Robert Lax papers, 1938-1990

Creator:

Extent:

17 linear feet 32 boxes 1 package

Language:

English .

Scope and content:

Correspondence, manuscripts, drawings, photographs, and printed material of Lax. Included are letters of Mark and Dorothy Van Doren and Thomas Merton. The bulk of the collection is comprised of Lax's poetry and journal manuscripts, many written in Patmos and Kalymnos, Greece, and originally sent to Emil Antonucci of the Journeyman Press in New York for publication. Also, printed photographs and unprinted negatives of pictures taken by Lax, primarily in Greece.

Biographical / historical:

Poet & editor (Columbia University B.A., 1938) who was born in 1915.

Lax was a noted American poet who wrote concrete or minimalist poetry. He was born in Olean, NY on 30 November 1915 and died there on 26 September 2000. He attended Columbia University where he received a B. A. in 1938. While at Columbia he befriended such notables as Thomas Merton and Ed Rice. After Columbia he worked at the New Yorker University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Time and Jubilee magazine. In 1956 he published his first book The Juggler. He was published in such prestigious journals as New Yorker and Poetry Journal. In 1969 he received a National Council for the Arts Award.

Acquisition information:

Source of acquisition--Lax, Robert. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1971. Accession number--M-71.

Letters clippings: Source of acquisition--Lax, Robert. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--10/26/90. Accession number--M-90-10-26.

Custodial history:

Gift of Robert Lax, 1971-1975 & 1990.

Processing information:

Cataloged 07/--/89.

Processed by MBB 10/75 and HR 5/92. Letters & clippings Cataloged HR 05/05/92.

Arrangement:

Selected materials cataloged; remainder arranged as follows. Box 1: Cataloged correspondence & manuscripts; Box 2: Uncataloged correspondence & manuscripts by others; Box 3-20: His poetry; Box 21-23: Prose & journals; Box 24: Drawings & sketches; Box 25-28: Photographs; Box 29-31 & Oversize: Printed materials; Box 32: Addition.

Accruals:

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred citation:: Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Robert Lax papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Location of this collection:: Rare Book & Manuscript Library

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Collection