Collection ID: LMC 2192
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Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Bobbs-Merrill Company
Abstract:
The Bobbs-Merrill mss., 1885-1983, consists of the records of book publisher Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., located in Indianapolis, IN.
Extent:
327 Linear Feet (281 boxes, 23 oversize)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Item], Bobbs-Merrill mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Founded by Samuel Merrill, Sr. in 1850, what was initially a bookstore gradually expanded into a publishing house under his son, Samuel Merrill, Jr., and subsequent partners following the Civil War. The name went through several permutations: Merrill, Meigs, and Company; the Bowen-Merrill Company; and finally Bobbs-Merrill, named in part after director William Conrad Bobbs, in 1903. Bobbs-Merrill published works of many significant authors, including James Whitcomb Riley, Ayn Rand, Irving Bacheller, John Erskine, Ring Lardner, and L. Frank Baum. The company's vast array of publishing topics included regional literature, international publishing, cooking and etiquette, travel, business, law, children's literature, and the history of literary criticism. Notable book series include Child Classic Readers, Childhood of Famous American Series, The Library of Liberal Arts, Live Dolls series, and Raggedy Ann series. Bobbs-Merrill was purchased by the Howard W. Sams Company in 1959, which was in turn acquired by Macmillan in 1985.

Scope and Content:

The largest series, Author Files, contains correspondence, promotional and production materials, readers' reports, and other items pertaining to the works of authors published by Bobbs-Merrill. Editorial Files contain statements, royalty agreements, orders, contracts, invoices, estimates, copyright, CIP forms, permissions and notes pertaining to publications. The Curtis Brown Files feature materials pertaining to Curtis Brown, Ltd., the British publishing arm of Bobbs-Merrill. A specific series of Readers' Reports is included for authors not listed in the original Author Files. The series of Promotional Files includes general promotional materials for the years 1938-1959, as well as for juvenile works. Business Records include bound Royalty Reports from 1898-1917 and Royalty Records from 1919-1939. Miscellaneous Files are divided into subseries which include: Printed Materials; Chronological Files, containing mainly correspondence received by Bobbs-Merrill for the years 1900-1959; Title Indexes; Photographs of company presidents; and Artwork for various publications.

Note on Indexing Term - "Art": Included is artwork for books in production.

Note on Indexing Term - "American Literature--Indiana": This company dealt with many Indiana authors.

Note on Indexing Term - "Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916": Includes biographical material on Riley, correspondence, book production material and miscellany pertaining to Riley and his books published by Bobbs-Merrill.

Note on Indexing Term - "Law": Legal materials present in files for Bertita Harding, John Erskine, Eugene Lyons, and Herbert O. Yardley.

Acquisition information:
Acquired: 1964
Processing information:

Processed by Craig Simpson, Erin Dobias, Cassie Brand, and Amanda Krause. Completed in 2011.

Arrangement:

The collection has been organized by the following series: I. Author Files; II. Editorial Files; III. Curtis Brown Files; IV. Readers' Reports; V. Promotional Files; VI. Business Records; VII. Miscellaneous Files.

Physical location:
ALF (Auxiliary Library Facility); ALF (Auxiliary Library Facility) - OVFlat

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

This collection is open for research.

Many collections are housed offsite; retrieval requires advance notice. Please make an appointment a minimum of one week in advance of your visit.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

Photography and digitization may be restricted for some collections. Copyright restrictions may apply. Before publishing, researchers are responsible for securing permission from all applicable rights holders, then filling out the Permission to Publish form.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[Item], Bobbs-Merrill mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
1200 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500, USA
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
(812) 855-2452
liblilly@indiana.edu