THOUSAND OAKS : University to Get Sandburg Items

The niece of the late Swedish-American poet Carl Sandburg will present a collection of her uncle’s works and personal items to Cal Lutheran University today.

Sandburg, who lived from 1878-1967, is known for such poems as “Chicago,” “Fog,” and “The People, Yes.” He also wrote a Pulitzer-winning biography of President Abraham Lincoln.

Jane Matthews, Sandburg’s niece, said she will donate 97 items to the university. The donated items include a first edition of Sandburg’s six-volume work on Lincoln and first edition volumes of poetry Sandburg autographed for his sister, Esther.

The collection also includes personal mementos, such as a blue ball point pen used by the poet and a photograph of Sandburg with the crown prince of Sweden in 1920.

“I think the collection needs a home,” said Matthews, who lives in San Juan Capistrano. “It needs to be used by the community and research people.”

Aina Abrahamson, library director emeritus, said Cal Lutheran officials are “very pleased to be getting” the collection.

One of the most extensive Sandburg collections in the country is housed in Illinois, where the poet was born and raised.

Since 1956, Sandburg’s family has sold 6,349 volumes of books from his personal library and 50,000 manuscripts to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, said Nancy Romero, the head of the library’s rare books and special collections library.

Other universities housing Sandburg collections include the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, the University of Southern California, the Chicago Public Library, Indiana State University and Cal State Northridge.