This collection is currently undergoing construction. Should you have any questions about it or its materials please reach out to Special Collections.

Founded in West Branch, Iowa and, based on his Iowa City magazine of the same name, Toothpaste Press served as a fine press that worked with independent authors and presses. Founders Allan and Cinda Kornblum eventually moved to Minneapolis, where they redeveloped the press under the name of Coffee House Press. The poems, short stories, and other creative work from a wide range of authors, both published and unpublished, as well as correspondence and records from both presses, have been gathered in this collection, organized as follows:

Series 1: Correspondence. All correspondence with Toothpaste Press (1970-1984), Coffee House Press (1984-2000), and their founders. The files have been listed alphabetically by last name or organization. Files that do not contain a specific correspondent are gathered at the end of the series. Please note that the order of the files here may not match the order they are found within the boxes. When requesting items, make sure you are requesting the relevant box.

Series 2: Authored Works. Poems, short stories, or other creative works within the collection. These have been purposefully separated from correspondence. Folders contain drafts, copies, or proofs of the named work, not communication about it. Some creative work may be found within the folder of the respective correspondent from Series 1, but, regardless of what folder it may be in, most of the work is referenced in this series. The files are also ordered by the author's last name or the press that is associated with the work.

Series 3: Printing and Publication Materials. Proofs and other materials that may have been used in publications from the press. The materials found in this series are not written materials and are unauthored.

Series 4: Newsletters and Magazines. Publications from presses. Most of the materials in this series are from other presses and were received as part of partnerships, memberships, or subscriptions.

Series 5: Conference and Exhibition Materials. Programs, leaflets, and invitations for pbulic events, including book fairs, conferences, and other exhibitions. Materials are organized alphabetically by the name of the event.

Series 6: Book and Publisher Lists. Lists of books and works along with descriptions and cost as presented by presses. Some lists are provided by publishers themselves; others are colelcted by outside organizations.

Series 7: Business Materials. General records, paperwork, and files from Toothpaste Press and Coffee House Press associated with daily operations.

Series 8: Financial Records. Records and invoices for and from Toothpaste Press and Coffee House Press. Most files within the series are organized alphabetically by business, organization, or buyer.

Series 9: Grant and Award Applications. Applications and other materials for special arts grants and other funding for Toothpaste Press and Coffee House Press.

Additional addenda from 2003 onward are currently separated by year of acquisition and generally consist of correspondence and submitted manuscripts related to Coffee House Press. Some additional artwork and press records can also be found. Please note that the addenda within this collection remain unprocessed.

Since the University receives an addition for Coffee House every few years, this collection will continue to grow. We will attempt to organize this collection in a way which will accommodate this growth, however, users should be sure to familiarize themselves with the organization in order to use this collection effectively.