Just a bit before or after 1970, Eric Sevaried did a radio broadcast essay on the meaning of Christmas. I found that his radio scripts are archived at the Library of Congress. Should I be able to get the
text from them and could you tell me how? Or do you know who else might be able to?
After quite a bit of hunting on the web, in www.loc.gov pages, and even in U of Minnesota Library (they seem to have microfilm copy of some of the Sevareid papers), I have been unable to find a copy of this transcript online. Lexis Academic appears not to go back far enough in its transcript coverage.
The Library of Congress Manuscripts Reading Room does list it in BOX II:42 "The Spirit of Christmas", under 1962. . A "more fully navigable version" still seems not to have full text of the transcripts themselves. The Manuscript Division mentions copying under "Services", almost at the bottom of that page: "Readers may purchase photocopies, photographs, or microfilm of manuscripts through the Library's Photoduplication Service. Unbound manuscripts may be reproduced, subject to copyright and other restrictions, on the coin-operated photocopy machines in the Manuscript Reading Room." Prices are .50/page, minimum order - 12.00
For sure you would need to contact them:
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Mailing Address
Manuscript Division
Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20540-4680
Interoffice Mail: LS/PSCD/MSS (4680)
Reference Questions: Ask a Librarian at:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-mss.html
Telephone Numbers
Administrative Offices: (202) 707-5383
Reading Room: (202) 707-5387
Fax: (202) 707-6336
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I tried Worldcat, in hopes that other libraries besides U of MN might have microfilm copies of the Library of Congress' collection on Sevareid, but what I find seems to be transcripts of his war reporting and some other newscasts, and NOT this "Spirit of Christmas" transcript from Box II:42.
The U of MN site does seem to indicate they have a full microfilm collection in their Eric Sevareid Library - "The Sevareid library is also home to microfilm copies of the Eric Sevareid papers from the U.S. Library of Congress;...". Their contact information is: DIRC/Sevareid Library, U of M School of Journalism and Mass Communication, 111 Murphy Hall, 206 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, tel:612-625-7892, email:jmclib@umn.edu
I would certainly not be surprised if there IS a "pirate" copy of this transcript hiding out there on the web somewhere, but I am guessing it's not there legally, if so. In any case, ordering a copy from Library of Congress or University of Minnesota might save a huge amount of time searching for it.
Jim Miller
University of Maryland