Modern Literature Collection Open House and Type-In

The Modern Literature Collection is opening its doors for an open house and type-in session at Olin Library on Tuesday, October 27, from 1 PM to 5 PM. It's a two-part afternoon that starts with the archives and ends with a row of typewriters.

The first half takes place in the Special Collections Mendle Classroom, where you can look through the Modern Literature Collection. The draw here is the drafts—the working versions of poems and stories that show how writers actually build their work. The collection includes manuscripts from Mary Jo Bang, Aaron Coleman, Kathryn Davis, Russell Edson, William H. Gass, Charles Johnson, James Merrill, Howard Nemerov, May Swenson, and Joy Williams. If you've ever wondered how a finished page looks when it's still being hashed out, this is where you see it.

Once you've had your fill of the manuscripts, you move next door to Room 142. That's where the type-in happens. Clickety Clack Typewriters, based in Rolla, Missouri, will have a selection of vintage machines set up for anyone to use. It's a screen-free, analogue space—no laptops, no autocorrect, just the sound of keys hitting paper. If you find a machine you can't quite leave behind, some of them will be available for purchase. There will also be light refreshments on hand.

It's free and open to all, though registration is requested. The whole thing runs from 1 PM to 5 PM at Olin Library, with the manuscripts in the Special Collections Mendle Classroom and the typewriters in the adjacent Room 142.