Scope and Contents
The William Lyon Phelps papers at the Beinecke Library contain correspondence, writings, and other materials documenting the life and work of American author, critic, and long-time Yale professor William Lyon Phelps. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence to Phelps from contemporaries from the first half of the twentieth century, including well-known authors and literary critics. Other materials include a large group of outgoing letters from Phelps to Ralph T. Catterall and notes, drafts, and cancelled pages of Phelps's Autobiography With Letters (1939).
Phelps taught at Yale University from 1892 until 1933 and his research files, student notebooks, personal and family papers can be found in the William Lyon Phelps Papers (MS 578) held in Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.
Dates
- 1837 - 1943
- Majority of material found within 1898 - 1943
Creator
Language of Materials
Chiefly in English; some material in French.
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Existence and Location of Copies
Microfilm available for portions of the collection.
Conditions Governing Use
The William Lyon Phelps 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
Acquired by gift and purchase from various sources, 1941-1983. For additional information see the appropriate curator.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically into seven groupings by date of acquisition: May 1941 Acquisition, 1943 Acquisition, 1957 Acquisition, December 1959 Acquisition, 1961 Acquisition, January 1983 Acquisition, and Other Acquisitions.
Extent
5.84 Linear Feet (16 boxes)
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The William Lyon Phelps papers at the Beinecke Library contain correspondence, writings, and other materials documenting the life and work of American author, critic, and long-time Yale professor William Lyon Phelps. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence to Phelps from contemporaries from the first half of the Twentieth century, including well-known authors and literary critics. Other materials include a large group of outgoing letters from Phelps to Ralph T. Catterall and notes, drafts, and cancelled pages to Phelps's Autobiography With Letters (1939).
William Lyon Phelps (1865-1943)
William Lyon Phelps was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on January 2, 1865. He received a B.A. degree from Yale in 1887, an A.M. degree from Harvard in 1891, and a Ph.D. from Yale in 1891. Phelps taught English at Yale from 1892 until 1933 and was a popularizer of literature through his public lectures, radio addresses, and syndicated newspaper columns. He died in New Haven on August 21, 1943.
Processing Information
This collection received a basic level of processing, including in some instances rehousing and minimal organization, when it arrived at the library. In 2012, each acquisition was described separately in the contents list below, identified as a unique grouping and titled according to date of acquisition.
Former call numbers: Za Phelps and Uncat Ms Vault 403.
- Title
- Guide to the William Lyon Phelps Papers
- Author
- by Beinecke staff
- Date
- December 2012
- 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.