Scope and Contents
The collection spans the years 1814-2018 and consists of correspondence, writings, photographs, printed material, and other papers documenting the life and work of poet Gerrit Lansing. Correspondence includes letters from many poets, writers, and other associates, including Deryk Burton, Thomas Meyer, Charles Olson, and Jonathan Williams, as well as members of the Lansing family. Writings include both Lansing's work and writings and broadsides by other poets. The collection includes records relating to the publication of the literary journal Set, as well as writings, correspondence, and other papers relating to poets Kenneth Irby and Stephen Jonas.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1944 - 2008
- 1814 - 2018
Creator
- Lansing, Gerrit (Author)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Box 81 (audiovisual material): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 82 (computer media): Restricted fragile material. Access copies of digital files may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 81 (audiovisual material): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 82 (computer media): Restricted fragile material. Access copies of digital files may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Gerrit Lansing Papers is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Granary Books, Inc. on the Ezra Pound Archive Fund, 2011.
Purchased from the estate of Gerrit Y. Lansing on the Danford N. Barney, Jr. Fund, 2019.
Gift of Gary Gorczyca, 2020.
Purchased from the estate of Gerrit Y. Lansing on the Danford N. Barney, Jr. Fund, 2019.
Gift of Gary Gorczyca, 2020.
Arrangement
Organized into nine series: I. Correspondence, 1945-2002. II. Writings, 1944-1998. III. Other papers, 1956-2002. IV. Photographs, circa 1970s, undated. V. Ken Irby papers, 1964-2008. VI. Stephen Jonas papers, 1958-2001. VII. Set records, 1960-1967. VIII. August 2019 acquisition, 1814-2018. IX. January 2020 acquisition, 1939-2003.
Extent
65.81 Linear Feet (83 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Biographical / Historical
Gerrit Lansing (1928-2018) was an American poet, editor, and critic. Born in 1928 in Albany, New York, and raised in northern Ohio, he studied at Harvard University and Columbia University. Lansing was a longtime friend and correspondent of poet Charles Olson, with whom he shared an interest in the occult. Lansing was a longtime resident of Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he lived with his partner Deryk Burton and operated occult bookstore Abraxas Books. Lansing edited and published the literary journal Set, and wrote collections of poetry including Heavenly Tree Grows Downward (North Atlantic Books, 1977), Heavenly Tree, Soluble Forest (Talisman House, 1995), and February Sheaf (Pressed Water, 2003).
Processing Information
Collections are processed to a variety of levels, depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived research value, the availability of staff, competing priorities, and whether or not further accruals are expected. The library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections as they are acquired, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- American literature -- 20th century
- American poetry -- 20th Century
- Audiovisual materials
- Authors and publishers -- United States
- Born digital
- Burton, Deryk
- Gay authors
- Irby, Kenneth, 1936-2015
- Jonas, Stephen
- LGBTQ resource
- Lansing family
- Lansing, Gerrit
- McGavern, John, 1926-2008
- Meyer, Thomas, 1947-
- Occultism
- Olson, Charles, 1910-1970
- Photographs
- Poets
- Poets, American -- 20th century
- Rattray, David, 1936-1993
- Rune stones
- Williams, Jonathan, 1929-2008
Creator
- Lansing, Gerrit (Author)
- Burton, Deryk (Author)
- Irby, Kenneth, 1936-2015 (Author)
- Jonas, Stephen (Author)
- McGavern, John, 1926-2008 (Author)
- Rattray, David, 1936-1993 (Author)
- Title
- Guide to the Gerrit Lansing Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- by Beinecke staff, Brooke McManus
- Date
- July 2019, May 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.