Finding Aid for the Robert Campbell papers, 1912-1989
Processed by UCLA Library Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé and edited by Josh
Fiala.
UCLA Library Special Collections
UCLA Library Special Collections staff
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2001
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Robert Campbell papers,
Date (inclusive): 1912-1989
Collection number: 389
Creator: Campbell, Robert, 1898-1985
Extent: 4 boxes (2 linear ft.)
4 oversize boxes
Abstract: Robert B. Campbell (1898-1985) married Blanche Gramlich (1923) and moved to Los Angeles. They opened a bookstore across the
street from the Southern Branch of the University of California. When UCLA moved to Westwood, the Campbells moved their store
to Le Conte Avenue and built up the trade book section. Robert became the first bookseller on the West Coast to serve as president
of the American Booksellers Association. The collection consists of personal and UCLA-related memorabilia and materials related
to the career of bookstore owners Robert and Blanche Gramlich Campbell and Campbell's Book Store.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library
Special Collections for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
- Gift of Clarice Alcott, 1990-1991.
- Gift of Mrs. Robert Tolstad, 1990.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Robert Campbell Papers (Collection 389). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
709569
Biography
Robert B. Campbell was born on February 5, 1898 in Osceola, Nebraska; attended University of Nebraska; worked at Long's College
Book Store in Lincoln; married Blanche Gramlich on June 20, 1923; they moved to Los Angeles in 1924 and opened a bookstore
on Vermont Avenue, across the street from the Southern Branch of the University of California; when UCLA moved to Westwood,
the Campbells moved their store to Le Conte Avenue and built up the trade book section; Blanche Campbell began and built up
the children's book section; Robert Campbell joined the Rotary Club in 1932, writing its weekly newsletter,
The Windmill; he served as president of the Westwood Chamber of Commerce in 1933 and 1944; served on board of directors, University Religious
Conference; became first bookseller on the West Coast to serve as president of the American Booksellers Association; the Campbells
supported UCLA in various ways, including establishing the Campbell Book Collection Awards at UCLA in 1948; Campbell's Book
Store was sold to the Brentano chain in 1968; retired in 1974; he died in 1985, and Blanche died in 1989.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of personal and UCLA-related memorabilia and materials related to the career of bookstore owners Robert
and Blanche Gramlich Campbell and Campbell's Book Store. Includes photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, speeches, caricature
drawings, and realia. Photographs feature pictures of their Los Angeles bookstores on Vermont Avenue and Le Conte Avenue,
as well as Hedda Hopper, Rudy Vallee, Bennett Cerf, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Haile Selassie, Prince Philip, Mayor Tom
Bradley, UCLA Chancellor Charles Young, Meredith Willson, and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Campbell, Robert, 1898-1985--Archives.
Campbell, Blanche, 1902-1989--Archives.
Campbell's Book Store (Los Angeles, Calif.)--Archives.
Booksellers and bookselling--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources.
Related Material
The following materials related to Robert B. Campbell are available in the UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young
Research Library:
Personal and Bookstore Records and Papers
Blanche Gramlich Campbell
Box 1, Folder 1
High School Memorabilia. Papillion, Nebraska.
1919
Scope and Content Note
Photographs (mounted) and diary.
Box 1, Folder 2
Scrapbook.
1922
Scope and Content Note
Menus, theater programs, clippings, etc.
Boxes 3, 8
Photographs - Phi Omega Pi.
Box 3, Folder 1
March 3, 1923; January 8, 1977.
Scope and Content Note
- Lincoln Hotel (1923), Los Angeles(?).
- Thelner Hoover (1977).
Note
[Not panoramas like other Phi Omega Pi photographs.]
Box 2, Folder 1
Phi Omega Pi publications: songbooks, etc. Several volumes.
Box 2, Folder 2
The Cornhuskers [yearbook].
1912
Note
Has name on front free endpaper: Ruth Lorilla Ackerman(?).
Box 3, Folder 2
University(?) - Photograph.
August 4, 1929
Scope and Content Note
Wedding of Helen Deacon Squires to Robert (Curly) Fairies.
Box 3, Folder 3
Various Events, Organizations, etc.
Scope and Content Note
Notes, Certificates, Poems etc. Poems on various occasions, Eastern Star certificate, etc., v.d.
Box 4, Folder 8
UCLA Honors and tributes.
November 1970
Scope and Content Note
Blanche G. Campbell's talk. Given upon receiving award [unidentified].
Campbell Family - Clarice and Dorothy
Box 3, Folder 4
Photographs, Ephemera.
Scope and Content Note
- With dolls, 1933 and 1981 (1933 photograph is copy).
- Clarice skating, etc., 1939 and v.d.
Box 3, Folders 5-7
Ephemera
Physical Description: (3 folders)
Box 3, Folder 5
Bookmarks, clippings, sample letterhead, etc.
ca. 1926-1960s.
Box 3, Folder 6
Advertisements, note of persons associated with store, etc.
1950s, v.d.
Box 3, Folder 7
Includes matches (early?), gift wrap tags, etc. .
1940s-1970s (?).
Box 3, Folder 8
Photographs of Vermont Store and Westwood Store.
1925, 1940s-1950s (?)
Scope and Content Note
Shows women archers with bookstore just visible in the background.
Note
1925 photograph is a copy.
Box 3, Folder 9
Westwood history by Ruth Ross.
1984.
Physical Description: Photocopy.
Box 3, Folder 10
Westwood magazine, etc.
1947.
Note
Special Collections has other copies: in ephemera, etc.
Box 3, Folder 11
Newspaper clippings about Westwood and the bookstore.
Box 3, Folder 12
Publication - Campbell Columns.
1936-1937
Scope and Content Note
Newsletter and brief reviews.
Note
[1936 May has interesting drawn map of Westwood - shows original Bullock's, El Encanto Tea Room, etc.]
Box 3, Folder 13
Clippings, etc.
1950s-1960s
Scope and Content Note
Articles, manuscripts about the department.
Box 3, Folder 14
Correspondence
(1948, 1949, 1951, 1967)
Scope and Content Note
Note from President Truman's secretary, note from W.W. Robinson, etc.
Box 3, Folder 15
ABA (RBC) Manuscripts.
1948
Scope and Content Note
Robert Campbell's American Booksellers Association (ABA) talk.
Box 3, Folder 16
Biographical: Robert Campbell - Printed vita.
1955
Scope and Content Note
In:
Who's Who.
Box 3, Folder 17
West Coast Bookmen (Robert Campbell).
1967
Scope and Content Note
Tribute for Robert Campbell and Louis Epstein
- Book with letters, photographs.
- WWR's note was about this event.
- Includes notes from: Robert Nathan, Paul Jordan - Smith ....
Box 4, Folder 1
Various Memorabilia.
v.d.
Scope and Content Note
Membership and other cards.
Box 4, Folder 2
Biographical - Tributes.
Scope and Content Note
Various, including those at the deaths of both Robert Campbell and Blanche G. Campbell.
Box 4, Folder 3
Various photographs, not bookstore.
Box 4, Folder 4
Various authors, and appearances at bookstore.
Scope and Content Note
Includes photographs of: Hedda Hopper, Rudy Vallee, Bennett Cerf, etc.
Box 4, Folder 5
American Booksellers Association (ABA) banquets, etc.
Scope and Content Note
Also
Cavalcade of Books (television show) photograph.
Box 4, Folder 6
American Booksellers Association (ABA) members with President Truman
(1948).
Box 4, Folder 6
ABA group with Richard Nixon
(n.d., 1949).
Box 4, Folder 7
UCLA Notes, etc.
Scope and Content Note
Letter from Everett Moore, etc.
Box 5, Folder 1
Various photographs.
v.d.
Scope and Content Note
Includes enlargement of photo of Robert Campbell and Blanche G. Campbell in the bookstore.
Box 5, Folder 2
Ephemera.
Scope and Content Note
Paper bags with logo, etc.
Box 5, Folder 3
Various Tributes.
v.d.
Scope and Content Note
Certificates, etc.
Box 4, Folder 9
Young Men's Club Affadavit.
1938.
Box 4, Folder 10
Sportsmen of the south realia: keychain.
Box 4, Folder 11
Clippings, etc.
Scope and Content Note
Rafer Johnson article, etc.
Note
See also Box 1.
Box 4, Folder 12
UCLA clippings about Paul Wellman.
Scope and Content Note
Also a fair copy of poem by Richard Armour about Wellman.
Box 4, Folder 13
History.
Scope and Content Note
Copies of James V. Mink's articles.
Box 4, Folder 14
UCLA Campbell contest ephemera.
n.d.
Physical Description: Copy (photostat?) of poster.
Note
Further material filed in University Archives, Campbell contest and Campbell Contest Committee records.
Box 4, Folder 15
Photographs from Library photographer.
Late 1940s-1950s
Note
[There should be negatives for all of these in University Archives.]
Box 4, Folders 16-17
UCLA - Various Photographs
Box 4, Folder 16
Blanche G. Campbell with Haile Selassie, with Prince Phillip of England, Robert Campbell with Duckey Drake, etc.
v.d.
Box 4, Folder 17
With Mayor Bradley, with Chancellor Young, etc.
1980s.
Physical Description: Small color snapshots.
Box 4, Folder 17
One small black and white of Spring Sing.
1960.
Box 4, Folder 18
UCLA athletics photographs.
Scope and Content Note
Banquet, team at Rose Bowl(?) [early].
Box 6
Realia, various items.
Scope and Content Note
Engraved cup, Bruin Bear in plexiglass, etc.
Box 7, Folder 1
Various Memorabilia, including UCLA.
Scope and Content Note
Mounted magazine cover, picture of Rafer Johnson.
Box 7, Folder 2
Various Memorabilia.
1960s (?)
Scope and Content Note
LP: ... and then I wrote
The Music Man.
Box 4, Folder 19
Various photographs.
(n.d.)
Scope and Content Note
- Meredith Willson with the Reagans. Photograph of the Reagans is by Thelner Hoover.
- Unidentified World War I scene(?).
