Descriptive Summary

Administrative Information

Historical Note

Scope & Content Note

Organization & Arrangement

Index Terms

Related Items

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Series Arrangement & Description

Series 1: Administrative Records

Series 2: Authors and Illustrators

Container Listing

Descriptive Summary

Administrative Information

Access & Restrictions

The records of the Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection are available for research.

Access is restricted to materials prepared by the Local History department staff. All materials must be viewed in the Plainfield Room and may not be removed to another area of the library without permission of the Library Director or designee. Materials must be handled carefully and kept in order. Materials must not be leaned upon, altered, folded, ripped, or traced upon. Marks may not be added or erased from materials. Materials must be returned directly to Local History department staff and inspected before the researcher leaves the Plainfield Room.

One photo- or digital copies may be made by Plainfield Public Library staff of collection documents for the purpose of research; official Local History departmental reproduction fees may apply. Permission to publish must be obtained by the Plainfield Public Library Board of Trustees as delegated to the Library Director. Permission to publish does not constitute a copyright clearance. The researcher is responsible for further copyright restrictions. The Plainfield Public Library is not responsible for the misuse of copyrighted material.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item; Date (if noted); "Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection,” Box and Folder Number; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey.

Acquisition Information

The collection was maintained by the Plainfield Public Library since its creation in 1969 by Library employee, Mrs. O’ Celia R. Nevels.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Sarah Hull in 2009. The finding aid was written and encoded by Sarah Hull in 2009 and revised in 2014. Finding aid content follows the guidelines suggested by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.

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The collection was created by Plainfield Public Library’s Principal Children’s Librarian, Mrs. O’Celia Ragland Nevels. Mrs. Nevels was a dynamic and energetic librarian, who wanted to provide her young patrons with a deeper insight into the books they were reading.  She wrote letters to numerous children’s authors and illustrators asking for personal items that could be displayed for the Library’s 1969 Summer Reading Club and 1971 & 1977 Book Festivals. Many items were received, most of which are original and one-of-a-kind writings and illustrations.  O’Celia worked for the Library for twenty-five years before retiring in 1980. She passed away in 2007 at the age of 94.

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Scope and Content Note

The records of the Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection document the Children's Department’s Summer Reading Club of 1969 and the Book Festivals of 1971 & 1977.  The collection includes a variety of paper material including manuscripts, original illustrations, letters, book jackets, galley pages, folded & gathered (F&G) pages, book marks, book lists, photographs, and ephemera. Most of the materials are signed by the authors and illustrators who created them. Many of the items are signed, unique and original works.

The physical collection is comprised of 2 boxes totaling 1.5 linear feet. Included in the collections are paper materials from such as manuscripts, original illustrations, letters, photographs, book jackets, galley pages, folded and gathered pages, book marks, book lists, various publicity materials and other ephemera.

This audience for this collection includes scholars and researchers in the area of children's literature as well as children of all ages, librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers who work with children.

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Organization and Arrangement

The Records of the Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection are arranged into two series:

Series 1: Administrative Records
Series 2: Authors and Illustrators (by surname)

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Index Terms

People:

Organizations:

Places:

Subjects:

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Related Items

No related items.

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This collection consists of paper documents, photographs and ephemera which do not require any additional technology for access.

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Series Description

Series 1: Administrative Records [1968-1977] Series Arrangement Series 1 is arranged alphabetically by date and fills two folders. Description Series 1 contains contains records maintained by Mrs. O’ Celia R. Nevels to help her coordinate the Book Festivals and Summer Reading Club. It includes letters to embassies and consulates asking for translations to the phrase “Go Place with Books,” address lists for authors, posters, and a letter to Mrs. Nevels from a teacher and her class. It is composed solely of paper documents that are typed and handwritten. Return to the Table of Contents Series 2: Authors and Illustrators [1957--1977] Series Arrangement Series 2 is arranged alphabetically by author and illustrator last name, and fills two boxes. Description Series 2 contains letters, doodles, sketches, fine art prints, illustrations and other artwork, handwritten and typed manuscripts, galley pages, folded & gathered pages (F&Gs), book jackets, book marks, author’s book lists, author biographies, author newsletters, personal and press photographs, and ephemera. It is composed solely of paper documents and photographs. Documents are typed and handwritten. [image: Original drawing of Corduroy and Lisa by Don Freeman, 1971]   Return to the Table of Contents Container Listing Note: In the publishing industry, F&G stands for "folded & gathered," which is a complete printed book (a stack of signatures) that has not yet been trimmed to size and that has not yet been bound into the hard-cover casing. Series Box Folder Title Date(s) 1 1 1 Administrative File: Inventory and address list 1977 1 1 2 Go Places with Books: Letter from consulates and embassies with translations 1968 2 1 3 Batherman, Muriel: Signed letter 1977 2 1 4 Bierhorst, John: Letter. Page proofs & book jacket for "The Red Swan." Contains signed material. Undated 2 1 5 Bontemps, Arna: Booklist, photo, biography 1965 2 1 6 Brandenberg, Aliki: Letter. Jacket sketch, thumbnails, and preliminary sketches for "At Mary Bloom's." Contains signed material. 1977 2 1 7 Branley, Frankln M.: Signed postcard 1969 2 1 8 Broder, Bill: Letter, signed. Copies of calendar backs 1977 2 1 9 Bulla, Clyde Robert: Letter. Postcard with book list. Contains signed material. 1965 2 1 10 Carrol, Ruth: Original manuscript, "The Chimp and the Clown," handmade book. 1965 2 1 11 Ciardi, John: Letter, signed. (laminated) 1965 2 1 12 Cleary, Beverly: Photo, signed. two book jackets. two brochures. Undated 2 1 13 Coatsworth, Elizabeth: Photo, signed. One book jacket. Spanish note card. Undated 2 1 14 Cole, Joanna: Letter, signed. One edited manuscript 1977 2 1 15 Devlin, Harry & Wende: Five book jackets, two biographies, one photo of a book cover, one letter from Parents Press magazine 1971 2 1 16 Duvoisin, Roger: Photo, signed. Bookmarks. F&G It’s Time Now" Original illustrations of "Petunia" and "Le Meunier." Five book jackets 1971 2 1 17 Elting, Mary (and Folsom, Franklin): Letter, signed. Typed manuscript pages of "Spacecraft at Work" Undated 2 1 18 Emberley, Ed: Biography. Wood cut images on pamphlets. See Oversized Box. Undated 2 1 19 Feelings, Tom: Text and illustration from "To be a slave" 1968 2 1 20 Folsom, Franklin (and Mary Elting): Letter, signed, and book list. 1965 2 1 21 Freeman, Don: Book jacket "The Guard Mouse" Undated 2 1 22 Fritz, Jean (SEE ALSO: Lynd Ward): Letter, photo, illustration, bookmark, small biography, editor letters, larger bio, book list, reprint from "The Horn Book" reprint from “How to read a rabbit," book jacket, map from "Early Thunder." Contains signed material. 1965 2 1 23 Furman, Victoria: Letter, two photos, two book jackets, articles. Contains signed material. 1971 2 1 24 Galdone, Paul: three bookmarks, biographical pamphlet, booklist brochure with order form, five illustrations (signed) F&G of “Grandmother and I." Contains signed material. Undated 2 1 25 Haber, Louis: Signed letter, one envelope, five copies of letters from National Archives. 1971 2 1 26 Haugaard, E. C (Erik Christian) (Milton Johnson, illustrator): Photo, signed. two illustrations. two stories. book jacket, one galley from "The Untold Tale" Undated 2 1 27 Henry, Marguerite: Photo, envelope, two newsletters 1965 2 1 28 Herman, Vic: Signed letter. Reprints. Book cover page, papers. 1976-77 2 1 29 Hine, Sesyle Joslin: Signed letter, five galleys from "Baby elephant's trunk" 1965 2 1 30 Hoff, Syd: Signed illustration of Danny and the Dinosaur. Book jacket Undated 2 1 31 Holdsworth, William Curtis: Photo. Three book jackets, one letter from publisher Undated 2 1 32 Jarrell, Randall: Card from Mary Jarrell with drawing by Randall Jarrell. Copy of letter from Randall to Maurice Sendak, dated 1963 1963, undated 2 1 33 Keats, Ezra Jack: Signed letter, photo, F&G from "HI!, CAT" biography, article 1971 2 1 34 Kuskin, Karla: two letters, one with illustration. one color proof of "A boy had a mother who bought him a hat" book jacket. Contains signed material. 1977 2 1 35 Lenski, Lois: Signed letter. one photo, one biography and booklist, one booklist. 1965 2 1 36 Marshall, Jim: Letter from publisher, three preliminary sketches from "Bonzini: The Tattooed Man." 1977 2 1 37 McCaffery, Anne: two signed letters, two cards, three photos in folders, two book jackets 1977 2 1 38 McClung, Robert M.: Signed letter with illustrations; book jacket for "Lost wild America;" F&Gs for "Spotted Salamander" and "Lady bug" 1965 2 1 39 McPhail, David: Unsigned illustration from "Sailing to Cythera" Undated 2 1 40 Rey, H.A.: Ten little book covers, piece of envelope with doodle. 1967 2 1 41 Rice, Eve: Card with original artwork, Envelope. 1977 2 1 42 Rojankovsky, Feodor: Matted print, signed Undated 2 1 43 Rose, Anne: Two signed letters; book jacket for "Refugee," print of "As right as right can be," and one card for "How does a czar eat potatoes." 1977 2 1 44 Ryder, Joanne: Two signed cards; one unedited copy of "Simon Underground," one F&G of "Simon Underground" Undated 2 1 45 Seredy, Kate: Biography Undated 2 1 46 Slobodkin, Louis (and Florence): Signed letter. Oversized F&G of "The Cowboy Twins" 1965 2 1 47 Steig, William: Letter from publisher. 1977 2 1 48 Stuart, Jesse: Three signed biographical publications, one book list, one poster with biography, two copies of letters, "Old Ben," one envelope 1970,1971 2 1 49 Syme, Ronald: Typed manuscript for "Bolivar" with biography c. 1968 2 1 50 Thayer, Jane (and Meg Wohlberg): F&G for "The Runaway Horse" 1963 2 1 51 Van Liew Foster, Doris (and Helen Stone): "Tell Me Mr. Owl" 1957 2 1 52 Van Woerkom, Dorothy: Two letters, one copy of typed manuscript, un-sewn copy of "Meat Pies an Sausages," one memo. Contains signed material. 1977 2 1 53 Waber, Bernard: Letter (unsigned), two prints and one galley for "A Chick Hatches" 1971 2 1 54 Walsh, Jill Paton: Signed letter, three photos that inspired "Goldengrove" and "Unleaving" 1977 2 1 55 Ward, Lynd: Signed letter, article reprint, lithography of rabbits (ten of one and six of another) 1965 2 1 56 Warner, Lucille Schulberg: Signed letter. 1977 2 1 57 Winter, Paula: Photo portrait Undated 2 1 58 Wooley, Catherine: Signed letter, two brochures, one book jacket for "I Like Trains" 1971 2 1 59 Worth, Valerie (Mrs. George W. Bahlke): Signed letter, signed manuscript for poem, "Caterpillar" 1977 2 1 60 Yates, Elizabeth: Book list, biography poster, one list of addresses (speaking engagements) Undated 2 1 61 Zemach, Margot: Seven illustrations from "Alone in a wild forest" 1971 Oversize Box 1 2   Children's Book Showcase poster   2 2   Carrol, Ruth: Signed, original illustration for "Tough Enough's Pony" c. 1970s 2 2   Duvoisin, Roger: First proof of "What is right for Tulip" Hanging storage poster of Veronica the Hippo, and two Petunia drawings (poster size). 1971 2 2   Emberley, Ed: Drummer Hoff poster hanging storage poster drawings of: Lion, Owl, Dancing Alligator, and Rooster. c. 1968 2 2   Freeman, Don: First sketch for "A Rainbow of My Own" and original sketch for "Corduroy." Signed (see above image) 1971 2 2   Grifalconi, Ann: "Book Power" poster 1969 2 2   Kuskin, Karla: "A boy had a mother who bought him a hat" book jacket 1977 2 2   Macaulay, David: Four signed prints: castle, underground, city, and pyramid. Undated 2 2   McClung, Robert M.: Book jacket for "Lost wild America."   2 2   Rey, H.A. : Signed, original illustration of Curious George (see image at top), book jacket from "The Stars" with constellation map on inside. 1971 2 2   Rose, Anne: Book jacket for "Refugee." 1977 2 2   Scarry, Richard: Signed sketches on heavy tracing paper Undated 2 2   Seidel, A. Illustrations, signed Undated 2 2   Slobodkin, Louis (and Florence): Oversized F&G of "The Cowboy Twins" 1965 2 2   Stuart, Jesse: poster 1970-71 2 2   Tanobi, Miyuki: Beautiful matted print, signed 1977 2 2   Waber, Bernard: Two prints and one galley for "A Chick Hatches" 1971 2 2   Zion, Gene (and Margaret Bloy Graham: Book jacket from "Really Spring" Undated     Return to the Table of Contents