PDF is an acronym for "Portable Document Format." PDF is a file format created by Adobe that lets you view and print a file exactly as the author designed it, without needing to have the same application or fonts used to create the file. Since its introduction in 1993, PDF has become an Internet standard for electronic distribution that faithfully preserves the look and feel of the original document complete with fonts, colors, images, and layout.

Some forms on this web site are published using Adobe's® Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to view these forms the most recent version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed on your computer. To display or print these documents, you must download the free Acrobat® Reader. The Acrobat® Reader allows you to view, navigate, and print PDF documents.

All PDF documents on our site are characterized by the following or similar graphic icon
(). This icon is usually placed next to the document link.

If you are having difficulty viewing a PDF document on the Peabody Historical web site:

• Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Save the file to your computer before viewing.
• For Netscape users, right-click on the link, and select "Save As" from the pop-up menu.
• For Internet Explorer users, right-click on the link, and select "Save Target As" from the pop-up menu.
• Be patient -- occasionally PDF documents have large file sizes and may take longer to download/view than other pages online. Depending on your internet connection, download times will vary.