The Lilly Library is the rare books, manuscripts, and special collections library of the Indiana University Libraries, Bloomington. Its collections represent a diversity of subjects, including literature; children’s literature; history; folklore; science; radio, film and television; book collecting and bookselling; journalism; and translation.
The Riley mss. VI, 1876-1916, consist largely of transcripts of the letters of James Whitcomb Riley, 1849- 1916, poet, of Greenfield and Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Bernays mss., 1890-1955, consists of manuscripts collected by Louise (Lee) Bernays, 1888-1974, librarian of The Indianapolis News for twenty-three years.
The Catherwood mss., 1880-1902, consists of the letters of writer Mary (Hartwell) Catherwood (Mrs. James Steele Catherwood), 1847-1902, to Mary Elizabeth (Riley) Payne (Mrs. Frank C. Payne), 1864-1936, sister of James Whitcomb Riley.
The Appleton-Century mss., 1846-1962, consists of the office files of the publishing company, its two predecessors, D. Appleton & Co., and the Century Co., and to a small extent its successor, Appleton-Century Crofts, Inc.
The Dickey mss., 1872-1941, consists of the papers of John Marcus Dickey, 1859-1950, secretary, platform manager, and biographer of James Whitcomb Riley.
Fairbanks, Charles W. (Charles Warren), 1852-1918.
Consists of letters and papers of Charles Warren Fairbanks, 1852-1918, U.S. senator from Indiana and vice president (1905-1909), and his son, Warren Charles Fairbanks, 1878-1938, newspaper publisher. The Charles Warren Fairbanks material, which comprises the bulk of the collection, consists of correspondence with prominent political figures, businessmen, bankers, friends, relatives and constituents; manuscript and printed speeches of Fairbanks; law office papers; bills and receipts; miscellaneous papers; newspaper clippings; invitations; calling cards; pictures; slides of Fairbanks's trip around the world, 1909-1910; and miscellaneous printed matter. The Warren Charles Fairbanks papers, 1918-1938, relate to the settlement of the estate of his father, Charles Warren Fairbanks; the Indianapolis News; the Fairbanks Blue ridge farms in Piatt County, Illinois; and the Fairbanks Valley farms in Greene County, Illinois.