American Literature

This collection includes extensive holdings in 19th and 20th century American Literature, including first editions of authors such as Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, and Marianne Moore. 

The Irwin T. and Shirley Holtzman William Faulkner Collection, donated in 1989, includes all of Faulkner's first printings, as well as later printings and related works. Also noteworthy is the Peter K. Gould Collection of Lesbian Authors, including about one hundred examples of popular and pulp novels focusing implicitly or explicitly on lesbianism. 

In addition to published materials, the collection encompasses archival collections from 20th century American writers, such as Anne Waldman, Marge Piercy, and Nicholas Delbanco. It also includes the records of 20th century small poetry presses, such as The Broadside Press, Naomi Long Madgett and the Lotus Press, and Hanuman Books. 

Acquisitions in this area are selective and targeted towards building on existing strengths, while increasing the diversity of authors in the collection. In the sphere of archival collections, we selectively acquire the papers of Postbeat Poets. 

These collection materials are housed in the Special Collections Research Center.