One of the fun things to come out of attending ALA in Chicago last month was an invitation to visit the Kerlan Collection here in Minneapolis and a request for me to donate my rough drafts, revisions, etc., of Stampede.
“The Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota is one of the world’s great children’s literature research collections. The Collection includes books, original manuscripts and illustrations, and many related materials…[it] presently contains more than 100,000 children’s books as well as original manuscripts, artwork, galleys, and color proofs for more than 12,000 children’s books.”
The Kerlan contains materials by Madeleine L’Engle, one of my literary heroes; Barbara Juster Esbensen, the first children’s poet I read and loved as an adult writer; 60 boxes of material by Jane Yolen (whom I heard speak at the Kerlan last spring); materials from fabulous poet/anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins; plus stuff from Lilian Moore, Paul Janeczko, Joyce Sidman, and thousands of other fantastic authors and illustrators.
I’ve been to the Kerlan for events before, but it will be fun today to learn a little more about the collection itself. Then I’m going to have to schedule a field trip or two for myself this fall to explore the materials donated by some of my favorite writers.
I’m having lunch with the Curator of the Kerlan Collection, Professor Karen Nelson Hoyle. Our paths have probably crossed before, but a Clarion breakfast at ALA was the first time I actually chatted with her, and then she also sat at the Clarion table for the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder banquet. It should be fun to get to know her better.
So, I’m off to get several hours of work in before I overcome the twin obstacles of directions and parking at the U!