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The William E. Stafford Library collection

 Collection
Identifier: OLPb211WSL

Scope and Contents

This collection includes published books from William Stafford's peronal library that were gifted to, sent to, bought by, and collected by Stafford. The date of items range from 1899-2006, but the bulk of material was published in the 1960s-1990s. Items may contain Stafford marginalia, author inscriptions, correspondence, autographs, and messages from family and friends. Books are arranged in alphabetical order by author's last name.

The Index to the entire Stafford Archives can be found at: http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv83782

Dates

  • Creation: 1899-2006

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

William E. Stafford (1914-1993) was a prolific American poet, pacifist, and educator. Among his many credentials, Stafford served as consultant in poetry at the Library of Congress, and received the National Book Award for his poetry collection Traveling through the Dark (1963). During his lifetime, Stafford wrote over sixty books of poetry. Stafford’s perspectives on peace, the environment, and education serve as some of the most articulate and engaging dialogues by a modern American writer about three of the most important issues of the second half of the twentieth century with lasting impacts on future generations. Howard Zinn, one America’s most iconic modern historians, was keenly aware of Stafford’s insight into modern American culture. Zinn claimed, “William Stafford’s prose and poetry, wise and eloquent, speak directly to the violence of our time, and to our hope for a different world” (from cover of Every War Has Two Losers). Stafford taught at Lewis & Clark College from 1958-1980. The William Stafford Archives, donated to Lewis & Clark College by the Stafford family in 2008, contain the private papers, publications, photographs, recordings, and teaching materials of the poet William Stafford.

Extent

24 boxes

24 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection includes published books and chapbooks from William Stafford's personal library that were gifted to, sent to, bought by, and collected by Stafford.

Title
Guide to the William E. Stafford Library Collection
Author
Liam Conley
Date
2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Lewis & Clark College, Special Collections and Archives Repository

Contact:
615 S. Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland Oregon 97219 USA