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Haldeman-Julius (Emanuel) Little Blue Books
Collection
SC.EHJL
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius Little Blue Books Collection
Creator:
Haldeman-Julius, E. (Emanuel), 1888-1951
Identifier/Call Number: SC.EHJL
Extent:
16.00 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1923-1999
Abstract: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, a newspaper
publisher, opened a publishing house in Girard, Kansas, where he published small,
inexpensive paperback books, including classic works of literature and essays on myriad
topics, for the working and middle classes. The publications in the
Little Blue Books Collection are arranged by number from 1 to 1914. Gaps in the
numbering usually indicate missing titles.
Language of Material: English
Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, a newspaper publisher, opened a publishing house in Girard,
Kansas, in 1919 where he published small, inexpensive paperback books, including classic
works of literature and essays on myriad topics, for the working and middle classes. For his
first printing project, he selected fifty classic and socialist works. In 1923 he named the
series "Little Blue Books." Little Blue Books measure 3½" x 5" and took their name from
their blue covers. They fit into a pants or shirt pocket, and were especially popular across
the US through the 1930s and 1940s, especially with travelers. He began issuing the Big Blue
Books in 1925. They were 5 ½" x 8 ½."
Haldeman-Julius felt there was no subject too controversial to be in print. Customers
could order titles from mail order catalogs or visit one of the outlet stores in Cincinnati,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Venice, Colorado. The Los Angeles store opened in 1924 in
the downtown Mercantile Arcade Building (recently converted to loft apartments).
The publications in this collection are arranged by number from 1 to 1914. Gaps in the
numbering usually indicate missing titles. Some numbers were never used such as 1832-1842
and some numbers were used more than once for different titles. Many of the titles in this
collection show evidence that the copyright date was scratched off the printing plate
indicating it is a later re-issue. Multiple copies of the same number in the collection may
have different titles or are distinguished by a cover illustration or different cover stock.
They are divided into two series:
Unbound and
Bound Volumes.
Series I: Unbound
Series II: Bound Volumes
Related Material
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.)
beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the
copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
1970s, 1990
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Norman E. Tannis and Jack Botwin.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Tony Gardner, 2007