St. Michael's College, U of T

About the Archives

History of the Archives

The material in the Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection was donated to the John M. Kelly Library at the University of St. Michael's College on January 19, 2000 by the Literary Executrix of Nouwen's estate, Sue Mosteller, C.S.J.. The donation included more than 124 linear feet of material from L'Arche Daybreak as well as 29 linear feet of material originally deposited by Nouwen at the Yale Divinity Library. The Archives and Research Collection was officially opened on September 21, 2000. The Archives is under the direction of Gabrielle Earnshaw, Curator.

Scope of the Archives

The Archives and Research Collection consists of archival material, published works and artefacts and memorabilia.

Archival material. There are some 100 linear feet of archival records. The material ranges in date from 1910 to 1996; however, the predominant date range is 1964-1996. The archival material includes:

• Manuscripts (including short and book length, published and unpublished)
• Teaching materials (including classroom handouts, lectures and class notes)
• Incoming and outgoing correspondence
• Administrative files related to publishing, daily activities, and L'Arche Daybreak
• Financial files
• Weekly engagement calendars
• Photographs
• Awards and degrees
• Audio and videocassettes of conference and retreat presentations and of radio interviews
• Research material collected by Nouwen about Anton Boisen, Seward Hiltner, Thomas Merton, Vincent Van Gogh and the Circus

Published works include:

• Books by Nouwen
• Translations of books by Nouwen
• Books to which Nouwen contributed
• Magazine, newspaper and journal articles by Nouwen
• Books kept by Nouwen (including books on Van Gogh, Rembrandt and the Circus)
• Commercial audio and videocassettes by Nouwen
• Books and articles about Nouwen
• Book reviews of works by Nouwen

Artefacts and Memorabilia include:

• Artwork kept by Nouwen
• Personal artefacts
• Published and unpublished material collected about Nouwen's death and funeral, including obituaries, eulogies, funeral service programs etc.
• Songs, poems, and letters written in memory of Nouwen by admirers, and other material that documents the life and work of Henri Nouwen

Mandate of the Archives

The Archives exists to:

• Collect and preserve archival material created by and about Henri Nouwen
• Collect and maintain a library of books, articles, interviews and other published material by and about Henri Nouwen, as well as reference material, artifacts and memorabilia that documents the life and work of Henri Nouwen
• Arrange and describe materials according to archival principles and make them accessible to the general public on a regular basis, unless access is restricted
• Provide adequate and appropriate conditions for the storage, protection, and preservation of archival material
• Provide regular reference services to individuals, organizations, or other groups interested in the activities and holdings of the Archives
• Provide educational and outreach programs whenever possible to increase public awareness and knowledge of the life and work of Henri J.M. Nouwen

Contact Information

The Archives is located on the main floor of the John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael's College, 113 St. Joseph Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1J4. Click here for directions.

The Curator of the Archives is Gabrielle Earnshaw. She can be reached at:

Telephone: (416) 926 1300 x3405
Fax: (416) 926 7262
Email: nouwen.archives@utoronto.ca

Hours of Operation

The archives is open Monday to Friday. Hours of operation vary; please call ahead to make an appointment.

Purchasing Material

Published books, audio and videotapes can be purchased through Daybreak Publications. Please contact Steve Ellis at:

Daybreak Publications
11339 Yonge Street
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Canada L4S 1L1
Telephone: (905) 884 3454 x 234
Toll-free (800) 853 1412
Fax: (905) 884 0763
E-mail: pubs@larchedaybreak.com

Donating Material to the Archives

The Archives actively pursues and accepts donation of material by or about Henri Nouwen. Letters, notes, audio and videocassettes, transcripts of talks, manuscripts and other material would be of great interest and value to the Archives. Please contact the Curator to discuss your interest further.

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For more information
contact Gabrielle Earnshaw (nouwen.archives@utoronto.ca),
(416) 926-1300, ext. 3405.