History of Special Collections @ Colby

  • INTRO
    • Goals
    • Student Scholars Wanted
    • Acknowledgments
    • Contact Us
  • CHRONOLOGY & CONTEXT
    • What Happened (early on)
      • The First Library & Edward Hall
      • The “Rare Book” Section (early 1930s)
    • Our Chronology (1935-1975)
    • Some Context
  • THE PEOPLE
    • Curators
      • Carl Jefferson Weber (Curator 1940-1958)
      • Richard Cary (Curator 1958-1975)
    • Librarians
      • N Orwin Rush (Librarian 1936-1945)
      • Gilmore Warner (Librarian 1945-1947)
      • James Humphry III (Librarian 1947-1957)
      • John R McKenna (Librarian 1957-1964)
      • Kenneth P Blake, Jr (Librarian 1964-1973)
      • Eileen M Curran (Acting Librarian, 1973-1976)
    • Other Colby People
      • Ernest C Marriner ’13
      • Frederick A Pottle ’17
      • Carroll A Wilson ’40 LLD
      • Franklin Winslow Johnson (President 1929-1942)
      • Julius Seelye Bixler (President 1942-1960)
      • Robert Edward Lee Strider II (President 1960-1979)
    • The Colby Library Associates
    • Highlighted Donors
  • HIGHLIGHTED COLLECTIONS
    • Rare Book Collections
      • Early Books
      • Thomas Hardy
      • Book Arts
      • The Rubáiyát
    • Personal Libraries
      • Library of Edwin Arlington Robinson
      • Library of Thomas Sergeant Perry
      • Library of Harold Trowbridge Pulsifer
      • Library of James Augustine Healy
      • Library of Ben Ames Williams
    • Manuscript Collections
    • “A Recent Accession”: The Colby Library Quarterly

Library of Edwin Arlington Robinson

EARinLibrary-517x650
EAR reading in his library. These volumes provide insight into Robinson’s literary world.

The personal library of Edwin Arlington Robinson is a key part of Colby’s extensive Robinson Collection. Received in 1941 through donor Ruth Robinson Nivison, with additional volumes received later from other Robinson associates, these volumes show the close relationship between Robinson’s poetry and the books he owned as many authors represented in the poet’s library are mentioned in the poems themselves. Although Robinson typically did not mark his books as he read, signs of wear indicated repeated return to certain volumes. The library comprises books accumulated in the Gardiner home by family members as well as volumes purchased by Robinson or given to him.

Despite Robinson’s avid interest in the writings of Thomas Hardy, his library has no Hardy titles. Curator Weber posited that Robinson did indeed read Hardy’s novels but – uncharacteristically – he acquired copies on loan through his friend, Dr Alanson T Schumann of Gardiner. In general, Robinson was well known for his preference of owning the books he read.

Works consulted:

Cary, Richard. “The Library of Edwin Arlington Robinson: Addenda.” Colby Library Quarterly. Waterville, ME: Colby College Library.  March 1967. Print and web

Humphry, James, III. The Library of Edwin Arlington Robinson. Waterville, ME: Colby College Press, 1950. Print.

IN THE CATALOG…

Books from Robinson’s personal library are described in the Colby Libraries web catalog. They are designated with a ROBLIB prestamp before the call number.

RELATED MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION

The Robinson Collection contains letters, manuscripts, galley proofs, clippings, photographs, artwork and artifacts.

Explore Common Threads – and Student Scholarship – in our Manuscript Collections

Copyright © 2025 · Agency Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in