Encoded in EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/lca.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/mm2021086426
DACS was used as the primary description standard.
Collection material in English
The records of the Poetry Office were transferred to the Library of Congress Archives in several installments from the Poetry Office, the Manuscript Division, the Assistant Librarian for Research Services, and the Central Services Division from 1970 to 1990.
The records of the Poetry Office were arranged and described in 1990, most likely by historical specialist John D. Knowlton. Photographs were moved to the Photographs and Objects Series of the Library of Congress Archives and are identified by item numbers 1014-1289. The finding aid was encoded and revised by Melinda K. Friend with the assistance of Shandra Morehouse in 2021.
A finding aid for the Library of Congress Archives is available at https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadlca.lc017001.
A history of the Consultantship in Poetry was published in
"Poetry Behind the Scenes at the Library of Congress," written by Patricia Gray and published in the
Materials from the Poetry Office Series, Library of Congress Archives, are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
Restrictions apply governing the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult reference staff in the Manuscript Division for information concerning these restrictions. In addition, many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Poetry Office Series, Library of Congress Archives, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
The records of the Poetry Office Series, Library of Congress Archives, span the years 1915-1990, with the bulk of the material dating from 1947 to 1985. The collection documents the establishment of the position Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (later Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry), the work carried out by the incumbents of that position, the operations of the Poetry Office, and the various poetry and literature programs sponsored by or held at the Library of Congress including those sponsored through the Gertrude Clarke Whittall Poetry and Literature Fund. It should be noted that the titles Consultant in Poetry in the English Language at the Library of Congress, Consultant in Poetry in English, Consultant in Poetry, Chair of Poetry, and later Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, all refer to the same position. The collection is organized into eight series: Series A: General Office Files, 1915-1965; Series B: General Office Files, 1966-1970; Series C: General Office Files, 1971-1975; Series D: General Office Files, 1976-1980; Series E: General Office Files, 1981-1985; Series F: General Office Files, 1986-1990; Series G: Printing, 1946-1986; and Series H: Reference, 1950-1980.
The collection's series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.
Series A: General Office Files, 1915-1965 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for the years 1937-1965.
Series B: General Office Files, 1966-1970 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for those years.
Series C: General Office Files, 1971-1975 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for those years.
Series D: General Office Files, 1976-1980 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for those years.
Series E: General Office Files, 1981-1985 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for those years.
Series F: General Office Files, 1986-1990 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for those years.
Series G: Printing, 1946-1986 consists of programs and samples of invitations and tickets for various events held by the Poetry Office at the Library of Congress.
Series H: Reference, 1950-1980 consists of printed matter, primarily clippings.
This collection is arranged in eight series:
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/mm2021086426
Series A: General Office Files, 1915-1965 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely for the years 1937-1965.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, minutes, reports, financial records, photographs, printed matter, and exhibits.
Arranged by chronological date span, thereunder into an administrative file and a subject file, and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series B: General Office Files, 1966-1970 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely during those years.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, reports, financial records, and printed matter.
Arranged by chronological date span, thereunder into an administrative file and a subject file, and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series C: General Office Files, 1971-1975 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely during those years.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, reports, financial records, and printed matter.
Arranged by chronological date span and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series D: General Office Files, 1976-1980 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely during those years.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, financial records, and printed matter.
Arranged by chronological date span and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series E: General Office Files, 1981-1985 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely during those years.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, reports, financial records, printed matter, and exhibits.
Arranged by chronological date span and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series F: General Office Files, 1986-1990 contains files documenting the work carried out by the Consultant in Poetry and the Poetry Office and the various poetry and literature programs held at or sponsored by the Library of Congress largely during those years.
Material types include correspondence, memoranda, notes, literary manuscripts, reports, financial records, and printed matter.
Arranged by chronological date span and therein largely alphabetically by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material.
Series G: Printing consists of programs and samples of invitations for various events held by the Poetry Office at the Library of Congress.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material.
Series H: Reference consists of printed matter, primarily clippings.
Arranged alphabetically by name of person, organization, or topic.