Scope and Contents
The collection includes correspondence, printed materials, writings, mail art, and ephemera. The collection includes many mail artworks from artists including David Cole, Mark Sonnenfield, and John M. Bennett. Also included are Ernst’s Press Me Close business files, buttons, and notes. The strengths of this collection include the mail art and correspondence between artists.
Dates
- 1980-2007
Creator
Language of Materials
Includes materials in English, French, German, and Italian.
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Box 13 (audiovisual and born-digital): Restricted fragile. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
The K.S. Ernst 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
Gift of K. S. Ernst, 2019.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into two series: Series I. Mid-career Mail Art from others and Series II. Old Mail Art and correspondence. Within the series, the materials are organized in alphabetical order.
Extent
17.63 Linear Feet (13 boxes)
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The collection chiefly includes correspondence with writers and other collaborators. The collection also contains project files which include manuscript drafts, book mock ups, and printed materials. The records provide insight into the collaborative process between publisher and writer including correspondence, manuscript drafts, and book proofs.
Biographical / Historical
K.S. (Kathy) Ernst was born in St. Louis in 1946. She is a visual poet and artist, working in the media of sculpture, artists’ books, painting, and digital works. She contributed to the “text as image” trend. Ernst manages Press Me Close which publishes books, postcards, and visual poetry T-shirts.
Separated Materials
Printed materials that arrived at the library with the collection were separated for separate cataloging.
Processing Information
The collection was processed adhering to Ernst’s original filing system. There is an overlap between mail art and correspondence between the artists. The series titles are Ernst’s original titles.
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.