Children's Book - Lollipops, Lizards and Literature, 1992-1999

This collection is organized into two major groups. The first part of the collection comprises the Kalliope files, which include correspondence to and from contributors, information about awards, histories of the publication, reviews, documentation from specific issues, event information, and sponsored projects. The bulk of material related to publication of the journal runs from volume 17 no. 2 through volume 26 no. 2. Earlier material is limited. The correspondence files contain letters from well-known authors including E.L. Konigsburg, Marge Piercy, and Elisavietta Ritchie.

Many files pertain to the publicity and publication of the journal as well as special projects, such as the Sponsored Reading Series, and ventures into the creation of children's books. The Sponsored Reading Series brought in a major female writer each year to give a reading and run a workshop. Kalliope published two children's books, New Lit on the Block and Lollipops, Lizards, and Literature. Both publications include poetry, stories, and artwork by children as well as Kalliope authors. Lollipops, Lizards and Literature includes the only publication of Gwendolyn Brooks "I Smile When I See People Coming." There are copies of both works in the collection.

The second group in the collection consists of Mary Sue Koeppel's files. The files include biographical information, correspondence (mainly recognition), manuscripts and other writings, photographs, community involvement, and information on other editorial positions. There are multiple copies of her manuscripts for In the Library of Silences and Between the Bones edited by other authors, including Enid Shomer and Lola Haskins.

In addition to the two major groups of files, the collection also contains video and audio recordings. There are video recordings of the two writers' series "Worth Quoting" and "Writer-to-Writer," and videos of an interview and a poetry reading with Mary Sue Koeppel. The audio recordings include cassette tapes of the program "Kalliope-on-the-Air," which aired on WJCT in Jacksonville. There is a cassette tape of poems published in volume 19 no. 1, "Secrets," recorded for the 25th Anniversary. Other cassette tapes consist of an interview with Koeppel, and an interview with Enid Shomer (microcassette). In 2024, eleven issues of Kalliope that were acquired from the Pride Center of North Central Florida or donated by Mary Sue Koeppel were added to the collection and are located in box six.