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Karren Alenier literary papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS2223

Scope and Contents

This collection contains journals, travel diaries, correspondence, poetry and short stories published and drafts, magazines, music scores, photographs, conference and workshop records, and personal papers relating to Karren Alenier's literary career. Most of the collection folders do not have dates supplied. The date range for the entire collection is 1962-2016.

A thorough record keeper, Alenier has amassed volumes of materials ranging from her earliest work to her most current pieces. From personal journals dating as far back as January 1st, 1962, to unpublished handwritten poems, class assignments, rejected submission for publication and fliers and posters of poetry performances, the entire spectrum of a poet's life and struggle for recognition is covered . This collection offers the opportunity to glance into the mind of a budding artist and appreciate how both inspiration and collaborative editing contribute to the creative process.

Dates

  • 1962-2016

Conditions Governing Access note

The journals (series 1) are closed until June 30, 2033. The remainder of the collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use note

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Biographical/Historical note

Karren LaLonde Alenier is author of many books of poetry and winner of the 2002 Towson University Prize for Literature. Her poetry and fiction have been published in such magazines as: the Mississippi Review, Jewish Currents, and Poet Lore. "Gertrude Stein Invents a Jump Early On," her opera with composer William Banfield and Encompass New Opera Theatre artistic director Nancy Rhodes, premiered in New York City in June 2005.

In 1982 through a program sponsored by New York's School of Visual Arts, Karren spent three weeks studying with writer/composer Paul Bowles in Tangier, Morocco.

In 1995, Karren traveled to Prague to work with James Ragan on what would become her fourth collection of poetry, later titled Looking For Divine Transportation. This collection was awarded the 2002 Towson University Prize for Literature. In 1996, her third collection of poems Bumper Cars: Gertrude Said She Took Him For A Ride was published by Mica Press of Ft. Collins, Colorado. This chapbook contained a selection of her Stein poems and an early draft of Act I of Gertrude Stein Invents A Jump Early On.

Active in the American literary community, Karren has developed and managed literary programs that promote poetry. She has been involved in organizations and programs at the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Library of Congress. Since her first book of poetry was published in 1975, she has had an active role in The Word Works, a D.C. based nonprofit literary and educational organization that publishes contemporary poetry in collector's editions and presents public programs.

Extent

29 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection contains journals, travel diaries, correspondence, poetry and short stories published and drafts, magazines, music scores, photographs, and personal papers relating to Karren Alenier's literary career. Most of the collection folders do not have dates supplied. The date range for the entire collection is 1962-2016.

Arrangement note

Collection remains in original order of the first donation, but folder titles were organized into seven series for ease of browsing the finding aid: Journals, Drafts and publications, Correspondence, Workshops and conferences, Personal records, Publicity and marketing, and Audiovisual and digital files. Subsequent donations are processed to fit into this arrangement.

Physical Location

Materials are stored off-site, and will require additional retrieval time. Please contact the Special Collections Research Center for more information.

Title
Preliminary guide to the Karren Alenier literary papers, 1962 - 2016
Status
Folder Inventory
Author
Finding aid prepared by Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository

Contact:
2130 H Street NW
Washington 20052 United States of America