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Haldeman-Julius "Little Blue Book" Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MA.00286

Scope and Contents

A representative but incomplete collection of the once popular "Little Blue Books," a series of small, very inexpensive staple-bound books that were published by the Haldeman-Julius Publishing Company of Girard, Kansas between 1919 and 1978. They were the project of Emanuel Haldeman-Julius (1889-1951), a socialist reformer and newspaper publisher. The books were extremely popular across the widest possible range of American readers, both educated, sophisticated readers as well as (and more notably) the little-educated working class who could otherwise not afford to read literature. The works covered include many classics of Western literature, but also practical how-to manuals alongside frank writings on controversial or emergent social themes such as homosexuality and atheism. Works of philosophy and politics, too, are represented, including tracts written by Haldeman-Julius himself. The name of the series changed over the first few years, known as the People's Pocket Series, the Appeal Pocket Series and the Ten Cent Pocket Series, before finally attaining the name that persisted, Little Blue Books.

Dates

  • Creation: 1919-1947

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There is no restriction on access to the Haldeman-Julius "Little Blue Book" Collection for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Conditions Governing Use

Requests for permission to publish material from the collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical / Historical

The Haldeman-Julius "Little Blue Books" were the project of Emanuel Haldeman-Julius (1889-1951), a socialist reformer and newspaper publisher. The Haldeman-Julius Publishing Company of Girard, Kansas, operated between 1919 and 1978.

Extent

13.75 Linear feet (55 negative boxes; 3029 volumes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

A representative but incomplete collection of the once popular "Little Blue Books," a series of small, very inexpensive staple-bound books that were published by the Haldeman-Julius Publishing Company of Girard, Kansas between 1919 and 1978. The works covered include many classics of Western literature, but also practical how-to manuals alongside frank writings on controversial or emergent social themes. The name of the series changed over the first few years, known as the People's Pocket Series, the Appeal Pocket Series and the Ten Cent Pocket Series, before finally attaining the name that persisted, Little Blue Books.

Arrangement

This collection is organized by the publication numbers assigned by the publisher. There are multiple copies of many of the titles represented in the collection.

Author
Peter A. Nelson
Date
2014
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299