The Yeats collection, touted by book dealers as one of the best such collections in existence, was unveiled in a public ceremony Feb. 11 in Wilson Library. F. Borden Hanes Jr., representing the Hanes foundation, presented Interim Chancellor William O. McCoy with the ceremonial five millionth volume, a rare 1895-printed first edition of Yeats’s collected poems entitled Poems. The materials will be showcased in the library’s rare book exhibit area through May 31.

The library acquired the collection through a network of University faculty and alumni. Alumnus, former English department chair and Yeats scholar George Harper spent 30 years amassing the collection, obtaining some of the rarest materials from his friend Michael Yeats, the poet’s son. Concerned with the collection’s future safekeeping, Harper decided to leave it with an academic institution. He contacted a friend in Carolina’s English department and began the discussions that would lead to his donation of part of the collection with the rest being purchased with Hanes family foundation funds.

"This is a splendid collection that adds a great deal to the research value of our holdings," said Joe Hewitt, associate provost for university libraries. "And it’s something that could never have happened for Carolina without the generosity of the Hanes family. It’s a perfect example of the levels of distinction and excellence that can be achieved through private support."

The Yeats collection builds on the strength of the library’s 20th century Irish literature holdings and establishes the University as a major international resource for its study. As the permanent home to Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney collections, Carolina offers rich resources for scholarly researchers as well as literary enthusiasts. With Yeats being taught at all levels at the University, the collection is likely to touch students from a variety of programs.

Charles McNamara, the University’s curator of rare books, says the collection will be accessible to the public and used as a teaching tool for students. "Yeats was often dissatisfied with his writing and has scratched over his work in some editions," he said. "Imagine an undergraduate creative writing student opening one of these editions and realizing that even the masters have to struggle with their gift. That’s an education you just will not get from a regular textbook."

Accessibility is an important consideration for Frank Hanes, trustee of the Hanes family foundation, who graduated from the University before going on to a career as a businessman, journalist, novelist and poet. "These books are rare treasures, but they are treasures meant to be used and shared," he said. "The more people and young minds that great literature can touch, the better."

The Hanes family’s steadfast support for the library began in 1928 when the family donated the funds to purchase a collection of 15th century books that would form the foundation for the University’s rare book collection. "It’s difficult to talk about rare books at Carolina without talking about the Hanes family," McNamara said. "They were there in the beginning, and they have been with us every step of the way."

— Kyle York ’94

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