The Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP) was founded in 1962 by a group of New York City schoolteachers who sought to continue their intellectual development after retirement. The creation of courses and their delivery is entirely member run and depends upon members’ interests. New courses are offered each term. The collection consists mainly of printed matter, such as fliers, publications and course catalogs.

These records were created by the dean's office of the adult education division of The New School (as of 2022, Schools of Public Engagement), and predominantly reflect the activities of two deans, William Birenbaum and Allen Austill, 1961-1979. A subset of records document the formation of New School College in the 1960s, the Institute for Retired Professionals, and the Physicians Assistant program. A number of files are restricted due to confidentiality.