University of Nebraska-Lincoln Acquires Ted Kooser's Papers

According to this article from the Journal Star, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has acquired former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser's papers, which include correspondence with actress Debra Winger and former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, among other, more poetry-related things.

From the article:

What Joan Giesecke finds most interesting among personal letters from celebrities, politicians and poets, including actress Debra Winger and former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, are the workbooks dating back to 1968.

Those would be workbooks belonging to former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, whose papers recently found a home at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

"They do really help show who he is as an author," said Giesecke, dean of libraries for UNL. "We're very pleased to be a place that will make sure these materials are available for future generations."

With support from the University of Nebraska Foundation, UNL Libraries has acquired the personal papers of Kooser, university English professor and former consultant to the Library of Congress.

The Kooser Collection contains manuscripts of his work, journals, workbooks and more than 50 bound volumes of correspondence from 1966 to 2010.

University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken on the acquisition:

"Ted Kooser is one of Nebraska's treasures. This will provide an important chapter in the literary and cultural life of our state and country and provide the opportunity for scholarly work on one of Nebraska's most accomplished writers. This is a great day for the university.

When you've spent 40 years collecting things and keeping them organized, it's a very nice thought to think that someone would want them someplace."