Special Collections
104 Paterno Library
814.865.7931
UL-spcolref@lists.psu.edu
Sandra Stelts
Title: Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts
Special Collections
104 Paterno Library
814.865.7931
UL-spcolref@lists.psu.edu
Rare Books and Manuscripts (RBM) is a collecting unit of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library.
Rare Books and Manuscripts' collections encompass a wide range of literary and historical materials that document the history of printing, literary genres, illustration, and art and architecture. These primary sources are found in many formats, including books, photographs, maps, and graphic items such as prints, drawings, and posters. Collections of authors' manuscripts, diaries, and correspondence shed light on printed editions of their work and also reveal much about the writing process. Special collecting interests in Rare Books and Manuscripts include Pennsylvaniana, the history of photography, German literature in English translation, early dance history, and Utopian literature.
Information on searching our materials can be found here.
If you have not used a special collections library before, please note that we are open for fewer hours than some parts of the library, and that you must use our materials in our reading room. For more information, please visit our brief online tutorial and tour.
Kenneth Burke Collections
The Kenneth Burke Papers contain the personal and professional papers of the philosopher of language Kenneth Duva Burke (1897-1993). Spanning over eight decades, from 1906 to 1993, the multifaceted papers illuminate not only the personal and intellectual life of Burke, but also the lives of his correspondents, many of them major twentieth-century figures.
John O'Hara Collection, 1923-1988: Contains the personal and professional papers of novelist, playwright, columnist and Pennsylvania native John O'Hara. Includes correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper materials, scrapbooks, awards, posters, lobby cards, press books, a record album, and photographs.
New Jazz Poets Collection, 1962-1970: Correspondence files of Walter Lowenfels and his wife Lillian with poets, publishers, and the Broadside record label for New Jazz Poets; manuscript poems, contracts, and biographical materials; setting copy, galleys, page mock-ups, and page proofs; and the album New Jazz Poets.
Edward J. Nichols Papers, 1932-1965: Includes proofs, typescripts, notes, and related correspondence for his doctoral dissertation and books written while an English literature professor at Penn State, as well as other correspondence with friends, colleagues, and publishers.
Fred Lewis Pattee Papers, 1821-1954: Contains correspondence, family papers, diaries, travel journals, original works, publications, newspaper clippings, lecture notes, lectures, research, scrapbooks, and photographs of the first professor of American literature, Penn State.
Conrad Richter Papers, 1849-1995 (bulk 1903-1968): Contains the Pennsylvania author's book manuscripts and some correspondence. The greater part of this collection consists of various versions of 10 novels, 1 philosophical book, 50 or so short stories, and more than a dozen essays, including some unpublished material.
Philip Young Papers, 1930-2000: Includes the working papers, drafts, research notes, reviews, and other items connected with the Penn State professor of American literature's books and essays on Ernest Hemingway, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and other figures in American literature and history.
Our American Literature book collection can be accessed in the Cat by doing an Advanced Search on the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, American Lit. Coll."
A separate research guide to African-American history & literature in Special Collections is forthcoming. Please see also the Charles L. Blockson Collection. You can also find volumes in our Black History and Literature book collection by performing an advanced CAT search with the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Black History & Lit."
Luis Alberto Sanchez Latin American Literature Collection
Dr. Luis Alberto Sanchez (1900-1994) was a Peruvian politician, author, and founding member of the left-leaning American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) party. In addition, he was a leading authority on American and Latin American literature. Sanchez's library, which includes many extremely rare works of literary authors published by small presses, was purchased by the Penn State Libraries in 1969. The subjects range from history and politics to Latin American criticism, poetry, and theater. Imprint dates of the literary works range from 1890 to the 1960s, with a majority of them being published in the 1920s through the 1950s.
Grant Allen Literary Manuscripts and Correspondence: The personal and professional papers of Canadian/British novelist and essayist Grant Allen.
Arnold Bennett Letters and Literary Manuscripts, 1903-1931: Letters from novelist, short story writer, playwright, editor, journalist, and scholar to his editors, friends, and colleagues, and manuscripts of his fiction.
La Fayette Butler Collection of Arnold Bennett Publishing Correspondence and Manuscripts, 1903-1931: Arnold Bennett's correspondence with his agents, colleagues, and publishers; manuscripts of some of his articles and books; and six watercolors he painted.
Alan Brownjohn Papers, 1952-2006: Conference papers, correspondence, novels, photographs, poems (collected, edited and miscellaneous), publicity, radioscripts, and translations by this British novelist, critic, poet, translator and editor.
Alan Brownjohn's Writers in Education Questionnaire Annotated Responses, and Photographs, 1979-1996: 23 responses from British and Irish poets, novelists, and playwrights requesting their views on writers' fellowships in academic institutions; 8 photos of Brownjohn.
T.C.H. Jacobs Literary Papers, 1907-1974: Documents the writing life of a twentieth-century pulp fiction writer. The collection includes Jacobs' childhood writings, authorial commonplace books, research clippings, typescripts, publications, an authorial record book, and correspondence.
Gertrude Jekyll Wall and Water Gardens Manuscripts and Photographs, 1903-1913: Galleys, page proofs, and proofs for illustrations for Gertrude Jekyll's book.
Christopher Logue Papers, 1939-1993 (bulk 1950-1993): Manuscripts of British poet Logue's essays, plays, poems, short stories, and screenplays; reviews of his books; newspaper clippings; poster-poems; research files; videocassettes of his film performances; and voluminous correspondence (1949-1993).
Mortlake Collection of English Life and Letters, 1591-1963: Over 1350 items, chiefly from the 19th century, including correspondence, documents, literary manuscripts, drawings, photographs, and other materials. Over 600 English authors are represented, along with several musicians and artists, and some prominent literary and cultural figures from other countries.
Fiona Pitt-Kethley Literary Papers, 1982-1993: Manuscripts and drafts of her books and poems, and personal and business correspondence with her agent, Giles Gordon of Sheil Land Associates, and publishers Chatto & Windus, Peter Owen, and Sinclair-Stevenson, MacDonald & Co., among others.
Colley Cibber Letter to Mrs. Laetitia Pilkington, 1747 June 29: Irish author's letter encouraging her to write her memoirs and refers to his own Character and Conduct of Cicero Considered.
Maria Edgeworth Letters and Engraving of Her House, circa 1815-1835: Irish author's five letters with personal news and about writers and publications, and engraving.
Monk Gibbon Letter to Ellis Roberts, and Printed Ballad, 1930-1934: Irish author's letter about his Austrian surroundings with questions and commentary about the poem “The Cynic,” and printed poem, “A Ballad.”
Lady Augusta Gregory Letters, 1915: Irish author's three letters to Mrs. [Ellen] Duncan [curator of the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art], about the gallery and mentioning W.B. Yeats, and one to Miss Jenny Hicks about a play.
George Moore Letter to the Editor of The Daily Chronicle, 1915: Contains the Irish author's letter about efforts to impede German propaganda in Ireland. Moore acknowledges the approval of his reply to Kuno Meyer as an effort to impede German propaganda in Ireland. He also comments on his reticence to write an article for the paper.
George Moore Letters, Page and Galley Proofs, and Photocopy of Suppressed Chapter, 1890-1969: Contains letters about the Irish author’s plays. Also includes two manuscripts: “An imaginary conversation” between Moore and Edmund Gosse and photocopies of the suppressed chapter of Moore's Memoirs of My Dead Life.
Lady Sydney Morgan Letters, 1806-1843: Contains five letters by the Irish author about her works and other topics.
Frank O'Connor Letters to Robert Greacen, circa 1946: Irish author's business letters on short stories by O'Connor that Greacen may have been interested in publishing.
Seán O'Faoláin Letter to Jon Carroll and Typescript Foreword, 1946-1964: Letter about writing, and an unpublished foreword by O'Faoláin for Anthony Trollope's The Warden.
George Bernard Shaw Letters and Papers, 1892-1969: Includes postcards, letters, programs and advertisements, and photographic material. Correspondents include Frank Harris, Peter Eaton, Harley Granville-Barker, Dame Wendy Hiller, and others. Topics include Shaw’s plays, advice to correspondents, and personal news.
George Bernard Shaw Letters and Manuscripts, 1906-1940: Consists of letters, cards, and typescripts. Included are letters to George Sylvester Viereck, Anthony Weymouth, actress Dorothy Cheston, and several theatre societies. Topics include the production of his plays, and views on politics and Germany.
Jack B. Yeats Letter a cara [to my friend], 1930: Contains the Irish artist's letter thanking a friend for pictures of Yeats and Madame MacBride, congratulating him on his first born, looking forward to seeing him, and having read Peadar O'Donnell.
William Butler Yeats Letters and Memorandum, 1891-1933: Contains letters and material related to the Irish writer, co-founder of the Irish Literary Theatre, and Senator of the Irish Free State. Includes five short letters and a memorandum. Topics include translation, the Rhymers, money received for the Irish Academy of Letters.
Our English Literature book collection can be accessed in the Cat by doing an Advanced Search on the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, English Lit. Coll."
Jacques-B. Brunius Papers, 1929-1967: Includes correspondence, original works, translations and adaptations, BBC materials, clippings, and photographs by this French critic, technician, actor, and director. Correspondents include Robert Benayoun, André Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Jean Ferry, J. H. Matthews, E.L.T. Mesens, Jean Paulhan, Simon Watson Taylor, Brunius's family members, and many others.
Yves Navarre Literary Manuscripts and Letters, 1959-1982: Contains manuscripts by the French novelist and playwright. Also includes pamphlet, film script, programs, posters, photographs of Navarre at home and on vacation, photocopied clippings, and correspondence with friends, publishers, and John Robert Kaiser, Penn State librarian.
John Robert Kaiser collection of Françoise Sagan, 1954-1970: Includes manuscripts and typescripts of Bonjour tristesse and seven other novels by Sagan, notebooks and miscellaneous notes, two letters from Sagan, extensive printed material, and approximately 300 photographs of Sagan and others.
Allison-Shelley Manuscript Collection, 1600-1984: This collection contains correspondence, photographs, travel journals, and manuscripts of translations from German that illustrate the literary and cultural relations between Germany, England and the United States. Materials span from 1600 through 1984 with the bulk from the 18th through 20th centuries. Philip Allison Shelley, author and collector, was professor of German and comparative literature at Pennsylvania State University, retiring in 1972.
The Allison-Shelley book collection can be accessed via an Advanced Search of the CAT, using the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Allison-Shelley Coll." or "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Allison-Shelley Vault".
Some additional highlights of our literary collections are highlighted below. For more information, see our website or contact us.
Arthur O. Lewis Utopia Collection
In his British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, an Annotated, Chronological Bibliography, Lyman Tower Sargent, the leading utopian bibliographer, acknowledges the help he received from major libraries in America and abroad, and he generously credits Penn State with "having established the best Utopia Collection in the world."
Science Fiction
Special Collections also houses an extensive science fiction collection, which can be accessed in the Cat by doing an Advanced Search on the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Science Fiction Coll."
Our Fine Printing Collection can be accessed in the Cat by doing an Advanced Search on the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Fine Printing Coll."
We also collect bibles spanning many centuries, in many languages. To find these in the Cat, search on the location "Rare Books & MSS, 1st Floor Paterno, Bible Collection".
Related Research Guides:
Separate research guides to African-American history & literature and other topics in Special Collections are forthcoming.
