The James Still Collection

Books written by Mr. Still are displayed alongside autographed copies of works presented to him by Katherine Anne Porter, Carson McCullers, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and several other of his associates. Manuscript materials include typescripts of Mr. Still's short stories and poems, and hand-written correspondence and notebooks of his field work as a Knott County social worker in the 1930's. Photographs of his family and friends, his military service in North Africa, and his travels throughout the world complement the written records.

Other items in the collection include two Jethro Amburgey dulcimers; a wall-hanging presented to the Library on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Mr. Still's great novel River of Earth; souvenirs of his travels; and dozens of plaques, certificates, and other awards which attest to Mr. Still's enormous and continuing contribution to literature and to the Appalachian region.

Mr. Still's association with Morehead State dates back to 1952, when he participated in the first writer's workshop held at the school, which was then a teacher's college. His involvement with the workshop continued, and in 1961 he joined the school's faculty; he remained on the faculty until 1970.

The James Still Room was established as the repository for Mr. Still's papers, and was dedicated October 12, 1961, with Harriet Arnow delivering the address. The Still Room was rededicated in 1978 when the tower addition to the library was completed and the library's Special Collections Department was relocated.

The James Still Room, and Camden-Carroll Library's other Special Collections, are open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. until closing, when classes are in session.

For more information about the James Still Collection, please write or call: Special Collections Department, Camden-Carroll Library, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky 40351 (606) 783-2829.