Edna Edwards Interviews with Children's Authors and Illustrators, 1966-1976

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Summary

Creators:
Edwards, Edna
Abstract:
This collection consists of textual and audio materials documenting Edna Edwards' interviews with children's literature authors and illustrators. The interviews were conducted in the early 1970s. Some of the interviews were published, while others remain unedited on cassette tape.
Extent:
3 boxes (1.63 linear feet)
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Edna Edwards Interviews with Children's Authors and Illustrators, Collection 101, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of correspondence, notes, recorded interviews on cassette tape and CD, and transcripts of the interviews Edna Edwards conducted with notable children's authors and illustrators. Correspondence includes information about scheduling the interviews, as well as personal exchanges and examples of the interviewees' work.

The collection includes correspondence with authors who declined an interview, including Ray Bradbury, Charles Schulz, E.B. White, Beverly Cleary, Eleanor Cameron, Felix Hoffmann, Joseph Krumgold, Robert McCloskey, and T.S. Geisel.

Notable items: signed brochures from Bill Peet, including a poster of his illustrations; an illustrated holiday letter and a card from Bill and Margaret Peet; signed brochures from Elaine Konigsburg; an illustrated holiday letter from Hugh and Madeleine (L'Engle) Franklin.

Biographical / historical:

Edna Edwards grew up in Kentucky and went to school in Tennessee at Carson-Newman College. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1951. She worked as a librarian for Kenwick Elementary School in Fayette County, Kentucky. She received her masters degree in education from UCLA in 1961. Beginning in 1961, Edwards worked as a librarian for Horace Mann Elementary School in Beverly Hills, California. She took a sabbatical leave for a semester during the 1970-1971 school year. In May 1970, she sent letters to about twenty-five authors and illustrators of children's books requesting their participation in making taped interviews. Edwards traveled throughout the United States and Europe to conduct the interviews, usually at the interviewees home. She struggled to find a publisher for the interviews. In 1973, the Center for Cassette Studies in Hollywood, California agreed to publish the tapes. The interviewees included Lloyd Alexander, Nina Bawden, Roald Dahl, Meindert De Jong, Penelope Farmer, Sid Fleischman, Ezra Jack Keats, Elaine Konigsburg, Madeleine L'Engle, Leo Lionni, Myra Cohn Livingston, Mary Norton, Bill Peet, Frances Clarke Sayers, Maurice Sendak, and Brian Wildsmith.

The above information was compiled from materials within the collection.

Date Event
May 1970 Edna Edwards sends letters to authors and illustrators requesting interviews.
June 1970 Interview conducted with Sid Fleischman.
July 10, 1970 Interview conducted with Roald Dahl.
July 21, 1970 Interview conducted with Myra Cohn Livingston.
September 2, 1970 Interview conducted with Bill Peet.
November 9, 1970 Interview conducted with Maurice Sendak.
November 10, 1970 Interview conducted with Ezra Jack Keats.
November 12, 1970 Interview conducted with Madeleine L'Engle.
November 14, 1970 Interview conducted with Meindert De Jong.
November 15, 1970 Interview conducted with Elaine Konigsburg.
December 5, 1970 Interview conducted with Frances Clarke Sayers.
February 1971 Interview conducted with Lloyd Alexander.
July 1973
Interview conducted with Brian Wildsmith.
Interview conducted with Mary Norton.
Interview conducted with Leo Lionni.
August 29, 1973 Interview conducted with Penelope Farmer.
July 23, 1975 Interview conducted with Nina Bawden.
Acquisition information:
Gift of Bryan Edwards. Accession number: 2011.4.
Arrangement:

This collection consists of two series. The first series consists of Edna Edwards' files related to the interview project. The second series consists of copies of the original audio material of the collection.

Physical location:
Collection stored on site. Appointment is necessary to consult the collection.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research by appointment with no restrictions under the conditions of the access policy of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To schedule an appointment, please call the Department of Archives and Special Collections at 310-338-5710, or email the department: Special.Collections@lmu.edu. As a preservation measure, researchers must use the reference copies of the original audio materials.

Terms of access:

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Edna Edwards Interviews with Children's Authors and Illustrators, Collection 101, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Location of this collection:
1 LMU Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659, US
Contact:
(310) 338-5710
Special.Collections@lmu.edu
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