I have been asked by the NYPL to remove details of the individual with whom I corresponded in this matter. I have had to delete the relevant comments, and am re-posting a slightly truncated version of them below (I hope the post still makes sense):

I emailed the NYPL for details of the contents of folders 3, 4 and 5 of box 65 and they advised me: “[T]he manuals in folders 4 and 5 were duplicates when printed, but the examples – which are holograph and added after the documents were printed – are different. These manuals appears to be earlier iterations of the manual in folder 3 which is an expanded edition that contains a table of contents, detailed descriptions, and multiple examples of the notations. The expanded manual is dated 1948 while the other manuals are undated. We do offer remote duplication services. The cost for this service is $10 for the first ten pages and $.50 for each additional page. An estimate on the size of the manuals in files 3 and 4 is that they are about 75 pages each while the expanded edition is roughly 140 pages. Please respond to this email if you are interested in having any of these manuals duplicated or if you have any additional questions.”

The number of pages doesn't correlate to that mentioned in Clyde Blanchard's article (December 1948), but he does say the new Manual is in 2 parts; perhaps this draft is the first part?

Any comments? Can I afford $75/£46?
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I sought further clarification as follows:

Could you clarify the following points for me relating to the longer Manual in folder 3, only, please:

1. Does the Manual include in its title the term 'Standard', 'Simplified' or another term?

2. Is the Manual authored (1) by John Robert Gregg only, (2) by John Robert Gregg with another/others (specifically: Clyde Blanchard, Louis Leslie, Charles Zoubek), or (3) by any combination of Blanchard, Leslie and Zoubek and not Dr Gregg?

3. Does the table of contents show 16(?) lessons, or is it in chapter/unit format; if the latter, can you provide the numbers?

4. Does your duplication service mean that you provide a photocopy of the text? If this is the case, do you also provide a scan and email service as an alternative, and what would the cost be?
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Their reply to my questions:

1. The manuscript is titled "Gregg Shorthand Manual, Revised Edition"

2. There is no author explicitly listed.

3. The Table of Contents is in Chapter/Unit format.
Chapter 1, Units 1 and 2
Chapter 2, Units 3 and 4
Chapter 3, Units 5 and 6
Chapter 4, Units 7 and 8
Chapter 5, Units 9 and 10
Chapter 6, Units 11 and 12
Chapter 7, Units 13 and 14
Chapter 8, Units 15 and 16
Chapter 9, Units 17 and 18
Chapter 10, Unit 19
There is a note that Unit 20 is to come.

4. Our duplication service is PDF scans only, delivered by email. The cost is 10 dollars for the first 10 pages and .50 cents for every page thereafter. There are probably around 120-140 pages in all in the manual. Reproduction can take up to 6 weeks depending on the current workload. Once you agree to pay charges, your photocopy order will be placed in queue with our copy services. After some amount of time, you will be sent a precise invoice by email. In return you must remit payment. The preferred method of payment is check or money order, made out to The New York Public Library. All checks must be made in US dollars from a US account.

Once payment is received, you will be sent the copies as a pdf. For smaller orders, they will be sent as an attachment. For orders resulting in pdfs over 20MB, they will be transferred to you over Dropbox, a file sharing service. You will also receive a copy of the order form, with identifying information redacted, for your records.