St. Louis Mercantile Library

M-332: Dunaway Bookseller Collection

 

HISTORICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:  Reginald Patrick Dunaway operated a bookstore for thirty-seven years on Delmar Boulevard, in St. Louis, Missouri.  At the beginning, his business was almost all mail order, but as time went on he came more and more to rely on the in-store trade as well.  Mr. Dunaway possessed file cabinets filled with index cards on which he recorded information regarding the sales of his books, the contact information of his clientele, and listing information for his catalogs.  These cards make up the bulk of the Dunaway Books Collection.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE:  The collection consists of 32 record boxes (32 linear feet) of file folders and index cards containing information regarding the sales, subjects and authors of books sold at Dunaway Books from the period approximately 1963 – 2000.  There are 4 series in the collection; Sales Records, Subject File Cards, Author File Cards, and Contact Information Cards.  Mr. Dunaway tended to order his records alphabetically, although some records would jump around a bit alphabetically, depending on the space available in Mr. Dunaway’s storage.  The original order of the collection has been maintained, so in some cases there may be supplemental files, or boxes may contain alphabetical sorting but then start over at A with the next box, rather than an entire series being arranged from beginning to end alphabetically.

HOLDINGS: 32 linear feet

ACCESS:  Some of the material in Special Collection M-330 may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition. Series 4, Contact Information Cards, is currently restricted.  Researchers viewing this collection will be asked to sign a Personal Information Non-Disclosure Form.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Copies of a finding aid are available for download:

M-332: Dunaway Bookseller Collection(.rtf)

M-332: Dunaway Bookseller Collection(.pdf)

In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.

Direct questions or comments regarding this site to
The Saint Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis

Charles Brown
Reference Services,
St. Louis Subject Specialist
314.516.7243
cbrown@umsl.edu