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The Masses: Library Holdings in the U.S.
The MJP would like to digitize The Masses (1911-1917), one of the most lively and important little magazines published in America, but original cover-to-cover hard copies are scarce, and we've had difficulty tracking down substantial runs of the magazine. This webpage is an attempt at locating those issues. Immediately below (and on a linked page), we're providing detailed information about the magazine and every issue that was published. And we're also attempting to locate every library in the U.S. that holds original copies of the magazine and to confirm their holdings in the list below.
Information about The Masses (1911-1917)
Periodicity: monthly
Total number of issues: 79 (80 if the Nov/Dec 1917 double issue is counted as two)
Total number of pages: 2,152
Editors: Thomas Seltzer (1.1-4: Jan-Apr 1911), Horatio Winslow (1.5-12: May-Dec 1911), Piet Vlag (3.1 – 4.2: Jan-Aug 1912), Max Eastman (4.3 – 10.1/2: Dec 1912 - Nov/Dec 1917)
Quick overview of volumes/issues (click here to see a comprehensive list of the magazine's volumes and issues):
- Vol. 1: 12 issues (Jan-Dec 1911): 240 pp. (total); 20 pp. per issue
- [Vol. 2 doesn't exist, and is skipped in volume/issue numbering]
- Vol. 3: 6 issues (Jan-Jun 1912): 120 pp. (total); 20 pp. per issue
- Vol. 4: 12 issues (Jul 1912 - Sep 1913): 240 pp. (total); 20 pp. per issue. Notes: The magazine was suspended for three months in 1912, from September through November, though the numbering of issues continues uninterrupted when the magazine resumes in December. Beginning with Dec 1912 (issue 4.3), each issue is assigned an additional cumulative issue number; the Dec 1912 issue is identified as issue no. 19, though it was in fact the 21st issue of the magazine.
- Vol. 5: 12 issues (Oct 1913 - Sep 1914; issue nos. 29-40): 288 pp. (total); 24 pp. per issue
- Vol. 6: 12 issues (Oct 1914 - Sep 1915; issue nos. 41-52): 300 pp. (total); all issues have 24 pp. except for three (issues 6.7 and 6.9-10) which each have 28
- Vol. 7: 1 issue (Oct/Nov 1915; issue no. 53): 28 pp. Note: The remainder of volume 7 and the first issue of volume 8 don't exist.
- Vol. 8: 11 issues (beginning with issue 8.2: Dec 1915 - Oct 1916; issue nos. 54-64): 364 pp. (total), with varying pp. for individual issues: 8.2 (Dec 1915): 28 pp., 8.3 (Jan 1916): 24 pp., 8.4 (Feb): 24 pp., 8.5 (Mar): 28 pp., 8.6 (Apr): 32 pp., 8.7 (May): 28 pp., 8.8 (Jun): 36 pp., 8.9 (Jul): 36 pp., 8.10 (Aug): 48 pp., 8.11 (Sep): 44 pp., 8.12 (Oct 1916): 36 pp.
- Vol. 9: 12 issues (Nov 1916 - Oct 1917; issue nos. 65-76): 528 pp. (total), with varying pp. for individual issues: 9.1 (Nov 1916): 24 pp., 9.2 (Dec): 40 pp., 9.3 (Jan 1917): 44 pp., 9.4 (Feb): 44 pp., 9.5 (Mar): 44 pp., 9.6 (Apr): 44 pp., 9.7 (May): 44 pp., 9.8 (Jun): 52 pp., 9.9 (Jul): 52 pp., 9.10 (Aug): 52 pp., 9.11 (Sep): 44 pp., 9.12 (Oct 1917): 44 pp.
- Vol. 10: 1 issue (identified as a double issue: Nov and Dec 1917; issue nos. 77 and 78): 44 pp.
A reprint of The Masses was published by Kraus (Millwood, N.Y) in 1980, consisting of four volumes: 1-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10. A microfilm copy of the magazine was also produced by the Library of Congress Photoduplication Service (Washington, D.C.) in 1975.
Libraries with original hard copies
The following institutions are listed on WorldCat as owning hard copies of The Masses (OCLC accession nos: 1756843; 228717199).
In the individual volume listings below, the first number represents the volume, the second set of numbers after the colon represents separate issues from that volume, and the last number (within parentheses) is the total number of issues owned for that volume: e.g., 3: 2-6 (5) = volume 3: issues 2-6 (5 issues owned).
| Library | Total no. of issues owned | Vol 1 (12 issues, Jan-Dec 1911) | Vol 3 (6 issues, Jan-Jun 1912) | Vol 4 (12 issues, Jul 1912-Sep 1913) | Vol 5 (12 issues, Oct 1913-Sep 1914) | Vol 6 (12 issues, Oct 1914-Sep 1915) | Vol 7 (1 issue, Oct/Nov 1915) | Vol 8 (11 issues, Dec 1915-Oct 1916) | Vol 9 (12 issues, Nov 1916-Oct 1917) | Vol 10 (1 issue, Nov/Dec 1917) | Notes about the issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ: University of Arizona | 27 | 6: 4-8, 10-12 (8) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 2-7, 9 (7) | Holdings confirmed. Issues are in very fragile condition. | |||||
| CA: California State Library | ? | Unspecific holdings for vols 4 - 9: may be the reprint. | |||||||||
| CA: Hoover Institution (Stanford) | 49 | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | 10: 1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Four bound volumes, many issues in fragile condition. Hoover catalogue record. | |||
| CA: Huntington Library | 29 | 6: 4, 7-12 (7) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 3-7, 9-12 (9) | 10: 1/2 (1) | Holdings confirmed. | ||||
| CA: Los Angeles Public Library | ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 1 - 8: may be the reprint. | |||||||||
| CA: University of California, Irvine | 2 | 6: 1 (1) | 8: 9 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Catalogue record. | |||||||
| CA: UCLA | 65 | 1: 4-7, 9-11 (7) | 3: 2, 4-5 (3) | 4: 3-12 (10) | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-3, 5-8, 10, 12 (8) | 9: 1-12 (12) | Holdings confirmed. All issues are fragile and brittle, cover-to-cover except for 1: 4-5, 7, 11; 8: 6; 9: 1. | |
| CA: University of California, Santa Barbara | 4 | 4: 11 (1) | 7: 1 (1) | 9: 9, 12 (2) | |||||||
| CT: Yale University | 72 | 1: 3-12 (10) | 3: 1-6 (6) | 4: 1-12 (12) | 5: 1-4, 7-12 (10) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2, 4-9, 11-12 (9) | 9: 1-11 (11) | 10: 1/2 (1) | |
| IL: The Newberry Library | 45 | 5: 4-12 (9) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | Holdings confirmed. Issues are bound, with many loose pages; all covers present, in good condition. This collection likely belonged to Floyd Dell, with his handwriting in some issues. | ||||
| IL: Northern Illinois University | 2 | 9: 11-12 (2) | |||||||||
| IL: Northwestern University | 54 | 4: 5, 7, 10-12 (5) | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | 10: 1/2 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Two incomplete runs, with duplicates of 37 issues. Most issues are complete, though some marginal text and images for one run were trimmed away during binding. Many issues from vol. 9 are in especially bad shape. NU catalogue record. | ||
| IL: Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville | ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 1 - 10 may be the reprint (Lovejoy catalogue record). | |||||||||
| IL: University of Chicago | 75 | 1: 1-8 (8) | 3: 1-6 (6) | 4: 1-12 (12) | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | 10: 1/1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. All issues include covers and ads. |
| IL: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | 21 | 6: 4-5 (2) | 8: 3-4, 7-9, 11-12 (7) | 9: 2-12: 11 | 10: 1/2 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Issues in fragile condition. | |||||
| IN: Indiana University | 32 | 4: 7, 9 (2) | 5: 3-4, 8-9, 11 (5) | 6: 1-3, 5, 7-12 (10) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1, 6, 10 (3) | May own more issues from vols 4 - 9, though those issues may be the reprint (IUCAT record). | |||
| KS: University of Kansas | ? | Unspecified scattered issues (KU catalogue record). | |||||||||
| MA: Brandeis University | 9 | 6: 1, 4-6, 8-9, 12 (7) | 8: 4-5 (2) | Holdings confirmed. Issues are generally intact, though their condition is fragile. | |||||||
| MA: Harvard University | 77 | 1: 1-12 (12) | 3: 1-6 (6) | 4: 1-12 (12) | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-4, 6-12 | Holdings confirmed. All issues are very brittle, though mostly intact, with some detached pages and/or covers. Harvard catalogue record. | |
| MA: Smith College | 1 | 9: 12 (1) | |||||||||
| MA: Tufts University | ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 1 -10 may be the reprint (catalogue record). | |||||||||
| MI: Michigan State University | 50 | 4: 5-6, 9 (3) | 5: 1-2, 4-9, 11-12 (10) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | 10: 1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. All issues cover-to-cover, though in very fragile condition. Michigan State catalogue record. | ||
| MI: University of Michigan | ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 1, 3 - 10: may be reprint (catalogue record). | |||||||||
| MN: Minnesota Historical Society | ? | Unspecified holdings. | |||||||||
| MN: University of Minnesota | ? | Unspecified holdings. | |||||||||
| MO: Washington University | 33 ? | 3: 6-12 (7) ? | 4: 1-7 (7) ? | 5: 6, 11-12 (3) ? | 6: 1-5, 7-12 (11) ? | 7: 1-3, 5, 7 (5) ? | Dates assigned to numbered issues in catalogue record are wrong; issues listed for vols. 3 (6-12) and 7 (2-3, 5, 7) don't exist. | ||||
| NC: Duke University | 48 | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | Holdings confirmed. All issues appear to be cover-to-cover, most in good shape. Some loss of text on covers. | ||||
| ND: University of North Dakota | ? | Unspecified holdings. | |||||||||
| NJ: Princeton University | 24 | 6: 1, 4-12 (10) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-2 (2) | Holdings confirmed. Ten issues are complete; twelve with front or back cover pages missing; eight with internal pages missing. | |||||
| NY: Brooklyn Museum | 1 | 6: 12 (1) | Catalogue record | ||||||||
| NY: Cornell University | 13 ? | 7: 1 (1) ? | 8: 2-10, 12 (10) | 9: 1-2 (2) | Catalogue record lists issue 8.1, which doesn't exist (but may be 7.1). | ||||||
| NY: Hamilton College | 1 | 9: 9 (1) | |||||||||
| NY: New York State Library | ? | Unspecified holdings. | |||||||||
| NY: New York University | 78 | 1: 1-12 (12) | 3: 1-6 (6) | 4: 1-2, 4-12 (11) | 5: 1-12 (12) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-12 (12) | 10: 1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. All issues are cover-to-cover and in relatively good condition. |
| NY: SUNY Buffalo | 22 | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-4, 6-12 (11) | Holdings confirmed. Issues are well worn (some in crisis) and mostly off-limits. | |||||||
| NY: Syracuse University | 58 ? | 4: 4-12 (9) | 5: 1-12 (12) ? | 6: 1-12 (12) ? | 7: 1 (1) ? | 8: 2-12 (11) ? | 9: 1-12 (12) ? | 10: 1/2 (1) ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 5-10 may be reprint (catalogue record). | ||
| NY: Utica College | 12 | 8: 3-12 (10) | 9: 1-2 (2) | ||||||||
| NY: Whitney Museum of American Art Library | ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 1 - 10: may be the reprint. | |||||||||
| OH: Cleveland Public Library | ? | 8: ? | 9: ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 8 & 9. | |||||||
| OH: Ohio State University | ? | 5: ? | 6: ? | 7: ? | 8: ? | 9: ? | Unspecified holdings for vols 5 - 10 may be the reprint. | ||||
| OK: University of Tulsa | 2 | 8: 10-11 (2) | |||||||||
| PA: Lafayette College | 56 | 1: 2 (1) | 3: 4, 6 (2) | 4: 3-7, 9-11 (8) | 5: 1-2, 5-12 (10) | 6: 1-12 (12) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1-11 (11) | Holdings confirmed. Issues 8.3 – 9.2 (Jan–Dec 1916) are bound and in good condition. All other copies are loose and brittle, requiring careful handling. All issues have covers. Lafeyette catalogue record. | |
| RI: Brown University | 21 | 3: 4 (1) | 4: 9-12 (4) | 5: 2-3, 9 (3) | 6: 2, 6-7 (3) | 8: 3-7, 12 (6) | 9: 1, 5, 10 12 (4) | Holdings confirmed. Most covers in bad shape; content pp. mostly good (except for 8.5, 9: 5, 10, 12). | |||
| TX: Amon Carter Museum | ? | Unspecified holdings. | |||||||||
| TX: University of Texas, Austin (Harry Ransom Center) | 53 | 1: 1-5, 10-12 (8) | 3: 3-6 (4) | 4: 1-2, 4-8, 10-12 (10) | 5: 1-6, 11-12 (8) | 6: 1-3, 5-10, 12 (10) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 2-12 (11) | 9: 1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Unbound issues, mostly in good shape; all covers are present, though some are detached and slightly damaged. HRC catalogue record. | |
| VA: University of Virginia | 1 | 6: 1 (1) | Holdings confirmed. Cover and ad pages of issue 6.1 are intact. | ||||||||
| VT: Middlebury College | 40 ? | 4: 3-12 (10) | 5: 1-12 (12) ? | 6: 1-8, 11-12 (10) | 7: 1 (1) | 8: 3-7, 11-12 (7) | Catalogue record suggests there may be two overlapping sets of issues for vol. 5 | ||||
| VT: University of Vermont | 18 | 8: 7-12 (6) | 9: 1-12 (12) | Holdings confirmed. Most issues in pretty good shape; some 1916 issues deteriorating; May 1916 cover missing. UVM catalogue record. |