Robert Cormier Collection 

RECORD GROUP 2  MATERIAL ABOUT MR. CORMIER

Mr. Cormier has been writing professionally since the 1940's. The material in this record groups are those items that are biographical and critical in nature. The various series can be divided into biographical information and materials about his writings.

Mr. Cormier did collect reviews of his works, publicity concerning his writings, etc. and when the Collection was established it was decided that the curator should update and collect as much of the information as possible. Through the various resources of the FSC Library, the Collection does own copies of these secondary sources if information. By using the various indexes and abstracts and by utilizing the interlibrary loan services of the Library, the staff hopes to have a complete set of this type of information.

The majority of the documents are secondary sources of information with the exception of the correspondence in the censorship series (Series 6); the FSC class materials; and a speech by Don Gallo given at the presentation ceremony (Series 3).

Series 1  Reviews

Series 2  Criticisms and Interpretations

Series 3  Collection Presentation and Displays

Series 4  Biographies and interviews

Series 5  Publicity

Series 6  Censorship

Series 7  Books Owned by R. Cormier

Series 8  FSC Graduate Courses

Series 9  Awards and Honors

All items have OPEN access unless indicated.

Series 1 Reviews

Containers F1

Arranged by type of material that was reviewed

The documents are reviews of Mr. Cormier's works. There is a sub-series for each type of writing; sub-series 1 contains a folder for each one of the novels/short stories. See indexes.

Sub-series 1 Book Reviews

These include the reviews published in periodicals and newspapers as well as radio transcripts. They are arranged by title of the book.

Sub-series 2 is a collection of various lists of recommended readings. The titles on the lists include Mr. Cormier's works as well as other titles. They include various periodical publications, newspaper lists and other author's suggestions. These are representative samples only.

Sub-series 3 is a collection of the movie reviews for I AM THE CHEESE. This includes reviews from the video cassette and the 35mm film.

Sub-series 4 consists of reviews of audio cassettes which include:

"Robert Cormier: An Interview" The Book Report March/April, [n.d.]

"Robert Cormier: An Interview" School Library Journal, May, [n.d.]

"Robert Cormier: Two Novels and an Interview" Media Review, [n.d.]

See also sub-series 5 for reviews of printed interviews.

Sub-series 5 consists of reviews of printed interviews with Mr. Cormier. These include:

"Lit'ry Life" from The Boston Globe, April 27 and May 4, 1985.

See also sub-series 4 for reviews of interviews on audio cassettes.

Series 2 Criticisms and Interpretations

Containers F3 -  F3.3

Arranged by title of the novel/short stories.  See index.

This is a collection of criticisms and analysis of Mr. Cormier's books. The items include published works as well as unpublished works and Master's theses. They are arranged by title of the book. The individual criticisms are arranged as they arrive.

A separate container (F3.02) contains drafts of Ms. Patricia Campbell's book PRESENTING ROBERT CORMIER. Mr. Cormier was the first author chosen for Twayne's Young Adult series. Patty Campbell’s book Robert Cormier: Daring to Disturb the Universe, Delacorte, 2006 will be found here also along with Ms. Campbell’s research notes for this book which she donated to the Collection in 2007.

See also Series 8, FSC Class, for additional criticisms.

Series 3 Collection Presentation and Displays

Container F4

The Cormier Collection was officially presented to the Fitchburg State College Foundation, Inc. on May 3, 1981. The Collection is maintained by the Special Collections Department of the College Library. The presentation consisted of a speech by Professor Donald Gallo of Central Connecticut State University, an editor and writer in the Young Adult Literature field; a showing of CHEESE,CHOCOLATE AND KIDS, a 28 minute color video tape of an interview with Robert Cormier; and a reception. This series includes a copy of Professor Gallo's speech, news clippings, brochures, etc. The vidoe tape can be located in the Audio-Visual Lot Collection.

The Special Collection's Department has put on various displays highlighting items in the Collection. There will be found in this series, items that explain and date the various displays.

Series 4 Biographies and Interviews

Container F5

The documents are divided into a biographical sub-series and an interview sub-series. The biographical sub-series contain among other items, the articles from BOSTON MAGAZINE; SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR, v.10; and CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS.

The interviews sub-series contains copies of previously published interviews. An example of some of the items include articles from THE BOSTON GLOBE; THE LION AND THE UNICORN: and ST ANTHONY MESSENGER: HORN BOOK MAGAZINE, etc.

 A great deal of information in these biographical sketches and interviews dovetail and overlap. See the indexes for a list of holdings.

    Sub-series 1 Biographical information

    Sub-series 2 Interviews

Series 5 Publicity

Containers F6-F8

Items included in this series include announcements, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, etc. used to promote Mr. Cormier's writings. The writings include his published books, movies, newspaper writings, etc. The items are divided into a book and a non-book sub-series. The publicity for the books is arranged by title and the publicity for the non-book items is arranged  by Mr.Cormier's type of writing.

      Sub-series 1 Books

      Sub-series 2 Non-Book Writings

Series 6 Censorship

Container F9-F9.1

Various titles of Mr. Cormier's have been subject to censorship arguments and battles throughout the United States. Mr. Cormier has collected and has received such things as clippings which document these battles. The series consists of Mr. Cormier's ideas and statements about censorship, clippings of proposed censorship of his works, and articles dealing with censorship in general. It does include some correspondence.

THE CHOCOLATE WAR has consistently been targeted and action has been taken in Groton, Mass.; South Carolina; Arizona; and Vermont to name a few of the school districts.

All items have limited access.

Series 7 Books

Container F10

The books included in this series are those books given to Mr. Cormier either as gifts or as book review copies. They do not include his own books. See index holdings.

Series 8 FSC Class

Container F11

Dr. Marilyn McCaffrey of Fitchburg State College has conducted a class through Graduate and Continuing Education Department of Fitchburg State College in each Fall semester since 1982. The course dealt with Young Adult Literature, but the first part of the course dealt with Mr. Cormier and his works. The Collection contains the class schedule, brochures, flyers, and any class assignments. Some but not all the assignments deal with criticisms.

All student papers have RESTRICTED access.

Series 9 Awards and Honors

Container F12

Mr. Cormier has been the recipient of many awards. Among them are proclamations from Gov. Dukakis of Massachusetts; a resolution from the Massachusetts General Court (House of Representatives); a proclamation from Mayor Giourard of Leominster; and a tribute from the FITCHBURG-LEOMINSTER SENTINEL AND ENTERPRISE. These were all presented to Mr. Cormier for various reasons. The awards from the Governor, the Mayor, and the General Court were presented to commemorate the April 1983 screening of I AM THE CHEESE; the newspaper tribute was in honor of Mr. Cormier being awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Fitchburg State College in 1977. Mr. Cormier was named Massachusetts Author of the Year for 1985 by the Massachusetts Library Association.

His novels have also been granted special distinctions. See index for complete list.

Container F13

Dr. Marilyn McCaffrey began an annual tribute to Mr. Cormier’s writings in 2001. Participants read selected passages from his works. There are no introductions, no commentaries. Included in this series are the programs for these readings.