T. A. Barron Papers, 1965-2021

Contents and Arrangement

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Collection Overview

Creator:

Barron, T. A. (1952)

Title:

T. A. Barron Papers

Repository:

Manuscripts Division

Permanent URL:

http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/hx11xh992

Dates:

1965-2021

Size:

25 boxes and 22 linear feet

Storage Note:

Firestone Library (scamss): Boxes B-000639 to B-000658, B-001755, P-000043 to P-000046

Language:

English

Abstract: T. A. Barron (1952-) is an American writer of fantasy literature, books for children, and nature books. The collection consists of his literary and personal papers, including manuscripts and other draft materials, copies of his books and related promotional materials, international editorial correspondence, articles and speeches, personal journals and letters, fan mail, videos, and correspondence with other authors.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of literary and personal papers of the American author T. A. Barron, comprehensively documenting his fantasy novels, children's books, nature books, and other published work since 1990, along with some early and unpublished work. Literary papers include Barron's outlines and notes, concept summaries, original artwork and maps, and editorial correspondence; handwritten drafts, usually on legal pads, as well as corrected typescripts and proofs and bound galleys; and promotional materials, including posters and book displays. Hardback and paperback editions of his books are also present, as are audio books and international editions with translations into German, Chinese, French, Spanish, Japanese, and other languages. In addition, the papers include international editorial correspondence, copies of articles and speeches with related correspondence, videos of Barron's talks and readings, personal letters and journal entries, fan mail, and a small amount of correspondence with other authors.

Arrangement

Organized into the following four series by the collection creator:

Collection Creator Biography:

Barron

T. A. (Thomas Archibald) Barron is an American writer of fantasy and mythic-quest novels, books for children, and nature books. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1952, and grew up on a ranch near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Barron graduated from Princeton University in 1974 and later attended Balliol College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. After extensive travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, he went on to receive J.D. (1980) and M.B.A. (1982) degrees from Harvard University. In 1990, Barron left a successful business career in New York to move back to Colorado and become a full-time writer and conservationist. His first published novel was Heartlight (1990), the first volume in The Adventures of Kate trilogy. Barron has since published over thirty books, including The Ancient One (1992), The Lost Years of Merlin (1996), The Great Tree of Avalon (2004), The Hero's Trail: True Stories of Young People to Inspire Courage, Compassion, and Hope (2015), and many others. Barron also regularly gives talks and publishes essays on various environmental and inspirational topics. He serves on the Princeton Environmental Institute's advisory board, has been a Princeton charter trustee and alumni trustee, and has been active with conservation organizations such as EarthJustice, The Nature Conservancy, and The Wilderness Society.

Collection History

Acquisition:: Gift of T. A. Barron, Class of 1974, in March 2016 (AM 2016-75), with additions in December 2016 (AM 2017-72), May 2017 (AM 2017-145), December 2017 (AM 2018-52), June 2018 (AM 2018-115), January 2019 (AM 2019-71), and November 2021 (AM 2022-057).
Appraisal: No materials were separated from the collection during 2016-2021 processing.
Processing Information: This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in March-April 2016, with assistance from Fiona Bell '18. Finding aid description was provided by the donor. Arrangement and description of the collection existing when the materials arrived at the library was largely preserved during processing. Finding aid updated based on donor description by Kelly Bolding and Sophia Alvarez '18 in December 2016 and by Kelly Bolding in May 2017, December 2017, June 2018, January 2019, and December 2021.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. Personal materials, including personal journals and letters, fan mail, and correspondence with other authors (Series 4, housed in boxes Box B-000657 and B-000658), are closed for research until January 1, 2025, in accordance with the donor agreement.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

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