- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"3.5 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"9 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"MssCol 3171", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"3171", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1926-1996", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1926/1996"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1926
- date_inclusive_end
-
1996
- keydate
-
1926
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Donald Vining papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. <span class=\"subarea\">Manuscripts and Archives Division</span></span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Donald Vining was the author of <span class=\"title\">A Gay Diary</span> and the founder of the Pepys Press. The collection, 1926-1996, includes correspondence, diaries, novels, play scripts, stories, and articles as well as a scrapbook and two videotaped interviews."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donald Vining Papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Vining, Donald, 1917-1998", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donald Crossley Vining was the author of <span class=\"title\">A Gay Diary</span> and the founder and publisher of the Pepys Press. Born in 1917 in Benton, Pennsylvania, Vining was educated at West Chester State College, Pennsylvania and at Yale University's School of Drama. In the late 1940s, he published numerous one-act plays for amateurs. After working for thirty years in the Development Office of Teachers College, Columbia University, Vining retired in 1979 to begin a private publishing company, the Pepys Press. The Pepys Press published <span class=\"title\">A Gay Diary</span>, a chronicle of his life as a gay man before and after the Stonewall Riots, as well as a book of diaries from the Second World War, <span class=\"title\">American Diaries of World War II</span>, and other works. After retiring from publishing, Vining wrote a monthly column for <span class=\"title\">Diarist's Journal</span> and contributed to periodicals. He died in New York City in 1998.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Donald Vining Papers consist of his correspondence, diaries, novels, play scripts, stories, articles, scrapbook, and two videotaped interviews. The correspondence contains personal correspondence with his lover, Richard Purinton, and business letters concerning his writing career. His writings include both published and unpublished fiction and nonfiction. His diaries include two of his original childhood diaries, 1926-1927, as well as typescripts of his diaries, 1926-1970, illustrated with photographs, that Vining called his \"Diary Digests.\" Also in the collection is a scrapbook of press clippings and memorabilia.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Donald Vining papers are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/3171#c209485'>Series I. Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1948-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The bulk of Vining's correspondence, 1950-1996, is arranged chronologically. Most of the correspondence concerns his writing career, including attempts to sell his writing, rejection and acceptance letters, and fan mail. Correspondents include the magazines the <span class=\"title\">Advocate</span>, <span class=\"title\">Gay Community News</span>, <span class=\"title\">InTouch for Men</span>, <span class=\"title\">First Hand Magazine</span>, <span class=\"title\">Mandate</span>, <span class=\"title\">Blueboy</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Diarist's Journal</span>. Vining corresponded with various theater groups as well, such as the American Theatre Association, the Gay Theatre Alliance, the Stonewall Repertoire Theater and other small groups that were interested in producing his plays. There is correspondence with Doubleday concerning the publication of <span class=\"title\">The Gay Handbook</span> and with Crossing Press on the publication of <span class=\"title\">How Can You Come Out If You've Never Been In?</span> There is also correspondence with Yale University Library's Manuscripts and Archives department discussing the library's holdings of Vining's diaries and papers. Vining's personal correspondence, 1948-1954, 1980-1981, is primarily with his lover of forty years, Richard Purinton. The men wrote to each other often, especially when one or the other was traveling.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/3171#c209495'>Series II. Writings</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1927-1994, n.d.</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The writings are divided into eight subseries: Almanack de Gotham, novels, autobiographical notes, short stories, playscripts, writing ideas, first drafts and diaries. <span class=\"title\">Almanack de Gotham</span> is a compilation of Vining's musings on life in New York City. The autobiographical notes consist of a journal in which Vining writes on such topics as his parents' lives, his favorite foods, and his pets. The playscript <span class=\"title\">Antony and Cleopatra</span> (1958) is accompanied by correspondence between Vining, John Gutman of the Metropolitan Opera and composer, Samuel Barber concerning Vining's proposal that Barber write an opera based on the Shakespeare play using Vining's script as a libretto. Although Vining's idea and his script were rejected, the Met later commissioned Barber to write the opera <span class=\"title\">Antony and Cleopatra</span> for the opening of the new Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center. Also included is a series of plays written for the Yale University radio station (WICC) program <span class=\"title\">The Listener's Theater</span>. The early phase of Vining's writing is represented by his writing ideas and his first drafts. The writing ideas contain character sketches, plot ideas, and story outlines. Each notebook of first drafts contains an index listing the title, date written, and the date published or produced.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/3171#c209560'>Series III. Diaries</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1926-1970</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Two volumes of Vining's original diaries, 1926 and 1927, are included in the collection. The 1926 diary contains entries about school and a small collection of recipes. Inserted is a photocopy of a photograph of Vining when he was eight years old. The 1927 volume consists of daily entries and Vining's early attempts at poetry.</p> <p>The Diary Digests are typed transcripts of his original diaries, accompanied by photographs. Selections from these were published as <span class=\"title\">A Gay Diary</span> in 1979.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/3171#c209578'>Series IV. Scrapbook</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Includes newspaper clippings, ads for the Pepys Press, reviews of books and notices of Vining's readings.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/3171#c209579'>Series V. Video recordings</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1992, n.d.</div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Donald Vining Papers are organized in the following series:</p> <ul> <li>Series I. Correspondence, 1948-1996</li> <li>Series II. Writings, 1927-1994, n.d.</li> <li>Series III. Diaries, 1926-1970</li> <li>Series IV. Scrapbook</li> <li>Series V. Video recordings, 1992, n.d.</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Donald Vining, 1996</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"archref\">Donald Crossley Vining Papers, 1926-1985. Manuscripts and Archives MS 524. Yale University Library.</span> <span class=\"archref\">Donald Vining Diaries, 1926-1939. Historical Society of Pennsylvania.</span> <span class=\"archref\">Donald Vining Diaries, Accession Number 10272, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming .</span> <span class=\"archref\">Lester Q. Strong Papers. Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library (Includes an audiotaped interview with Vining).</span>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Susan Malsbury and Norma Petkus.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
3.5 linear feet (9 boxes)
- date_start
-
1926
- date_end
-
1996