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TABLE OF CONTENTSInventory |
Guide to the Book and Author War Bond Committee Records
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Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator | Book and Author War Bond Committee | |
| Title | Book and Author War Bond Committee Records, | |
| Dates: | 1943-1946 | |
| Abstract: | It would seem most certainly, that the files on hand represent only a relatively small portion of those which once existed. Even more specifically, it would appear that essentially these are either the files basically of two men who served on the Committee, namely, Mr. Louis Bailey, at the time the Director of the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, New York, and Mr. Mark Van Doren. According to one note, Mr. Bailey was involved in the Committee as a coordinator for the American Library Association. Mr. Van Doren was the Committee’s Chairman. | |
| Extent: | 2 boxes, .7 cubic feet | |
| Identification: | B-8 | |
| Location: | The material is located in the Archives at Queens Library. | |
Historical/Biographical Note
Soon after the entry of the United States into World War II, various means of finding ways to help finance the War on the “grass-roots” level, so to speak, were sought. In essence, the average person participated in this work through the purchase of Bonds. A rather unique way of helping to sell some bonds was devised by a committee titled the National Book and Author War Bond Committee. The noted writer, Mark Van Doren, was chairman of this Committee.
The Committee's aim was to solicit as many manuscripts (in some cases illustrations) from famous literary individuals with the purpose of either auctioning them to the highest bidder, or offering them as gifts to institutions or groups who sold the greatest amount of bonds. Apparently, in many instances the Committee worked through some of the local public libraries either for publicity purposes or for similar aid. It is also possible that towards the end of the War, some manuscripts which were not disposed of were given as gifts to various libraries. It is not known for sure exactly what plan was followed in making these gifts.
The following news item from a Connecticut paper perhaps sums up the type of campaigning waged.
“Tomorrow is the opening day of the Books and Authors for Bonds Day drive which will be climaxed by a rally at New Bedford High School Auditorium May 27. Three celebrated authors will speak at the rally, and original manuscripts of their work will be auctioned off to War Bond bidders.”
Also of use in learning how the campaigns were conducted are the following passages gleaned from two letters in the file.
“The Committee intends to use such (donated) drawings … as a reward to librarians who have organized on a state-wide basis to promote their purchase of war bonds.” (letter to F. Eichenberg)
“As you already know, one of the features of all the Bond Rallies is the competition between local organizations for manuscripts which are subsequently presented to the local public library” (letter to Mrs. M.H. Elliott)
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Scope and Content Note
It would seem most certainly, that the files on hand represent only a relatively small portion of those which once existed. Even more specifically, it would appear that essentially these are either the files basically of two men who served on the Committee, namely, Mr. Louis Bailey, at the time the Director of the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, New York, and Mr. Mark Van Doren. According to one note, Mr. Bailey was involved in the Committee as a coordinator for the American Library Association. Mr. Van Doren was the Committee’s Chairman.
The files consist of letters mainly carbon copies with but a relatively few originals, memoranda, and some mimeographed lists
The letters in the first series, Letters To and From Authors Soliciting Manuscripts are arranged in alphabetical order principally by name of the author whose manuscript was solicited. Only rarely will the name of Louis Bailey be found among the letters, but rather that of Mr. Mark Van Doren. In some, but not all instances, original letters from the authors are attached to the copy or copies sent out by the Committee. Original letters are from such authors as Rafaello Busoni, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Upton Sinclair, and Irving Stone.
"The vast majority of the letters in the second series, Letters Regarding Final Disposition of Manuscripts, are those of Bailey. The file consists of the copy of letters sent by him to various librarians, and the answers received (in some cases) from them. Evidently, to judge from information found in some letters, there were two main reasons for the correspondence. For example, in a letter to the Carnegie Library in Tucson, Arizona, Mr. Bailey states, "Will you please tell us something (about a particular manuscript) so that we can include it in the notice of all manuscripts to be sent to the Library of Congress and other manuscript libraries. We should like to know the condition, whether written with pen or pencil, since of the page...”. "
Other letters are simply those informing an author of final disposition of his manuscript, and these letters have also been filed under name of Library involved, not author. A typical letter would be one addressed to Mary Ellen Chase which reads, “We are happy to inform you that the manuscript of The Bible and the Common Reader was placed in the public library of Lynn, Massachusetts, where a number of local clubs and organizations competed in the sale of War Bonds to win it as an award…”
The third series, Authors Descriptions of Their Manuscripts is a very small file of some dozen documents or so, all of which are carbon copies of brief descriptions of manuscripts provided by several authors.
The items in the fourth series, Miscellaneous Documents, consists of such things as a press release; a “Manual for Organizing and Producing a Successful Book and Author War Bond Rally”; one or two listings of various manuscripts distributed or on hand; and a few letters addressed to Mr. Bailey concerning the whereabouts of certain manuscripts.
To reiterate, it would appear that the records are primarily those of Mr. Van Doren and Mr. Bailey, and not of any of the, no doubt, numerous others who worked on the Committee. This is not to say, of course, that these were personal papers – they are indeed official records of the Committee. It may also be that in another sense, these may also be considered the files more of Mr. Bailey than Mr. Van Doren, the latter perhaps turning over copies of his correspondence to Mr. Bailey who evidently was in charge of the Library aspect of the Committee’s Drives.
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Arrangement
Letters are arranged alphabetically by name of Library involved.
The records are divided into four series.
| Letters To and From Authors Soliciting Manuscripts | |
| Letters Regarding Final Disposition of Manuscripts | |
| Authors Descriptions of Their Manuscripts | |
| Miscellaneous Documents |
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Creator of item, date of item (if known), identification of item, if a photograph its control number. The Book and Author War Bond Committee Records, Archives at Queens Library, Queens Borough Public Library.
Provenance
Unknown
Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions. Manuscripts are only available in the Archives at Queens Library, please call (718) 990-0770 for hours. Manuscript users will be required to complete the division's Manuscript Usage Form and deposit their photograph identification or Queens Borough Public Library card with a staff member. The identification will be returned to the user after she/he has returned the material. Manuscript users will deposit all their personal items behind the reference desk. Manuscript users must use the division's loose sheets of paper for note taking. To reiterate, no pen of any type is permitted. Paper and a pencil are available upon request. Manuscript users may be required to use special handling procedures depending on the conditions of the material.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
- Archives at Queens Library
- Queens Borough Public Library
- 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
- Jamaica, NY 11432
- Phone: (718) 990-0770
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Access Points
Subject Organizations:
- Book and Author War Bond Committee
Subject Names:
- Busoni, Rafaello, 1900-1962
- Fisher, Dorothy Canfield, 1879-1958
- Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968
- Stone, Irving, 1903-1989
- Van Doren, Mark, 1894-1972
Subject Places:
- Queens (New York, N.Y.)
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Inventory
[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]
