urn:taro:utsa.00135 A Guide to the Beatrice (Beady) Berler Papers, 1920-1998 Encoded in XMetal Author by Tatina Wulzer according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. Descriptive Summary Berler, Beatrice. Beatrice (Beady) Berler Papers 1920-1998Materials are in Englishand Spanish. MS 54 3.6 linear feet University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections Beatrice Berler (Beady) was an author, translator, and President and Trustee of the Brandeis University National Women's Committee from 1971 to 1973. She founded and led the San Antonio chapter of the Brandeis University National Women's Committee, overseeing the annual book sale and the Books to Prisons program. She was also involved with Friends of the San Antonio Public Library. Berler authored one book, The Conquest of Mexico: A Modern Rendering of William H. Prescott's History, and translated many others. The Beatrice (Beady) Berler Papers span the years 1920-1998 and mostly document her work on Mariano Azuela's Epistolario y archivo: Recopilación, notas y apéndices de Beatrice Berler and include original correspondence and archival material Berler assembled related to Mariano Azuela. The papers include Berler's work with Friends of San Antonio Public Library and Brandeis University National Women's Committee programs. Materials include correspondence, clippings, book excerpts, scrapbooks, biographical information, college papers, awards, and photographs. Biographical Note

Beatrice Adele Beady Berler was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Max and Clary (Bichman) Goldenblank on May 10, 1915. She moved to Texas when she was a young woman and married Albert Berler on May 15, 1945. She helped him with his construction business until she became a student at Trinity University. She graduated from Trinity University in 1960 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in history, and in 1963 received her Master of Arts in Foreign Language, also at Trinity.

In the 1950s, Brandeis University asked Jewish women from around the country to help create a library collection. The National Women's Committee was comprised of 65 chapters around the United States, with the chapter in San Antonio being led by Beatrice Berler. Berler also served as the President and Trustee of the National Women's Committee from 1971-1973. Every year the San Antonio chapter would hold a used and antique book sale every to benefit the Brandeis University Library.

In 1972, after hearing a complaint that the prisoners at the El Paso Federal Prison did not have anything to read, Berler donated books to the prison. Hearing that those books weren't the type they wanted to read she sent more books, this time science fiction novels, mysteries, action novels, and other popular fiction. With that success she began to do the same at other prisons around the nation. Berler persuaded publishers from New York to donate to this program. She also donated Spanish books to the program for those who could not read English.

Later on in her life, Berler helped the library raise a total of $170,000 by suggesting that the city mail out library donation envelopes with City Public Service (CPS Energy) bills. After achieving this fundraising success, Mayor Henry Cisneros named Beatrice an official Benefactor of the City of San Antonio.

Berler was also an author and translator. She wrote The Conquest of Mexico: A Modern Rendering of William H. Prescott's History in 1988 and translated Azuela La Veracidad Historica in 1966. She co-translated several other works.

Berler died September 11, 2000.

Sources:

Who's Who in the South and Southwest, 25th edition. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who [etc].

Batiste, Amy.Professional Bookworm Shares Love of Reading.Texas Sesquicentennial. p. 41.

Lindee, Susan.A Book's Best Friend, Beady Berler has a Novel Idea for Those Who Like to Read.San Antonio Light, April 8, 1984: 26.

 Scope and Content Note

The collection spans the years 1920-1998 and the bulk of the material includes clippings, correspondence, book excerpts, scrapbooks, biographical information, college papers, awards, and photographs that document the life and career of Beatrice Beady Berler and Mariano Azuela. A significant portion of the collection is original and photocopied correspondence of Mariano Azuela, which Berler assembled for Epistolario y archivo: Recopilación, notas y apéndices de Beatrice Berler.

The collection is divided into three series: Career Files ,Personal Files, and Photographs.

The Career Files series includes awards, scrapbooks, correspondence, clippings, and a program. The series documents Berler's work on various book projects, as well as civic projects with the Brandeis University National Women's Committee and Friends of the San Antonio Public Library.

The Personal Files series includes biographical material, correspondence, college research papers, and a commencement program.

The Photographs series includes photographs of Beatrice Berler. In one photograph, Berler is pictured with Lady Bird Johnson, in another Berler is pictured alone, and other photographs are from an awards ceremony.

Organization of Collection Series 1. Career Files1.1. Projects1.1.1. Book Projects1.1.2. Brandeis University National Women's Committee1.1.3. Friends of the San Antonio Public Library1.2. Awards1.3. Scrapbooks1.4. Other Material Series 2. Personal Files Series 3. Photographs Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

 Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish materials from the collection must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Beatrice (Beady) Berler Papers, 1920-1998, MS 54, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Acquisition Information

Received from Beatrice Berler in February 1997 (Acc. 1997-007), March 1999 (Acc. 1999-004), March 1999 (Acc. 1999-005), May 1999 (Acc. 1999-027).

 Processing Information

Processed by Tatina Wulzer, Collections Assistant, April 2008.

Portions of the collection were cleaned and re-processed in June, 2011.

 Index Terms Personal Names Berler, Beatrice. Azuela, Mariano, 1873-1952. Organizations Brandeis University National Women's Committee. Friends of the San Antonio Public Library. Subjects Libraries and prisons. Women in charitable work--Texas--San Antonio. Women authors, American--20th century. Azuela, Mariano, 1873-1952. Correspondence. Selections. Locations San Antonio (Tex.)--History--20th century. Genres/Formats Correspondence. Clippings. Photographs. Scrapbooks. Awards. Local Subjects Jewish Organizations Women Writers Detailed Description of the Collection Career Files, 1920-1998 and undated

This series includes awards, scrapbooks, correspondence, clippings, and a program. A majority of the material relates to Berler's work on compiling Mariano Azuela's letters and archival material that was eventually published as Epistolario y archivo: Recopilación, notas y apéndices de Beatrice Berler. Subseries listed under correspondence includes letters of both Berler and Azuela. The series also documents Berler's work on other book projects, as well as civic projects with the Brandeis University National Women's Committee and Friends of the San Antonio Public Library.

Arranged into four subseries: Book Projects, Awards, Scrapbooks, and Other Materials, and chronologically thereafter.

 Book Projects 3Mariano Azuela3El descubrumiento de Los Abajos,undated3Bibliographia de novelista de la revolucion Mexicana por Ernest Moore, 19413Moore, Ernest, Biografia y bibliographia de Don Mariano Azuela,1940; 1966-1969Epistolario y archivo: Recopilación, notas y apéndices de Beatrice Berler3Catalogo de las obras del sabio historiador mexicano Dr. Don Augustin Rivera, undatedCorrespondence3 Assorted correspondence 31898-1950 [photocopies]31925-1947 [photocopies]31926-1949 [photocopies]31926-1964 [originals]31927-1964 [originals]3Azuela, Enríque and Carmen Azuela,1964-19693Becerra, José, 1927-19303Benitez, Ruben, 19663Biblioteca Nacional de Mexico, 1935/19653Brenner, Anita,1928-1930; 19643Brentano's/Enrique Munguia, 1929-19303Cano, Celerino, 19593Frank, Waldo, 1929-19713González, Manuel Pedro31937-195231964-19703González de Mendoza, José María, 31920-195031967-19713Handbook of Latin American Studies,1929-19643Idurate, Andres, 1950-19643Kerchville, F.M., 1933-19643Kiddle, Lawrence,1938-19714L'Argus De La Presse, 1929-19304Larbaud, V. 19294León, Juan González1926-19414Library of Congress/Richard Burgin, 1965-19694Mariano Azuela and his early critics,circa 19694Martínez, Enríque González, 1949-19654Magdaleno, Mauricio, 19354Maurín, Joaquín, 19294Millión, María del Carmen, 1967-19704Francisco, Monterede, 1925/1964-19694Moore, Ernest, 1938;1965-19664Mota, Alfonso Reyes, 1923-19644Muñiz, F. Orozco,1929-19444Ortega, Gregorio, 1926-19354Phillips, Allen, 1966-19714Pomes, Matilde, 1933-19344Publishers, 1969-19704Revista Ibero Amerícana,19664Simpson, Leslie Byrd, 19644Temprano críticos, 19664Toro, Olivinio Alfonso, 1947-19494University of Illinois Press/Luis Leal, 19644University of Oklahoma Press, 1968-19714Vasconcelos, José,19394Vázquez, Octavio Véjar, 1943-4Forms for civil service [Mariano Azuela], 1927-19434Media clippings, 1968-1969OM 2Revista de Ameríca, Num. 1238,1969 septiembre 13OM 2Assorted newspaper clippings,19694Notations, undated4PEN Congress/honors, undatedLos Abajos/ Las tribulaciones de una familia decenteCorrespondence 4Azuela, Enríque,1961-19644MacMillian publishing,1961-19644Mariano Azuela: vida y obra, por Luis Leal, 196116The Conquest of Mexico: A Modern Rendering of William H. Prescott's History materials, 1988-1997 and undated17Book translations, 1966 and undated18Annual book sale, 1973-199619-10Books to prisons program -- correspondence and clippings, 1964-1984, 1985-1987, undated111Friends of the San Antonio Public Library, 1987-1989 and undated Awards,1963-1994

The Awards subseries includes awards she received and other information about the Brotherhood Awards Banquet and the Harold Vagtbord award.

OM1Awards,1963-1964, 198021-2Awards,1984-1994 23Scrapbooks,1987-198824Other materials,1970-1998 and undated

Includes clippings, correspondence, and ribbons from Brandeis University National Women's Committee.

 Personal Files, 1960-1998 and undated

Includes biographical material, correspondence, college papers, and other materials.

Arranged alphabetically by type of material.

 1 1 Biographical material, 1996-1998 1 2-3 College papers, 1960-1963 and undated 1 4 Commencement program, May 30, 1960 1 5 Correspondence, 1995-1998 Photographs,1977, 1988-1991, and undated

Comprises photographs of Beatrice Berler. In one photograph, Berler is pictured with Lady Bird Johnson, in another Berler is pictured alone, and other photographs are from an awards ceremony.

Photographs are arranged chronologically.

25Photographs,1977, 1988-1991, and undated