News from RMBL’s Collections Managers and Archivists | December 2021 and January 2022

Kevin Schlottmann, RBML’s head archivist, shares a selection of new and updated finding aids, as well as newly available collections.

We have lots to share, including newly processed collections, recently digitized AV material, and some significant updated finding aids.

At long last, the heavily used Random House records have an digital finding aid, replacing a complex and confusing scanned document.  That project was touched by many hands, but wouldn’t have been possible without dozens (hundreds?) of hours of work from former student assistant, Molly Boord.  A highlight of that collection is the Toni Morrison editorial files, which archivist Celeste Brewer has just reprocessed (and is featured in this blog post.)

The Gouverneur Morris papers, another collection with a difficult-to-use finding aid, also now has an digital finding aid.

New Processed Archival Collections

The Oracle Bones collection at the Starr Library now has a finding aid.

Francis Casimir Vogel Papers, 1870 – 1930
“The collection consists of manuscript materials by F. C. Vogel related to his travels and activity in Argentina in the 1870s, his typescript “Five Years in the Caucasian Mountains” related to his work in Georgia in 1884-1889, correspondence of 1901-1923, and a posthumous news clipping about his life and work.”

John Baxter Collection of Olympia Press manuscripts, 1979-1988
“A small folder of promotional materials for Olympia Press, as well as letters from Girodias to Nick Austin, Henry Miller, and Samuel Beckett. Includes a photocopy of “Une journée sur la terre” from L’Infini.”

Benjamin Rauch collection of Soviet Posters, 1960-1980
“The Soviet Posters Collection consists of 32 posters collected during the 1970s to 1980s. Those posters reflect a rather satirical aspect of the Soviet life of that period and are executed by several well-known Soviet artists like Kukruniksy and others.”

Liu-Chiang family papers, 1938-1967
“The Liu-Chiang family papers document the multigenerational immigration stories of the Liu and Chiang families from China to Cuba, Thailand, Taiwan, and then to the United States, dating from 1938 to 1967. The materials primarily consist of school, military, and travel documents, photographs, and memorabilia.”

Emily Gresser Papers, 1890s-1960s, bulk 1910-1919
“Scrapbooks, sheet music, scores, correspondence, press clippings, programs and books” relating to a violinist of the early-mid 20th century.

Newly Digitized AV Materials

Albert Goldman papers, 1953-1994
This large set of AV materials, featuring Goldman’s research on various 20th-century pop culture icons, is now completely digitized.

Bill Weinberg sound recordings, 1992-2021, bulk 1992-2011
“Weinberg was a co-producer and on-air personality for the radio show Moorish Orthodox Radio Crusade (MORC) from 1992 to 2011. MORC was started in 1988 by Peter Lamborn Wilson, and was broadcast late night on WBAI, inheriting a timeslot held by Bob Fass’ Radio Unnameable and James Irsay’s Primary Sources. MORC’s name was derived from a 1960s radio show from members of the Moorish Orthodox Church of America (MOCA), a small mystical sect based on the Upper West Side.”

Newly digitized AV materials are also linked to the Robert Flaherty papers, Allen Ginsberg papersInternational Institute of Rural Reconstruction recordsAbram Saulovich Kagan PapersTom Clark papers, and İlhan Mimaroğ̆lu Papers.

Newly Created Finding Aids

Random House records, circa 1925-1999
A new digital finding aid provides improved access to a heavily used collection.

John Dewey papers and letters, 1895-1962
“Series I contains correspondence, manuscripts, and other materials. Series II consists of 151 letters and postcards from John Dewey to Mrs. Corinne C. Frost, dated 1930-1950, largely devoted to philosophical problems.”
https://findingaids.library.columbia.edu/ead/nnc-rb/ldpd_4078695
Digital finding aid.

Gouverneur Morris papers, 1768-1816
“Letters written to Gouverneur Morris from many of his contemporaries including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, John Paul Jones, Nathaniel Greene, Philip Schuyler, Robert Morris, George Plater, William Short, William T. Franklin, and Thomas Pinckney.”
A digital finding aid.

Lorenzo Da Ponte papers, 1809 – 1831
“Letters, some verse, and a few documents.”

Zone Books records, 1985-2014
“Zone Books is an independent nonprofit publishing house founded in 1985. The publisher of a select list of titles in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.”
List for a large unprocessed collection that can be made available.