A Bibliography of Oneida, Madison, & Herkimer County Authors, 1798-2004
From our earliest writers who composed by quill and candlelight to the wordsmiths of today who cruise keyboards and the Internet, the writers of Oneida, Madison, and Herkimer Counties have created a remarkably rich literary heritage. Authors born or who lived here have produced an extraordinary variety and quality of works which have educated, informed, entertained and inspired people around the world.
In being a chronicle of those works, this bibliography is also a celebration of them--and its publication comes, fittingly, in conjunction with the larger celebration of the county's bicentennial.
A brief explanation of the guidelines with which this piece was developed will help in using and understanding it.
This bibliography includes authors living and deceased who were born or at one time lived in Oneida County. If the person was born in one community but lived in others, he or she is listed in the most recent place of residence. Often the high school from which the author graduated was the determining factor.
Where there was uncertainty about the author's place of residence, the title was listed under the community the book is about.
When a title main entry was used instead of a personal name, an effort was made to list all of the contributing authors who were local.
The book--fiction and non-fiction, written in English-- is the only format included. Magazine and newspaper articles, technical papers, scholarly works such as doctoral theses, and musical compositions could not be included. Items that were only edited by Oneida County authors were not included either, unless the book was on a topic of local interest.
The classification "YA" stands for young adult.
Some titles area available in large print, some as sound recordings (books on cassette) and some have been made into movies and are available on video cassette. The bibliographic information about these alternate formats is neither included nor indicated.
Most of the books area available in local libraries. The Mid-York Library System staff might be of assistance in locating specific volumes not found in a local library.
A WORK IN PROGRESS
While every effort was made to make this a comprehensive
listing--and we believe it to be the most inclusive bibliography of Oneida,
Madison, and Herkimer County authors compiled to date--the scope of such
a project makes it inevitable that some works were inadvertently omitted.
What's more of course, new ones are being developed continually. Consequently,
this is truly a work in progress and new information in both categories
is being tracked for inclusion in future editions.
As is always the case with a project of this magnitude, sincere thanks are due to many whose efforts made it possible. First, we are grateful to all who submitted the data which became the substance of the bibliography, including those who contributed to the Mid-York Library System's 1986 bibliography of authors from Madison, Oneida and Herkimer counties, which served as the starting point for this book.
Among those who played instrumental roles in guiding the process, preparing the data for publication, and designing and producing the book itself were Darby O'Brien, Director of Utica Public Library; Mary Lou Caskey, Assistant Director of Mid-York Library System; Marshal Smith and Diane Berry, also of the Mid-York staff; Glory Rasi of Desktop Designs; and Bob Montesano of REM Communications.
We especially thank the sponsors--companies and individuals--whose combined financial support underwrote production costs. They are formally acknowledged in the booklet. Their generosity, community mindedness and appreciation of the written word has provided a resource of immeasurable value for this and future generations.
It is to all of the residents of Oneida County--past, present and future--that this bibliography is dedicated. May it be a source of pride, and used to learn and grow as Oneida County moves into its third century.
Joe Kelly
Oneida County Historian
March 1998
Mid-York
Library System, 1600 Lincoln Avenue, Utica, New York, U.S.A. 13502; http://www.midyork.org;
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