Guide to the Sanford Dorbin papers Mss 21

Finding aid prepared by D. Tambo 2012; Zachary Liebhaber, 2014.
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-9010
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu; URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/special-collections
2012; 2014.


Title: Sanford Dorbin papers
Identifier/Call Number: Mss 21
Contributing Institution: UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Collections
Language of Material: English
Physical Description: 14.0 linear feet (22 document boxes, 3 half-size document boxes, 3 oversize boxes, 1 map-cabinet drawer)
Date (inclusive): 1957-2010
Abstract: The collection primarily contains materials relating to Sanford Dorbin's A Bibliography of Charles Bukowski, manuscript drafts of his poetry and other writings, and files pertaining to his poetry magazine Schist: A Journal of Poetry and Graphics (1973-1978), in which some of Bukowski's poems appeared.
Language of Materials: The collection is in English.
Physical Location: A portion of the collection is located at the Southern Regional Library (SRLF). Inquire at Special Collections for access.
Creator: Dorbin, Sanford M.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Some of collection is stored off-site; advance notice required for retrieval.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred Citation

[Item description], Sanford Dorbin papers. Mss 21. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Acquisition Information

Multiple gifts from Sanford Dorbin, ca. 1968-2008, and Sariah Dorbin, 2014.

Processing Information

Processed by D. Tambo 2012; Mona Luo, 2014.

Biographical Note

Sanford M. (Sandy) Dorbin was born in the Midwest ca. 1933, and received his B.A. and MLS from UCLA. The bio for his Never Enough Light describes him as "Librarian, bibliographer and teacher by training, janitor and agitator or troublemaker by inclination." He is perhaps best known for his bibliographical writings about Charles Bukowski, in particular A Bibliography of Charles Bukowski (Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1969). He also is the author of several books of poetry, including Family Life and Others (1968), Persona Image / Mirror Image (1969), The Ruby Woods (1971), Eleven Poems (1978), Minimally Speaking (1987), Night Lights (1988), Never Enough Light: New and Selected Poems 1966-1994 (1995), and Saying Goodbye to Babylon (2001). In addition to his bibliography of Charles Bukowski, Dorbin has written "Charles Bukowski and the Little Mag/Small Press Movement" (UCSB Libraries publication, Soundings, 1970) and a later "Bukowski Checklist," which appeared in a special Bukowski issue of Small Press Review (1973). During the time he was compiling the Bukowski bibliography, Dorbin also was a librarian at the UCSB Library's Department of Special Collections.

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection primarily contains materials relating to Sanford Dorbin's A Bibliography of Charles Bukowski, manuscript drafts of his poetry and other writings, and files pertaining to his poetry magazine Schist: A Journal of Poetry and Graphics (1973-1978), in which some of Bukowski's poems appeared.
The Charles Bukowski bibliography material includes research files, manuscript drafts and some proofs of the bibliography, as well as correspondence with Charles Bukowski, Black Sparrow publisher John Martin, Douglas Blazek, Marvin Malone (Wormwood Review), Sherri Martinelli, Jon Webb (Loujon Press), Carl Weissner, and others.
The vast majority of Dorbin's own writings in the collection are poems. Some were collected and published in monograph form, while others appeared in various literary magazines and other venues. He also compiled a number of checklists of authors' writings, some of which appeared in his Schist magazine. Dorbin is a longtime runner, including several marathons, and a number of his writings, poetry and otherwise, focus on the theme of long-distance running.
The Schist files include correspondence, submissions and edited typescripts from authors, original artwork (appearing in the magazine), photographs, proofs, exchange and review publications. Published issues of Schist and printed works by Dorbin have been cataloged separately and can be searched on the UCSB Libraries online catalog.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Bukowski, Charles
Dorbin, Sanford M.
Authors, American--20th century
Newly cataloged
Poets, American--20th century

 

Bukowski Bibliography

 

Correspondence (in/out)

Box-folder 1: 1

Bukowski, Charles 1969

Box-folder 1: 2

Martin, John 1969-1970

Box-folder 1: 3

Miscellany (mainly queries and responses re early appearances of Bukowski items in various publications) 1969-1970

Box-folder 1: 4

Bukowski Poems (2 items), n.d.

Box-folder 1: 5

Legal - contract with Black Sparrow and Copyright Certificate 1969

Box-folder 1: 6

Research - notes, copies of printed poems circa 1969

Box-folder 2: 1-5

Drafts - typescript, various stages 1969

Box-folder 2: 6

Galleys - incomplete 1969

Box-folder 2: 7

Black Sparrow Blurbs for Bukowski Bibliography 1969

Box-folder 2: 8

Black Sparrow Publicity for other Bukowski Publications circa 1969-1970

 

Dorbin Poetry

General note

Mainly typescript drafts, arranged roughly chronologically; includes some related correspondence.
Box-folder 3: 1-8

circa 1966-1975

Box-folder 4: 1-7

1976-1984

Box-folder 5: 1-6

1985-1988

Box-folder 6: 1-7

1989-1992

Box-folder 7: 1-5

1992-1996

Box-folder 8: 1-3

1996-1997, 2001, n.d.

 

Dorbin Other Writings

Box-folder 8: 4

"Athletics as Art," circa 1972-1973

Box-folder 8: 5

Blackburn [Paul] Checklist 1977

Box-folder 8: 6

Bly [Robert] Checklist circa 1973-1974

Box-folder 8: 7

Bukowski [Charles] Checklist for Small Press Review circa 1973

Box-folder 8: 8

California Librarian - guest editor for issue on small presses/little magazines 1970

Box-folder 8: 9

Camus, Albert - "The Artist in Prison," (translation) 1967

Box-folder 8: 10

Essays and Stories circa 1970s-early 1980s

Box-folder 9: 1

"50 on His 50th: A Self-Interview by Sanford Dorbin," 1983

Box-folder 9: 2

"Morris Ernst and the Banned Books Collection [at UCSB]," circa 1968

Box-folder 9: 3

"The Origin and Development of the Library of William Andrews Clark, Junior, During His Lifetime" (UCLA LS298 course paper) 1965

Box-folder 9: 4

Reviews circa 1969-1971

Box-folder 9: 5

Runner's World - Interview with Gary Tuttle 1976

Box-folder 9: 6

Spicer [Jack] Checklist circa 1970-1977

 

Dorbin Miscellany

Box-folder 9: 7

Personal/Family circa 1980

Box-folder 9: 8

Correspondence circa 1966-1970

Box-folder 9: 9

Directory of American Poets 1974

Box-folder 9: 10

Essays by Others (incl. Hugh Kenner), n.d.

Box-folder 9: 11

The Poet, the Artist, and the Book - UCSB tutorial course taught with Peter Whigham and Gary Brown 1968

Box-folder 9: 12

Publishers Prospectuses, Exhibition and Performance Notices, and related (incl. several Unicorn Press items) circa 1967-1971

 

Schist

 

Correspondence

 

Incoming (mainly re submissions for publication) circa 1974-1976

Box-folder 10: 1-27

A-M (incl. Douglas Blazek)

Box-folder 11: 1-17

N-W, Unidentified

Box-folder 11: 18

Outgoing 1974-1975

Box-folder 11: 19-21

Miscellany (most incoming, mainly re distribution and subscriptions) circa 1973-1978

 

Individual Issues (incl. some correspondence, submissions, copy, printer's and editor's notes, graphics)

Box-folder 12: 1-4

No. 1, Fall 1973 (incl. original typescript poem and drawing by Bukowski - "THESE LITTLE TALKS IN ROOM 109 with this guy called HARRY)

Box-folder 12: 5

No. 2 Summer 1974

Box-folder 12: 6-7

No. 3 Spring 1975

Box-folder 13: 1-3

Nos. 4/5 1976-1978

Box-folder 13: 4

Submitted Material Not Used 1978

Box-folder 13: 5

Exchange and Review Publications circa 1974-1977

 

Oversize

Box-folder 14: 1-3

Artwork, Graphics, Photographs and Related re Schist, nos. 1-4/5 circa 1974-1978

 

2008 Addition

General note

Primarily poetry magazines and, more recently, zines in which Dorbin's poetry appears. For a more detailed description of contents, consult the appended Sanford Dorbin list.
Box 15

After Noon (UCSB) 1970

Box 15

The Alchemist 1974

Box 15

Anderson Valley Advertiser 1986-1988, 2004

Box 15

Ante 1967

Box 15

Art/Life 1998

Box 15

Bachy 1972

Box 15

Bellowing Ark 2004, 2008

Box 15

Biblio 1997

Box 15

Blackbird Circle 1973

Box 16

"Bozo Supreme," holiday greeting 1982-1983

Box 16

Brevities 2004-2007

Box 16

The Butte Beast 2001

Box 16

Cache Review 1985

Box 16

California Librarian 1970

Box 16

Campus Observer (Oxnard College) 1990

Box 16

Censorship Today 1968

Box 16

Chimera 1985

Box 16

"Colophon," 1983

Box 16

Conspire: To Breathe Together 1985

Box 16

Corduroy 1972

Box 16

Creative Arts Magazine 1976-1977

Box 16

Cronopios 1967

Box 16

DMQ Review 2004-2007

Box 16

El Gaucho (UCSB) 1970

Box 16

ExpressWays (Oxnard College) 1981

Box 16

Footnotes 1985

Box 16

Ghost Dance 1969, 1973

Box 16

Giants Play Well in the Drizzle 1992

Box 17

Haravec 1967

Box 17

Huerfano 1973

Box 17

Inscape 1973

Box 17

It Still Doesn't Matter 1986-1987

Box 17

J Stone Press Weekly 1974-1975

Box 17

Jam To-Day 1974

Box 17

Library Journal 1972

Box 17

Mendocino Commentary 1983, 1985

Box 17

Mendocino Country Magazine 1984-1985

Box 17

Modern Gymnast 1957

Box 17

New Settler Interview 1986-1987, 1989, 1994

Box 17

No Ha Fallada: To Che Guevara, n.d.

Box 18

Out of Sight circa 1973-1974

Box 18

Outcast 1967

Box 18

Panache 1977

Box 18

Per/Se 1966

Box 18

Pine Knots 1972

Box 18

Poema Convidado 1975

Box 18

Ridge Review 1984

Box 18

Runner's World 1976

Box 18

Schist 1973-1978

Box 18

The Seventies - Editor: Robert Bly 1972

Box 18

Small Press Review - Charles Bukowski Issue May 1973

Box 18

Soundings (UCSB Library) 1970-1971

Box 18

Spectrum (UCSB Students Literary Association) 1969

Box 19

Star-Web Paper 1977, 1979

Box 19

Steppingstonres - Langston Hughes Issue Winter 1984

Box 19

Still Horizon 2002

Box 19

Stone Chapbook 1974

Box 19

Stonecloud 1974

Box 19

Stooge [ca. 1969]

Box 19

Striding Out 1985

Box 19

Synergy 1973

Box 19

Talvipaäivänseisaus [ca. 2003-2005]

Box 19

Thrust 1966

Box 19

Titmouse Review 1976

Box 19

Trace 1969

Box 20

UCLA Daily Bruin 1964

Box 20

Watershed (CSU Chico, Department of English) 1999-2006

Box 20

Willits News 1983

Box 20

Wilson Library Bulletin 1974

Box 20

Woe Is Us - typescript of malapropisms by Jerry Dorbin and Sanford Dorbin [ca. 2003-2005]

Box 20

Word Weavers 1985

Box 20

Wormwood Review 1971-1972

Box 20

ZYZZYVA 2004

Box 20

Miscellany - incl. flyers for poetry readings circa 1979-2001, n.d.

Box 21

Correspondence A through W undated

 

2014 Addition

 

Literary/Editorial Correspondence

Box 22, Folder 1

Universities and Libraries 1971-2004

Box 22, Folder 2

Bill Shields 1969-1987

Box 22, Folder 3

Richard Blevins 1986-1988

Box 22, Folder 4

The Tenth Muse 1968-1971

Box 22, Folder 5

Winston Sarafian 1989-1995

Box 22, Folder 6

UCSB Library Correspondence 2007-2008

Box 22, Folder 7

Peter Kidd - Igneus Press 1993-1995

Box 22, Folder 8

J Stone Press 1972-1976

Box 22, Folder 9

Lilliput Review 2000-2004

Box 22, Folder 10

David Kherdian - Giligia Press/Ararat Books 1968-1974

Box 22, Folder 11

Misc Literary/Editorial Correspondence 1958-2002

Box 23, Folder 1

Andrew "Andy" Horn - Battledore Press/UCLA 1966-1992

Box 23, Folder 2

George Butterick - Correspondence Photocopies 1973-1986

Box 23, Folder 3

George Butterick - University of Connecticut 1974-1987

Box 23, Folder 4

Lawrence Clark Powell - Andy Horn's Predecessor 1967-1992

 

Documents and Manuscripts

Box 24, Folder 1

Ox Head Press - Photos of Printed Matter

Box 24, Folder 2

3 Dorbin Poems approximately 2009

Box 24, Folder 3

Photos and Clippings undated

Box 24, Folder 4

Book Purchases 1965-2010

Box 24, Folder 5

Book Purchases - Joseph Conrad 1965-1969

Box 24, Folder 6

Donations to UCSB Library - Documentation undated

Box 24, Folder 7

Early Bukowski Poems undated

Box 24, Folder 8

Miscellaneous undated

Box 25, Folder 1

"Never Enough Light" Mss (pp.1-102) undated

Box 25, Folder 2

"Never Enough Light" Mss (pp.104-212) undated

 

Broadsides, Posters and Proofs

Oversize 26

Small Broadsides (11"x 14") undated

Oversize 27

Medium Broadsides undated

Oversize 27

Miscellaneous Artwork undated

 

Large Broadsides (14"x20") undated

 

Event Posters undated

 

Bukowski Bibliography Galley Proof undated