Scope and Content Note
The papers of Thorvald Soberg (1852-1949) consist of correspondence; memoranda and reports; drafts of copyright legislation; handwritten, near-print, and printed copies of speeches, articles, and books; genealogical and biographical material; financial records; notebooks; photographs; and printed matter dated between 1882 and 1949, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the years 1897-1930 while Solberg was register of copyrights in the United States.
The greatest part of the collection relates to Solberg’s efforts to protect literary rights in America and abroad. As part of this effort Solberg carried on extensive correspondence with leaders in this field such as William Archer, Willard Fiske, Wendell Phillips Garrison, and Bernard Shaw and represented the United States at the international conference in Rome in 1928 that revised the convention for the protection of literary and artistic works. Solberg collected a large file of material relating to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works of 1886 and the Berlin convention of 1908 as well as material dating from 1887 to 1940 relating to congressional legislation affecting copyright. Subjects include the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works of 1896, the revision of the convention in 1908, and the congress in Rome, Italy, leading to its 1928 revision. Copies of his speeches, articles and monographs on copyright matters are also in the papers.
The biographical files include material on Solberg’s Norwegian genealogical background, family and personal life, his career in the Library of Congress, and his trips to Europe. Solberg’s bibliographical interest concentrated on the book production of the Balearic Islands and the writings of Ludwig Salvator (Archduke of Austria, 1847-1915), and writings in English on Scandinavia.
Correspondents include R. R. Bowker, Richard C. DeWolf, J. C. M. Hanson, Marie Maschner, Bernard Shaw, and several members of Solberg's family.