The Union Preserved: A Guide to the Civil War Records in the New York State Archives is a comprehensive reference work that, for the first time, makes available to a wide public one of the most important and extensive Civil War resources in the nation: the collections of the New York State Archives and Records Administration. The guide also seeks to make readers aware of the vast collections of wartime manuscripts, newspapers, maps, rare books, ephemera, and artifacts held by the New York State Museum, The New York State Library, and The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. Collectively, the holdings of these four institutions constitute one of the largest and most significant collections of Civil War materials available to the public. Unlike similar guides that have been published by other archival institutions, The Union Preserved contains eleven appendices that are intended to facilitate and further the research of those interested in New York's role in the Civil War. Much of the information contained in these appendices either has been long out of print or has never been published and should prove to be an invaluable source to researchers.