Gary Pacernick Papers (MS-582)

Scope and Content Note: The Gary Pacernick Papers document the career of Gary Pacernick, including his growth as a writer, and his personal and professional networks. It captures the development of many of Pacernick’s writing projects, from their inception through the completion of the publication process. It also highlights Pacernick’s place as a writer of Jewish poems, as well as his connections with other Jewish writers and artists.

Series I, Career, 1967-2009, documents Pacernick’s teaching career. It includes certifications, employment paperwork from Wright State University, and certificates acknowledging his completion of forty years of service to the University. Several documents feature biographical information and personal reflections written by Pacernick. Additionally, this series contains fliers, posters, and playbills associated with the work Pacernick produced while at Wright State.

Series II: Correspondence, 1965-2006, forms the bulk of the collection. Correspondents include writers, publishers, religious leaders, mentors, friends, and students. Major topics include advice and feedback on writing, publication opportunities, speaking engagements, and personal life. Many letters also discuss writers’ submissions to Images. Note that some letters may contain strong language.

Letters are arranged by correspondent; institutional correspondents (publishing houses, journals, schools, etc.) are identified by the institution’s name. The series is divided into five sections. The first section is correspondence from individuals who sent Pacernick several letters. This is divided into individual folders for each correspondent. Within folders, letters are arranged roughly in chronological order. The second section contains letters from correspondents who sent only one or two letters. These are grouped into collective folders according to the first letter of the correspondent’s last name (e.g., all correspondents with last name beginning with “A” are in a folder together). Within these folders, letters are arranged roughly alphabetically by last name. The third section is letters from unidentified correspondents, who signed their letters with no last name or an illegible signature. When possible, letters in this folder are arranged roughly alphabetically by first name. The fourth section is a selection of letters Pacernick had placed in an envelope labelled “Letters from Poets, etc.” Pacernick included a note in this folder that provides brief biographical information on significant individuals with whom he corresponded. Several of the individuals mentioned in the note wrote letters that appear in the labelled correspondent folders. For some of these letters, Pacernick penciled the poet’s name on the back of the envelope; these labeled letters may connect to the group of letters in the “Poets” folder. Finally, there is a folder of miscellaneous materials by and about other writers, which includes obituaries, an illustration, and a newsletter with a poem by one of Pacernick’s correspondents.

Series III: Publications and Writings, 1985-2006, contains material related to Pacernick’s writing projects. Three of Pacernick’s books are included, which contain poems about individuals and topics referenced in the correspondence, as well as poems referenced throughout the letters. The series also contains microcassette recordings and transcriptions of interviews with fellow poets. Additionally, there are two undated essays.