The Erling N. Rolfsrud Papers consist primarily of his correspondence, manuscripts, and research material related to his published works.  In addition there are copies of his final publications, numerous articles published in newspapers and magazines, and some personal family papers.  The Rolfsrud Papers have been arranged into seven series: Topical , Correspondence, Professional files, Manuscripts, Articles, Biographical files, Published books supporting material, and Published works.  An earlier donation of papers was processed in 1983.  Consult the finding aid to that collection (Mss 64) for the scope and content of those papers.

The Topical Series (1946-1991) is general research files developed by Mr. Rolfsrud.  They are maintained in his original arrangement which is alphabetical by topic.  They were used by him in his writing and cover a wide variety of subjects.  The contents of each are quite varied and may include newspaper clippings, articles, booklets, etc. which Rolfsrud found in other sources.  These files do not contain original writings by him.  Most of them deal with North Dakota, although there are some which are Minnesota related.  Consult the box listing for the specific topics covered.

The Correspondence Series (1935-1994) is a mixture of personal correspondence, fan mail, thank you letters, book orders, and research requests.  It is arranged alphabetically by the correspondent, following Rolfsrud's original order.  It covers a vast array of topics documenting Rolfsrud's writing career.

The Professional Files Series (1936-1992) is papers which relate to the business aspect of Rolfsrud's writing, such as book store listings, copyright information, and correspondence with publishers. In addition, this series also contains some of Mr. Rolfsrud's teaching materials and assignments, speaking notes, and concert programs from Mr. and Mrs. Rolfsrud's concerts and recitals.

The Manuscripts Series (1936-1958) is a collection of old manuscripts, articles, short stories and poems, along with the manuscripts for his unpublished books Pipes for Praise, Shattered Shackles, and This is the Day.  Some poems and manuscripts credit the author as "Eric Bard", which is a pseudonym occasionally used by Erling Rolfsrud between 1947 and 1952.

The Article Series (1945-1994) is a collection of published magazine articles and newspaper columns which appeared in several regional newspapers and magazines.  There is an initial series of such articles organized alphabetically by title.  Following are articles found in a wide variety of magazines.  He also had a syndicated column which was published in various North Dakota and Minnesota newspapers.  These are organized by newspaper and then chronological.

The Biographical Files Series (1895-1988) is a collection of biographical research on people who are almost exclusively from North Dakota.  There is an emphasis on people who are either noteworthy or heroic.  This research is primarily correspondence either from the person directly, or from relatives of the person.  The files also include draft sketches done by Mr. Rolfsrud.  The series is arranged alphabetically by name.  Consult the box listing for specific names.

The Published Books Supporting Material Series (1945-1993) consists of all material related to Rolfsrud's published works, arranged alphabetically by book title.  Included are manuscripts, research, book publicity and reviews, publishing and printing agreements, and correspondence.

The Published Works Series includes final published copies (one each) for fifteen of Rolfsrud's books.  Most of them are later reprints of his works and not original editions. 
 

Erling Rolfsrud Papers  |  Literary, Music and Theater