Eve Merriam Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains production material for children's books published during Merriam's career. The collection also includes some unpublished titles, and various materials related to her professional life, including poems, flyers and emphmera related to classroom visits and workshops, correspondence, letters and art from children, marketing material and ephemera, and related items.
Dates
- 1959 - 1992
Creator
- Merriam, Eve, 1916-1992 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
Eve Merriam was born July 19, 1916, in Philadelphia, Penn. She attended Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania. She worked as a copywriter, radio writer, editor, and poet, and began writing children's books in the 1950s. Her first published works for children included biographies of famous Americans such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Emmas Lazarus. It was as a poet for children that she became best known. She also translated other authors' works, and edited anthologies for children and young adults. Eve Merriam died April 11, 1992.
Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vols. 3, 40, 73 Children's Literature Review, vol. 14
Extent
7 Cubic Feet (8 boxes [5 record cartons, 1 flat box, and 1 video box])
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Eve Merriam's papers focus on her work as an author and editor of children's and young adult books, with an emphasis on her poetry. The collection contains production materials for published and unpublished titles, as well as other professional papers.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series:
1) Books for children
2) Professional papers
Within each series the collection guide is arranged alphabetically by book title or material type.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection is a gift from Eve Merriam, received in several installments beginning in 1971 and continuing throughout the 1970s and 80s. Additional material was received from Merriam's estate in 1992.
- Alphabet books Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Authors, American -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Birthdays -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's poetry, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's stories, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christmas stories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Counting -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 (Depicted) -- Juvenile literature
- Friendship -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Interpersonal relations -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manuscripts for publication Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Occupations -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Picture books Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Poets, American -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Science fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Seasons -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sex role -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Stories in rhyme Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Eve Merriam Papers, 1959-1992
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jim Eyer
- Date
- 2004
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- February 2020: Collection reprocessed and finding aid updated by Caitlin Marineau
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area
