Certificate in Aging in 1979 from North Texas State University (now called the University of North Texas). Weiss also completed 24 hours of doctoral courses in public policy administration at the University of Maryland’s Baltimore County Campus from 1980-1985.

Weiss began to establish himself as a journalist in 1980 and continued to write and contribute to various publications covering aging, healthcare, and other medical issues for over 45 years. He oversaw editorial content for seven nationally published trade publications, newsletters and newspapers. These include founding editor of Aging Network News (1985-1988); editor of three medical-related national newsletters on CPT, CPR coding, as well as Medicare reimbursement issues for physicians (1988-1999); editor of Senior Law Report and Marketing to Seniors (1990-1991); managing editor of Brown University LTQ Quality Letter (1993); the Blackstone Valley beat for the Providence Journal (1994); and founding editor of Senior Living, now called Prime Time (1997-1998).

From 1983 to 2000, Weiss served as a member of the editorial board for five national publications covering nursing home and aging issues, including Contemporary Long Term Care (1993-1990), The Journal of Long Term Administrators (1985-1995), Aging Network News (1991-1993), McKnight’s TLC News (1992-2000), and Brown University Long-Term Quality Letter (1993).

Additionally, Weiss has published Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly (2016), followed by Taking Charge: Volume 2 More Stories on Aging Boldly (2021). The third sequel, Taking Charge: Volume 3 Lots More Stories on Aging Boldly, was published in 2025. These volumes compile a collection of his commentaries published in Blackstone Valley Call & Times and RINewsToday.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	The collection is open for research.
Use of the materials:	Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Alternate form:	The Herb Weiss blog has been preserved online by RIC Special Collections and can be viewed through the Herb Weiss collection via Archive-it.org. All materials in Series 2a have been digitized and are available either online via RIC Digital Collections or in the Special Collections Reading Room. Box 1, Folder 55 and Box 2, folders 3, 15, 27, 29, 42, and 45 are only available electronically in the Special Collections Reading Room.
Preferred citation:	Herbert P. Weiss papers, MSS-0149, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
Contact information:	Special Collections, James P. Adams Library Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Ave Providence, RI, 02908 Tel: 401-456-9653 email:digitalcollections@ric.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was donated to Adams Library Special Collections in 2024 by Herbert P. Weiss. A deed of gift was signed by Weiss at the time of donation.
Processing information:	The collection was arranged and described in 2024 by Hydin Stallman, Special Collections student worker, under the supervision of Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian. Additional description was added by Denison in 2025.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Hydin Stallman and Veronica L. Denison.
Encoding:	This finding aid was encoded by Veronica L. Denison, 2025
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:	Books written by Herb Weiss have been cataloged and added to the Herb Weiss Rare Books Collection within Special Collections.
Separated material:	Several newspapers, magazines, and other publications were digitized and removed from the physical collection due to their condition. These materials are available within the Herbert P. Weiss papers on RIC Digital Collections and are listed by file title in Subseries 2a within the collection inventory. A majority of the electronic files have been modified to display only Weiss’s articles due to copyright. Any publication in which Weiss was involved in the editorial process is available to view in its entirety.
Location/Existence of copies:	The Herb Weiss blog has been preserved online by RIC Special Collections and can be viewed through the Herb Weiss collection via Archive-it.org. All materials in Series 2a have been digitized and are available either online via RIC Digital Collections or in the Special Collections Reading Room. Box 1, Folder 55 and Box 2, folders 3, 15, 27, 29, 42, and 45 are only available electronically in the Special Collections Reading Room.
Other information:	Several publications within the collection have been fully digitized and had their physical copies removed for preservation purposes. These materials are available within the Herbert P. Weiss papers on RIC Digital Collections and are organized by publication in Subseries 2a within the collection inventory. A majority of the electronic files have been modified to display only Weiss’s articles due to copyright. Any publication in which Weiss was involved in the editorial process is available to view in its entirety. These are also available to view in the Special Collections Reading Room. Box 1, Folder 55 and Box 2, folders 3, 15, 27, 29, 42, and 45 are only available electronically in the Special Collections Reading Room.

Inventory

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