Karen Swenson Papers
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Karen Swenson (born 1936) is an American poet, educator, and journalist. Born in New York City, Swenson attended Barnard College and New York University. She taught for fifteen years at City University in New York and is a celebrated published author and world traveler. The collection dates between 1945 and 2002, with the bulk dating between 1974 and 1994. Materials include literary journals and print publications, newspaper and magazine articles; correspondence; poems; photocopied manuscripts; photographs; and four audiocassettes.
Biographical / Historical
Karen Swenson (born 1936) is an American poet, educator, and journalist. Swenson was born in New York City and grew up in Chappaqua, New York. She attended Barnard College and New York University, and was a poet in residence at Skidmore College, University of Idaho, Denver University, Clark University, Scripps College, and Barnard College. She taught for fifteen years at City University in New York and is a celebrated published author and world traveler. Swenson wrote of her travels for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Leader, and several magazines.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series, with each series arranged at the folder level, in alphabetical order by topic:
Series I. Clippings
Series II. Correspondence
Series III. Ephemera
Series IV. Poetry
Series V. Photographs
Series VI. Printed Publications
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of materials created by Karen Swenson that document her personal and professional interests throughout her career as an American poet, educator, and journalist. Materials include printed publications, correspondence, clippings, ephemera, poetry, and photographs. The printed publications from Swenson's personal library include inscribed literary journals and books that she collected between 1973 and 2002. The correspondence files include professional and personal letters, postcards, and greeting cards written to and from Swenson between 1963 and 1985, some featuring her poems. Many letters to Swenson include analysis of specific poems she sent to friends and colleagues. The bulk of the collection includes Swenson's typed and handwritten poems, and photocopied manuscripts of published poems between 1945 and 2002. Most of the poems are undated and include Swenson's handwritten annotations.
Subjects
Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedure
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596, with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection created by Karen Swenson was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Karen Swenson Papers; MSS 069; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Karen Swenson in 1996; accretion donated in 2005. Accession numbers related to the donations are 1996.069 and 2005.069.
Separated Materials
Printed publications selected for deacession will be reviewed by the curator and added to the Library collection or the Library's duplicates collection.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The collection maintains intellectual order with like materials housed together. The bulk of the collection was rehoused in archival folders and rearranged by series in the existing boxes. Existing folder labels were maintained and the folders were renumbered. Metal and plastic clips were removed. Audiocassettes were rehoused in cassette cases.
