A. Poulin papers and BOA Editions records
Collection
Call Number: YCAL MSS 635
Scope and Contents
The A. Poulin Papers and BOA Editions Records provide evidence of the personal and professional life of American poet A. Poulin and the publishing company he founded, BOA Editions. The papers document Poulin's career as a poet, editor, translator, and publisher and consist of correspondence, manuscripts, books, business papers, photographs, audiovisual material, computer disks, and printed material concerning BOA Editions. The archive provides evidence of the founding and early work of BOA Editions and sheds light into the American not-for-profit publishing industry in the later twentieth-century.
Poulin's creative life is reflected in his writings and correspondence. The papers include various drafts of his poetry and other writing projects, such as Contemporary American Poetry. Poulin's correspondence reflects his literary circle and work with BOA Editions, with correspondents including publisher Graywolf Press, and writers Lucille Clifton, Anne Hébert, David Ignatow, Li-Young Lee, John Logan, Peter Makuck, Bertrand Mathieu, Anthony Piccione, Katerina Anghelaki-Rooke, Louis Simpson, and W. D. Snodgrass, among others.
Poulin's personal life is recorded in his correspondence with his wife Elizabeth ("Boo") Poulin and friends.
Poulin's creative life is reflected in his writings and correspondence. The papers include various drafts of his poetry and other writing projects, such as Contemporary American Poetry. Poulin's correspondence reflects his literary circle and work with BOA Editions, with correspondents including publisher Graywolf Press, and writers Lucille Clifton, Anne Hébert, David Ignatow, Li-Young Lee, John Logan, Peter Makuck, Bertrand Mathieu, Anthony Piccione, Katerina Anghelaki-Rooke, Louis Simpson, and W. D. Snodgrass, among others.
Poulin's personal life is recorded in his correspondence with his wife Elizabeth ("Boo") Poulin and friends.
Dates
- 1951-1996
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Boxes 9, 38-39, 79, 83, 111, 126, 133, and 134 (audiovisual materials): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Boxes 37 and 84 (reel-to-reel tapes): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 132 (computer disks): Original computer disks are restricted. Copies of electronic files are available through Access Services.
Boxes 9, 38-39, 79, 83, 111, 126, 133, and 134 (audiovisual materials): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Boxes 37 and 84 (reel-to-reel tapes): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 132 (computer disks): Original computer disks are restricted. Copies of electronic files are available through Access Services.
Conditions Governing Use
The A. Poulin Papers and BOA Editions Records 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 James S. Jaffe on the Edwin J. Beinecke Book Fund and Eugene G. O'Neill Memorial Fund, 1988, 1993, and 1997.
Arrangement
Organized into three groupings: I. July 1988 Acquisition, 1956-1986. II. September 1993 Acquisition , 1960-1991. III. May 1997 Acquisition, 1951-1996.
Material within this collection has been organized by acquisition reflecting the fact that the collection has been acquired in increments over time. Researchers should note that material within each acquisition overlaps with/or relates to material found in other acquisitions. For instance, correspondence and writings can be found in all three groupings. In order to locate all relevant material within this collection, researchers will need to consult each acquisition described in the Collection Contents section.
Researchers should also note that similar material can be arranged differently in each acquisition, depending on how the material was organized when it was received by the library.
Material within this collection has been organized by acquisition reflecting the fact that the collection has been acquired in increments over time. Researchers should note that material within each acquisition overlaps with/or relates to material found in other acquisitions. For instance, correspondence and writings can be found in all three groupings. In order to locate all relevant material within this collection, researchers will need to consult each acquisition described in the Collection Contents section.
Researchers should also note that similar material can be arranged differently in each acquisition, depending on how the material was organized when it was received by the library.
Extent
136.34 Linear Feet (134 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
The A. Poulin Papers and BOA Editions Records provide evidence of the personal and professional life of American poet A. Poulin and the publishing company he founded, BOA Editions. The papers document Poulin's career as a poet, editor, translator, and publisher and consist of correspondence, manuscripts, books, business papers, photographs, videotapes, computer disks, and printed material concerning BOA Editions. Correspondents include Graywolf Press, Lucille Clifton, Anne He?bert, David Ignatow, Li-Young Lee, John Logan, Peter Makuck, Bertrand Mathieu, Anthony Piccione, Katerina Angelake?-Rouk, Louis Simpson, and W. D. Snodgrass, among others. The archive provides evidence of the founding and early work of BOA Editions and sheds light into the American not-for-profit publishing industry in the later twentieth-century.
A. Poulin (1938-1996)
Al Poulin, American poet, editor, translator, and publisher, was born in Lisbon, Maine in 1938.
Poulin attended St. Francis College in Maine where he received a B.A. in 1960. He continued his studies in literature at Loyola University in Chicago, where he earned an M.A. in 1960. Poulin attended the University of Iowa between 1966 and 1968 ultimately obtaining an M.F.A. in poetry (his thesis was In Advent: Poems and Translations).
Poulin taught literature for a number of years, with stints at Loyola University (1960-1962), St. Francis College (1962-1964; 1968-1971), the University of Maryland (1965), and the University of New Hampshire (1965-1966). In 1971 Poulin became a Professor of English at the State University of New York at Brockport, a position he held until poor health forced his retirement.
In 1976 Poulin founded BOA Editions, an independent, non-profit literary publishing company specializing in American poetry and poetry-in-translation. Poulin appealed to his friend and colleague W. D. Snodgrass for a manuscript for BOA's first project, which resulted in The Führer Bunker: A Cycle of Poems in Progress.
Poulin's poetry publications include In Advent (1972), Catawba: Omens, Prayers & Songs (1977), Widow's Taboo: Poems After the Catawba (1977), Nameless Garden (1978), Nest of Sonnets (1985), Momentary Order (1987), Cave Dwellers (1991), and Angels (1994).
He also published translations of the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and Anne He?bert. In 1972 Poulin began editing Contemporary American Poetry, an anthology published by Houghton Mifflin.
Poulin was married to Basilike H. Parkas, with whom he had one daughter (Daphne). Poulin later married Elizabeth ("Boo") Poulin who he met in 1963 when teaching at the University of New Hampshire.
Poulin died at the age of fifty-eight in Brockport, New York, on June 5, 1996 of complications related to pulmonary disorders.
Poulin attended St. Francis College in Maine where he received a B.A. in 1960. He continued his studies in literature at Loyola University in Chicago, where he earned an M.A. in 1960. Poulin attended the University of Iowa between 1966 and 1968 ultimately obtaining an M.F.A. in poetry (his thesis was In Advent: Poems and Translations).
Poulin taught literature for a number of years, with stints at Loyola University (1960-1962), St. Francis College (1962-1964; 1968-1971), the University of Maryland (1965), and the University of New Hampshire (1965-1966). In 1971 Poulin became a Professor of English at the State University of New York at Brockport, a position he held until poor health forced his retirement.
In 1976 Poulin founded BOA Editions, an independent, non-profit literary publishing company specializing in American poetry and poetry-in-translation. Poulin appealed to his friend and colleague W. D. Snodgrass for a manuscript for BOA's first project, which resulted in The Führer Bunker: A Cycle of Poems in Progress.
Poulin's poetry publications include In Advent (1972), Catawba: Omens, Prayers & Songs (1977), Widow's Taboo: Poems After the Catawba (1977), Nameless Garden (1978), Nest of Sonnets (1985), Momentary Order (1987), Cave Dwellers (1991), and Angels (1994).
He also published translations of the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke and Anne He?bert. In 1972 Poulin began editing Contemporary American Poetry, an anthology published by Houghton Mifflin.
Poulin was married to Basilike H. Parkas, with whom he had one daughter (Daphne). Poulin later married Elizabeth ("Boo") Poulin who he met in 1963 when teaching at the University of New Hampshire.
Poulin died at the age of fifty-eight in Brockport, New York, on June 5, 1996 of complications related to pulmonary disorders.
Processing Information
The collection received preliminary processing at the time of acquisition. Further organization, rehousing, and description were carried out in 2012.
The collection is comprised of material formerly classed as: Uncat ZA MS 69, Uncat ZA MS 297, and Uncat ZA MS 528. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, according to month and year of acquisition.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection such as donor lists 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 basic processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
The collection is comprised of material formerly classed as: Uncat ZA MS 69, Uncat ZA MS 297, and Uncat ZA MS 528. Various acquisitions associated with the collection have not been merged and organized as a whole. Each acquisition is described separately in the contents list below, according to month and year of acquisition.
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection such as donor lists 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 basic 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
- Angelakē-Rouk, Katerina, 1939-
- Audiocassettes
- Audiovisual materials
- Authors and publishers -- United States
- Authors, American -- 20th Century -- Archives
- BOA Editions
- Born digital
- Clifton, Lucille, 1936-2010
- Graywolf Press
- Hébert, Anne, 1916-2000
- Ignatow, David, 1914-1997
- Lee, Li-Young, 1957-
- Literature publishing -- United States
- Logan, John, 1923-1987
- Makuck, Peter, 1940-
- Mathieu, Bertrand, 1936-
- Piccione, Anthony, 1939-2001
- Poets, American -- 20th Century -- Archives
- Poulin, A., Jr., 1938-1996
- Publishers and publishing -- United States
- Simpson, Louis, 1923-2012
- Small presses -- United States
- Snodgrass, W. D. (William De Witt), 1926-2009
- Sound recordings
- Videocassettes
- Title
- Guide to the A. Poulin Papers and BOA Editions Records
- Author
- by Beinecke staff
- Date
- 2007-05-16
- 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.