Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Encoding Information
- Series List
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | Willard, Nancy |
| Title: | Nancy Willard Papers |
| Dates: | 1989-2010 |
| Quantity: | 2.2 cubic feet (2 boxes, 1 oversize folder) |
| Abstract: | This collection consists of drafts and unpublished material pertaining to poet, author, and teacher Nancy Willard's children's book A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, as well as collections of student writings and artwork from a number of Willard's Vassar College courses. |
Biographical Note
Nancy Willard was a writer in several genres, best known for her poetry and children’s' books. Born in 1936 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Willard completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Michigan and Stanford University. In 1965, she took a position at Vassar College, where she taught courses in creative writing, folklore, and the art and history of tapestry. She retired from teaching in 2013. Over the course of her career, she published 70 books of poetry and fiction for adults and children, including A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers (1982), which was the first book to win both a Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor. Nancy Willard died in 2017 in Poughkeepsie, New York.
TopScope and Content Note
This collection consists of drafts of poems and unpublished material pertaining to Nancy Willard's children's book A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, including an original watercolor and ink illustration by illustrators Alice and Martin Provensen. Also included are bound collections of student writings and artwork compiled by Willard for a number of her courses, including "Woven Stories: Medieval Tapestries and Texts," a course she co-taught with Tina Kane on the art and history of tapestry. These volumes contain work by the students in the courses, photographs taken by Willard during the class meetings, and unique covers designed by Willard.
TopAccess and Use
Access
The materials in this collection pertaining to A Visit to William Blake's Inn are open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Portions of the student work in Box 1 may be restricted; please contact Special Collections staff for details.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
- Blake, William, 1757-1827--Juvenile poetry
- Kane, Tina
- Provensen, Alice
- Provensen, Martin
Organizations:
- Vassar College--Faculty
Subjects:
- Children's poetry, American
- Women teachers
Document Types:
- Drafts (documents)
- Photographs
- Poetry
- Short stories
- Watercolors (paintings)
VCL Categories:
- Children and Children's Literature
- Literature and Writing
- Vassar College
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Nancy Willard Papers, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Processed by Emma Gronbeck, June 2025.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Nancy Willard, 2016. (M2016-006, M2016-007)
Series List
Series I. A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers, 1989, undated | |
|---|---|
| Arranged alphabetically by title. |
Series II. Vassar College, 2001-2009 | |
|---|---|
| Arranged alphabetically by title. |
Container List
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
This collection consists of drafts and unpublished material pertaining to poet, author, and teacher Nancy Willard's children's book , as well as collections of student writings and artwork from a number of Willard's Vassar College courses.
