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November 3, 1938

Mr. Gilbert Patten c/o Barse & Co. Grosset & Dunlap 1140 Broadway New York City

Dear Mr. Patten:

I find that we do not have in our Maine Author Collection in the Maine State Library any of your works, and am writing to see if we cannot fill the void. Our Maine Author Collection is for exhibit purposes only, com- prising about a thousand inscribed presentation volumes, written by Maine sons and daughters. Biographical and critical information is collected also, and all correspondence is carefully filed. Preservation of such items, and the representations of Maine's contribution to literature will offer an invaluable source of data for future historians and students.

One of the great values of the collection, which occupies a special room in the library, is the fact that they are for the most part inscribed by the authors. I am hopeful that you will be willing to inscribe and send to us as gift volumes some of your books. The library will be glad to purchase others to com- plete the collection. We are proud of our Maine Author Collection, and we wish to include all the books of all Maine born authors.

As a resident of Penobscot County, and for twenty-five years editor of the Bangor Commercial, I have often written articles relative to your birth in Corinna. I also very pleasantly remember our slight acquaintance when I was editor of the Rockland Daily Star, and was playing baseball down in Knox County.

I trust you will be able to accede to our request as expressed above, and also hope that you will long continue to supply wholesome sport stories for the boys of the nation.

Very truly yours

State Librarian OLH.m

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