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Guide to the Emanuel Haldeman-Julius Publishing
Records
SC/EHJP
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Collection Title: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius Publishing
Records
Identification: SC/EHJP
Creator:
Haldeman-Julius, E. (Emanuel), 1888-1951
Physical Description:
1.26 linear feet
Language of Materials:
English
Repository:
Special Collections
Abstract: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius Publishing
Records consists of a small number of business records, the personal records of Jack
Botwin, the printing plates for one title, and articles about the Haldeman-Julius
Collection at the Leonard H. Axe Library (formerly the Porter Library) at Pittsburg
State University, Kansas.
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).
Ephemera
Paper records
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s)
of this collection has not been transferred to California State University,
Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. 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.
The collection is open for research use.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Series I: Business records
Series II: Jack Botwin Records
Series III: Haldeman-Julius Collection at Kansas State College
Series IV: Printing Plates
Emanuel Haldeman-Julius Publishing Records consists of a small number of business
records, the personal records of Jack Botwin, the printing plates for one title, and
articles about the Haldeman-Julius Collection at the Leonard H. Axe Library (formerly
the Porter Library) at Pittsburg State University, Kansas. The collection is divided
into four major series: Business Records, Jack Botwin Records, Haldeman-Julius
Collection at Kansas State College, and Printing Plates.
Series I, Business Records, consists of cancelled checks, publisher’s catalogs,
correspondence, photographs, and advertisements.
Series II, Jack Botwin Records, consists of the personal records of Jack Botwin, a
Haldeman-Julius salesman.
Series III, Haldeman-Julius Collection at Kansas State College, consists of articles
about the Haldeman-Julius Collection at Kansas State's Porter Library, which has
subsequently been replaced by the Leonard H. Axe Library, Pittsburg State University,
Kansas.
Series IV, Printing Plates, consists of one complete set of copper-electro printing
plates (16 plates) for Little Blue Book no. 930, Mark Twain's
An Idle Excursion.