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October 2, 1945

Miss Norma Berger 24 Clearway Street Boston 15, Massachusetts

Dear Miss Berger:

Thank you for your letter of October 1, with its hopeful news and the information about SELECTED POEMS. You are very kind to present a copy to the Maine Author Collection, and we look forward eagerly to seeing the book. We are of course adding it to our order list as well, so that another copy may be available for lending.

It seems unlikely that anyone from the library will be in Boston in the near future. If, however, Miss Stuart, the State Librarian, or another of the staff should visit Boston, we will try to make an appointment with you.

Your mention of a memorial collection is certainly fine, and we hope that something of this nature may be arranged. At present, we do not have adequate facilities for displaying such material, though several presentations have been made against the day when a Maine room may be available. Plans are in progress to enlarge the State House, or construct a new office building. The library is promised additional space, and we intend to have a Maine room, especially for exhibits such as you mention. Until then, however, we must regretfully confess that although we can care for books, and have sufficient wall space to hang a number of paintings, we cannot exhibit (with the protection to which they are entitled) manuscripts.

The matter is, we understand, not to be settled immediately; and perhaps some happy solution will present itself. Meanwhile, we are grateful for your interest, and hope to have in the library one day some of your distinguished uncle's painting: possibly studies of Katahdin, or other equally Maine-flavored work. We speak of the Katahdin not alone because some of his finest painting was of this mountain, but also because several of his most interesting letters were written to us while he was contemplating the project, arranging his schedule and seeking information about the country.

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