The Tamiment Library, New York University, a special collection documenting the history of United States radicalism, labor, and progressive social action, accumulated this artificial collection of printed ephemera gradually over the years through purchases, donations, standing orders with publishers, trade unions and other organizations, and through exchanges with other special library collections via the Collectors' Network, which was organized by Russell Benedict at the University of Nevada in the 1970s and promoted through his newsletter Top Secret. Ongoing collecting by staff is another significant means for acquiring printed ephemera for the collection.

The Library's Trade Union Printed Ephemera Files include material generated by federations and national, regional and local bodies, as well as departments and divisions of trade unions. While a small portion of the material is international in scope or associated with other regions of the United States, the majority of the collection relates to the New York metropolitan area.