women's studies library resources in wisconsin

vol. 2,no. 4 summer 1981

FROm THE EDITORS
The t h i r d annual N a t i o n a l Women's S t u d i e s A s s o c i a t i o n (NWSA) c o n v e n t i o n was h e l d
from May 31 t h r o u g h June 4 , 1981, a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C o n n e c t i c u t - S t o r r s . In
r e v i e w i n g t h e publ i c i t y and c o n f e r e n c e program, I am s t r u c k b y t h e s i m i l a r i t y be-
tween t h e g o a l s o f NWSA and t h o s e o f t h e Women's S t u d i e s L i b r a r i a n - a t - L a r g e . The
NWSA C o n s t i t u t i o n s t a t e s t h a t t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n i s designed " t o f u r t h e r t h e s o c i a l ,
p o l i t i c a l , and p r o f e s s i o n a l development o f women's s t u d i e s a t e v e r y e d u c a t i o n a l
1 eve1 and i n e v e r y e d u c a t i o n a l s e t t i n g . " I n a s i m i l a r v e i n , t h e Women's S t u d i e s
L i b r a r i a n - a t - L a r g e , a p o s i t i o n c r e a t e d i n 1977 ( t h e same y e a r as t h e f o u n d i n g o f
NWSA) , p r o v i d e s an i n f o r m a t i o n and advocacy s e r v i c e t o women's s t u d i e s f a c u l ty,
women's s t u d i e s programs, l i b r a r i a n s , s t u d e n t s , and t h e general u n i v e r s i t y com-
munity.

NWSA t r i e s t o a c h i e v e i t s e d u c a t i o n a l g o a l s by s e v e r a l means. Through i t s na-

t i o n a l and r e g i o n a l conferences, people have an o p p o r t u n i t y t o exchange prag-
matic information. For example, under t h e theme "Women Respond t o Racism,"
p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h e 1981 c o n f e r e n c e examined t h e c o n j u n c t i o n o f r a c i s m and sex-
ism from an i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y and mu1 t i - c u l t u r a l p e r s p e c t i v e . I n a d d i t i o n t o
i t s annual conferences, NWSA has developed a s e r v i c e l e a r n i n g p r o j e c t which i s
designed t o t a k e women's s t u d i e s from t h e classroom t o t h e community. NWSA a l s o
o f f e r s s e v e r a l publ i c a t i o n s f o r s a l e--the 1980 c o n f e r e n c e program, The Women's
S t u d i e s S e r v i c e L e a r n i n g Handbook, and t h e proceedings from t h e 1979 conference.
The F e m i n i s t Press, i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h t h e N a t i o n a l Women's S t u d i e s Associa-
t i o n , publ i s h e s t h e Women's S t u d i e s Q u a r t e r 1y.

A t t h e 1980 NWSA c o n f e r e n c e i n Bloomington, I n d i a n a , t h e L i b r a r i a n s ' Task Force

was c r e a t e d . A t t h e 1981 conference i n S t o r r s , t h e Task Force met a g a i n t o ex-
p l o r e ways t o i n s u r e access t o i n f o r m a t i o n n o t o n l y t h r o u g h w e l l - r e c o g n i z e d

Continued o n page seven

EDITORS: Linda Parker, Women's Studies Librarian-at-Large and Catherine Loeb,

Women's Studies Specialist. Graphic Rrtist: Catharina Schimert.
UnlVERSlTY OF UIlSCOnSln SYSTEm 112A memorial Library 728 State St. madison, UII
RRDICRC RRCHIVING : THE CESOIRN
HERSTORY RRCHIVES
". . . I want you to see that there i s a passion in what we do," wrote Joan Nestle
to Judith Schwarz, i n r e ponse to Judith's i n i t i a l inquiries about the Lesbian
Herstory Archives ( L H A ) . f A sense of passionate purpose and dedication comes
through powerfully in a l l LHA statements and writings. The LHA c a l l s what they
do "radical archiving," and many of t h e i r principles represent substantial depar-
tures from conventional archiving practices. Their goals go f a r beyond the task
of collecting materials on lesbian l i f e and culture. The LHA wants to al,ter.our
very conceptions of the place of culture in our l i v e s . Some of the core princi-
ples guiding the LHA are:
*"All lesbian women must have access to the archives; no credentials
for usage or inclusion, race and class must be no barrier";
*"The archives should be housed within the community, not on an aca-
demic campus t h a t i s by definition closed t o many women";
*"The archives should be involved i n the pol i t i c a l struggles of the
Lesbian people";
*"Archival s k i l l s shall be taught, one generation of Lesbians to an-
other, breaking the elitism of traditional archives";
*"The community should share in the work of the archives";
*"The archives will collect the prints of a l l our 1 ives, not just. pre-
serve the records of the famous or the published1';2
*"funding i s sought from within the cornunity the archives serves, ra-
ther than from outside sources.
Joan Nestle has summarized these principles w i t h the statemerlt, "Our concept i s
a living grassroots Archives t h a t i s open to a l l i t s people, the Lesbian people,
that creates cul ure and supports the peopl-e's struggles while i t preserves
t h e i r memories." S
Lesbians and lesbian culture have been historically invisible. Not only has
there been a t r a g i c f a i l u r e to collect and preserve the records of lesbian 1 ives;
in cases where such records have been saved, the reluctance of archivists to use
the word "1 esbian" (or an e a r n entl to describe the coll ections has made t h e i r
identification a formidab1 e 'task. ~ b e nthe recent, long-awaited
Sources : A Guide to Archives and Manuscript Coll ections i n the
ted by Andrea Hinding (Bowker, 1979) 1 i s t s only one collection (from among over
18,000) under the index term "lesbianism." A woman who worked as a writer for
the Women's History Sources project concluded, "I'm afraid lesbian researchers
will have to wade through the 1095 pages of entries with t h e i r intuitions as
t h e i r primary guide.1'4 The motto of the LHA i s "In memory of the voices we have
l o s t , " and the desire to retrieve l o s t voices and restore v i s i b i l i t y i s a t the
heart of the LHA endeavor. Joan Nestle writes, "The roots of the Archives 1 i e
in the silenced voices, the love l e t t e r s destroyed, the pronouns changed, the
diaries carefully edited, the pictures never taken, the euphemized distortations
that patriarchy would l e t pass."5

Page Two
Founded i n 1974, t h e Archives has developed and grown w i t h i n t h e rooms o f a New
York C i t y apartment shared by LHA c o l l e c t i v e members Deborah Edel and Joan Nestle.
(Other c u r r e n t c o l l e c t i v e members a r e V a l e r i e I t n y r e , J u d i t h Schwarz, and Georgia
Brooks.) Deborah, Joan and J u d i t h have made a l i f e t i m e commitment t o t h e Archives.
Most fundamentally, t h e LHA i s s u b s i d i z e d by i t s c o l l e c t i v e members, who a l l work
f u l l - t i m e j o b s t o support themselves and t h e Archives. I t i s i n s p i r i n g and awe-
some t o contemplate t h e energy these women a r e w i l l i n g and a b l e t o p u t i n t o t h e
Archives above and beyond t h e i r employment commitments. There i s , o f course, a
d a i l y f l o w o f f i l i n g , c a t a l o g i n g , and correspondence t o be attended t o as t h e
c o i l e c t i o n s a r e developed. I n a d d i t i o n , LHA women a r e i n v o l v e d i n :

* d a i l y t o u r s o f t h e Archives, c u r r e n t l y numbering around 500 a year;

* pub1 i c a t i o n o f a p e r i o d i c n e w s l e t t e r ;
* development o f b i b l i o g r a p h i e s and slide.sbaws;
* p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e r e g u l a r LHA s l i d e show t o groups-Qf women-across
t h e country;
* f u n d - r a s i s e r s , i n c l u d i n g a c u l t u r a l s e r i e s e n t i t l e d "At Home With t h e Archives";
* f a c i l i t a t i o n o f s t u d y groups;
* c r e a t i o n o f a p o s t e r s e r i e s commemorating 1esbian images;
* p r o v i s i o n o f r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e s and b i b l i o g r a p h i e s t o students
and teachers;
* l e n d i n g support t o and s h a r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h developing r e g i o n a l
archives.6

The Lesbian H e r s t o r y Archives Newsletter i s an i n v a l u a b l e source o f i n f o r m a t i o n

on t h e work o f l e s b i a n researchers and a r c h i v i s t s across t h e U n i t e d States, as
w e l l as on Archives a c t i v i t i e s . Every i s s u e i n c l u d e s a 1 i s t i n g o f t h e Archives'
holdings on some aspect o f 1 esbian c u l t u r e . Past t o p i c s have i n c l u d e d : s e r i a l
media w i t h l e s b i a n content; l e s b i a n , f e m i n i s t and gay bib1 iographies; 1 esbian
paperbacks from t h e 1930s-1950s ; t h e LHA p o e t r y and s h o r t s t o r y c o l l e c t i o n s ;
t h e tape c o l l e c t i o n ; and a guide t o c u r r e n t l e s b i a n p e r i o d i c a l s . The Archives'
s p e c i a l c o l l e c t i o n s , described i n LHA Newd e t t e r 6, i n c l u d e m a t e r i a l s o f Adrienne
Rich, Becky B i r t h a , t h e New York branch o f t h e Daughters o f B i l i t i s , Elsa Gidlow,
Joanna Russ, Tee Corinne, and many others. - While o r i g i n a l copies o f back issues
a r e no l o n g e r a v a i l a b l e , t h e LHA w i l l p r o v i d e x'eroxed copies a t c o s t . Donations
a r e requested f o r c u r r e n t s u b s c r i p t i o n s ( 3 issues : $3.00 f o r i n d i v i d u a l s ; $6.00
minimum f o r i n s t i t u t i o n s ; checks payable t o t h e Lesbian H e r s t o r y Educational
Foundation, Inc., o r LHEF).

The growth o f t h e Archives i s such t h a t i t w i l l one day s p i l l o u t o f t h e a p a r t -

ment where i t was born and demand a home o f i t s own. The LHA women hope even-
t u a l l y t o be a b l e t o r a i s e s u f f i c i e n t funds t o purchase a b u i l d i n g t o house t h e
Archives and a l e s b i a n c u l t u r a l center. Yet another dream i s t h a t t h e y w i l l
f i n d a way t o m i c r o f i l m t h e r a r e sources t h e y a r e c o l l e c t i n g . For t h e moment,
however, t h e y a r e c o n c e n t r a t i n g on e s t a b l i s h i n g and b u i l d i n g t h e c o l l e c t i o n .
T h e i r n e w s l e t t e r i s packed w i t h e n t r e a t i e s t o readers t o send i n t h e m a t e r i a l s
o f t h e i r 1 ives--photos, l e t t e r s , d i a r i e s , student papers, tapes, newspaper c l i p -
pings, issues o f j o u r n a l s and n e w s l e t t e r s , 01 d 1esbian books, d e s c r i p t i o n s o f
l e s b i a n c u l t u r e pre-1970. The LHA i s determined t h a t t h e Archives m a i n t a i n i t s
s p i r i t and i t s openness t o a l l women as i t grows:

Page Three
 I t w o u l d n ' t be o u r A r c h i v e s i f y o u e v e r needed a 1 e t t e r o f
r e f e r r a l t o be a b l e t o use i t o r i f t h e r e w a s n ' t a p l a c e
f o r women t o r e s t when t h e y were t i r e d o r t o e a t when t h e y
were hungry. .. .And o u r A r c h i v e s w i l l never be t u r n e d i n -
t o a woman's a r c h i v e s o r a gay a r c h i v e s . B u t w i l l be t h e
one p l a c e t h a t t e word, t h e noun, l e s b i a n w i l l echo t h r o u g h
t h e generations. 5
You can r e a c h t h e Lesbian H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s a t P.O. Box 1258, New York, N.Y.
1011 6, (212) 874-7232.

-- C.L.

Notes

Joan N e s t l e . L e t t e r t o J u d i t h Schwarz, 26 Nov. 1977. Lesbian H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s

Newsl e t t e r no. 6 ( J u l y 1980), p.11.

Joan N e s t l e , "Radical A r c h i v i n g : A Lesbian F e m i n i s t P e r s p e c t i v e . " Gay I n s u r -

gent no.415 ( S p r i n g 1979); e x c e r p t s r e p r i n t e d as an LHA f l i e r .
Joan N e s t l e , quoted i n an i n t e r v i e w w i t h Beth Hodges. S i n i s t e r Wisdom no.13
( S p r i n g 1980), p.102.

Wendy 5. Larson. Comments o n Women's H i s t o r y Sources. M a t r i c e s v.3, no.3 (May

198O), p.5; r e p r . L e s b i a n H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s Newsl e t t e r no.6 ( J u l y 198O), pp.8-9.

Joan N e s t l e , "About t h e Archives." Lesbian H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s N e w s l e t t e r no.5

( S p r i n g l 9 7 9 ) , p. [I].

Some o f t h e s e r e g i o n a l a r c h i v e s a r e 1 i s t e d i n t h e Lesbian H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s
N e w s l e t t e r no.5 ( S p r i n g 1979), p. [4].

Joan N e s t l e , quoted i n an i n t e r v i e w w i t h Beth, Hodges. S i n i s t e r Wisdom no.11

( F a l l 1979), p.9.

Sources on t h e L e s b i a n H e r s t o r y A r c h i v e s

Bennet, Paula. "Focus On: The L e s b i a n H e r s t o r y Archives." Focus (~eb.-h arch 1979) ,p.8.

Lehman, J. Lee. "The Lesbian H e r s t o r y Archives." The Advocate ( A p r i l 15, 1979), p.15.

N e s t l e , Joan. "Radical A r c h i v i n g : A Lesbian F e m i n i s t P e r s p e c t i v e . " Gay I n s u r g e n t

no.415 ( S p r i n g 1979), p.10.

.
N e s t l e , Joan, and Deborah Edel I n t e r v i e w by B e t h Hodges, P a r t s 1 and 2. S i n i s t e r
Wisdom no.11 ( F a l l 1979), pp.2-13, and S i n i s t e r Wisdom no.13 ( S p r i n g -7
pp.101-105.

Schwarz, J u d i t h . " L i v i n g Herstory." O f f Our Backs (May 1979), p.20.

S t u r g i s , Susanna. "Women's N i g h t Out." I n o u r Own W r i t e (June 1979), p.5.

Page Four
 IN WISCONSIN
T h i s i s t h e second i n o u r s e r i e s o f a r t i c l e s on f e m i n i s t bookstores i n Wisconsin.
The f i r s t a r t i c l e , on A Room o f One's Own i n Madison, appeared i n F e m i n i s t Col-
l e c t i o n s v.2, no.3 ( S p r i n g 1981 ). The t h i r d a r t i c l e i n t h e s e r i e s w i l l d e s c r i b e
Sistermoon F e m i n i s t Books & A r t i n Milwaukee, and w i l l be p u b l i s h e d v.3, no.1
( F a l l 1981).

MOTHER COURAGE BOOKSTORE AND ART GALLERY I S A PERSONAL STATEMENT

As t h e "personal i s t h e p o l i t i c a l " , we, Jeanne A r n o l d and Barbara L i n d q u i s t ,

a r e Mother Courage Bookstore and A r t G a l l e r y . Our personal h i s t o r i e s made us
f e m i n i s t s who saw t h e need t o open t h i s s t o r e .

The business i s formed as a p a r t n e r s h i p . Jeanne works f u l l t i m e as t h e d i r z c t o r

o f communications a t a l o c a l h o s p i t a l and I manage t h e book store.

People ask us why we named o u r s t o r e "Mother Courage" and we always say, "Well,
t h e r e ' s t h e a n t i - w a r p l a y by B e r t o l t Brecht; t h e r e used t o be a f e m i n i s t r e s t a u -
r a n t i n New York by t h a t name f e a t u r e d i n R i t a Mae Brown's " I n Her Day;" and
w e ' r e b o t h mothers w i t h courage. Besides, i t ' s a c a t c h y name."

Both Jeanne and I came t o feminism by l o n g and c i r c u i t o u s routes. We met near1y

t w e n t y years ago when we were Sunday school teachers a t t h e U n i t a r i a n Church i n
Racine. Jeanne has two c h i l d r e n and I have four. Jeanne worked many years be-
f o r e h e r c h i l d r e n were born, and o f f and on d u r i n g h e r t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r marriage.
I g o t pregnant d u r i n g t h e f i r s t y e a r o f my twenty-one y e a r marriage, and, except
f o r a y e a r o r so o f s u b s t i t u t e teaching, o n l y had a p a r t - t i m e j o b d u r i n g t h e
l a s t y e a r I was married. Divorced s i x years ago, I was t h a t person known as " t h e
d i s p l aced homemaker.'! Jeanne and I r e e s t a b l i s h e d o u r f r i e n d s h i p about seven years
ago and discovered we had "come a l o n g way baby."

I n o u r consciousness-raising experiences we shared a couple o f TA marathon work-

shops, a women's r a p group, several Wisconsin Women I n t h e A r t s conferences and
l o t s o f books and magazines t h a t a r e t h e b i b l e s o f t h e women's movement. We had
become v e r y committed f e m i n i s t s .

J u s t before Jeanne's d i v o r c e t h r e e years ago, we conceived Mother Courage. As a

member o f Wisconsin Women I n t h e A r t s , I was i n v i t e d t o show my p a i n t i n g s a t "A
Room o f One's Own" i n Madison. We spent some t i m e t h e r e w i t h t h e e x h i b i t and
o v e r d i n n e r a t L y s i s t r a t a we s t r u c k a spark about opening o u r own f e m i n i s t book-
s t o r e i n Racine. Jeanne and I decided t o p u t o u r d i v o r c e money where o u r mouhh
was as f a r as t h e f e m i n i s t movement was concerned.

Mother Courage opened i n October o f 1978 a f t e r months o f sheer hard l a b o r . We

l o c a t e d i n a s t o r e f r o n t i n Jeanne's f a t h e r ' s b u i l d i n g t h a t h a d n ' t seen a clean-up
s i n c e 1950 o r so. The roof 1 eaked badly. There were o n l y a couple o f o l d l i g h t s .
The f l o o r was b l a c k w i t h grime. The p l a c e was p i l e d h i g h w i t h o l d stock, boxes
and d e b r i s . We cleaned, painted, sanded and l i t i t up. I b u i l t t h e bookshelves
and t h e counters. And I began o r g a n i z i n g t h e business: o r d e r i n g t h e i n v e n t o r y ,
Page F i v e
 s e t t i n g up a c c o u n t i n g procedures, d o i n g a l l t h e t o n s o f t h i n g s t h a t go i n t o
o p e n i n g a business. I a l s o went t o t h e American B o o k s e l l e r ' s A s s o c i a t i o n
b e g i n n e r b o o k s e l l e r school f o r a weekend o f i n t e n s i v e t r a i n i n g i n Colorado.
N e i t h e r Jeanne n o r I had been i n business before; we had n e v e r done a n y t h i n g
l i k e a c c o u n t i n g , o r t a x e s , o r o r d e r i n g o r form f i l i n g . We had n e v e r worked
i n a bookstore, and, except f o r some s a l e s c l e r k i n g e x p e r i e n c e back i n o u r
h i g h school and c o l l e g e days, d i d n ' t know a damn t h i n g a b o u t t h e r e t a i l book
business.

We1 1, w e ' r e s t i l l here. We have s u r v i v e d f a i r 1 y we1 1, except f o r a l o t more

g r a y h a i r and a bad case o f a n x i e t y n e u r o s i s . Our s i t u a t i o n d i f f e r s g r e a t l y
from A Room o f One's Own i n Madison and Milwaukee's Sistermoon. Both Madison
and Milwaukee have v e r y s t r o n g f e m i n i s t communities. Not so Racine. Even
though we a r e f i f t e e n minutes away f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o t Wisconsin-Parkside
and about t h e same d i s t a n c e from Cartha,ge C o l l ege, t h e f e m i n i s t community
h e r e i s i n i t s e a r l y g r o w t h stage. P a r k s i d e has o n l y r e c e n t 1y i n s t i t u t e d a
women's s t u d i e s program. Gateway T e c h n i c a l 1nstit.ut.e has a Wo/manls Bureau.
( I t used t o be a bloman's Bureau).

When we f i r s t opened, we were concerned about c a l l i n g o u r s e l v e s " f e m i n i s t M - -

a l t h o u g h we o b v i o u s l y are. Our r a t i o n a l was t h a t we d i d n o t w i s h t o t u r n any-
' one o f f . I f we c o u l d r e a c h any woman anywhere who was b e g i n n i n g t o t h i n k p o s i -
t i v e l y a b o u t t h e f e m i n i s t movement b u t was sometimes a f r a i d t o c a l l h e r s e l f a
f e m i n i s t , we wanted t o reach t h a t woman. We c a l l o u r s e l v e s a " f u l l s e r v i c e
general b o o k s t o r e s p e c i a l i z i n g i n books f o r women," and we f e a t u r e t h e l a r g e s t
c o l l e c t i o n o f s a i l i n g books i n t h e area. We do so f o r two reasons. F i r s t , be-
cause I am a s a i l o r , and secondly, because o u r l o c a t i o n i s v e r y c l o s e t o f o u r
r e c r e a t i o n a l marinas on t h e Root R i v e r . The o t h e r day a young man came i n t h e
s t o r e t o l o o k a t o u r s a i l i n g books. W h i l e he and I t a l k e d c l a s s s a i l boats,
h i s female companion browsed around and f i n a l l y bought I t ' s Your Body: Woman's
Guide t o Gynecology. I wondered a f t e r w a r d s whether she would have come i n t h e
s t o r e by h e r s e l f t o buy t h a t book.

We do b u s i n e s s w i t h P a r k s i d e ' s s t u d e n t s and i n s t r u c t o r s , Gateway, Racine U n i f i e d

School D i s t r i c t ( t h e y j u s t r a n a s e r i e s o f workshops on sexism and gender i d e n -
t i t y i n t h e s c h o o l s ) and h a n d l e t e x t b o o k s f o r S t . Luke's School o f N u r s i n g . We
have sponsored p o e t r y r e a d i n g s , book t a l k s , autograph p a r t i e s , t a r o t c a r d read-
i n g l e s s o n s , book f a i r s and t a b l e s , and a n e w s l e t t e r . We p r o v i d e space i n o u r
t i n y , e l e v a t e d g a l l e r y f o r women a r t i s t s . We have had opening p a r t i e s , s p e c i a l
e v e n t s and w i n e and cheese h o s p i t a l i t y a f t e r n o o n s . We h o l d an annual Susan B.
Anthony b i r t h d a y p a r t y . We c a r r y p o s t e r s , r e c o r d s o f women's music, b u t t o n s
and bumperstickers, n o t e c a r d s and so on, b u t on a much more l i m i t e d b a s i s t h a n
A Room o f One's Own o r Sistermoon due t o l i m i t a t i o n s o f space and c a p i t a l .
F i n a n c i a l l y we o p e r a t e on a v e r y t i g h t cash f l o w budget--we a r e n o t i n hock; we
a r e a b r e a s t o f a l l o u r b i l l s ; b u t we cannot i n c r e a s e o u r i n v e n t o r y a t t h e r a t e
we would l i k e n o r pay me a l i v i n g wage. We have reached a p o i n t i n o u r business
where we a r e w a n t i n g t o grow t o b e t t e r s e r v e t h e women i n o u r community and a r e
l o o k i n g f o r c r e a t i v e ways t o do i t . One o f o u r g o a l s i s t o b r i n g some volun-
t e e r s i n t o t h e s t o r e t o help. Up u n t i l now we have done i t alone, because we
d i d n ' t want t o e x p l o i t women i f we were g o i n g t o be making money o u r s e l v e s .

Page S i x
Now t h a t we know t h e r e a l i t i e s o f o p e r a t i n g a business, s e e k i n v o l u n t e e r s no
1
l o n g e r seems e x p l o i t a t i v e . L a s t year I was o n l y a b l e t o draw 1753 from t h e
business and t h a t i n c l u d e d $708 i n p a i d h e a l t h insurance. I f Jeanne and I were
n o t l i v i n g t o g e t h e r i t would be i m p o s s i b l e f o r me t o c o n t i n u e o p e r a t i n g t h e s t o r e .

We hope t h a t o u r l o c a l women's community w i l l r a l l y around us i f we a r e a b l e ,

w i t h v o l u n t e e r he1 p, t o keep t h e s t o r e open evenings and Sundays (and a1 so g i v e
me some freedom d u r i n g t h e day). We can then p l a n more o u t r e a c h programs, more
i n s t o r e programs and more i n t e r a c t f o n w i t h more committed women.

When I was a k i d , I once e n t e r t a i n e d some s i l l y i d e a s o f b e i n g a m i s s i o n a r y .

Well, t h e t h o u g h t j u s t crossed my mind t h a t here i n Racine, Jeanne and I a r e
f e m i n i s t m i s s i o n a r i e s . I j u s t hope t h a t t o s u r v i v e and t o grow we d o n ' t have
t o do as Robin T y l e r suggests on her r e c o r d "Always a Bridegroom Never a B r i d e " :
"P.S. Move t o a b i g c i t y . "

- -- Barbara L i n d q u i s t

[Mother Courage Bookstore and A r t G a l l e r y i s l o c a t e d a t 224 S t a t e S t r e e t , Racine,

Wisconsin 53403, phone (414) 632-3120.]

FROm THE EDITORS

c o n t i n u e d from page one

means o f l i b r a r y s e r v i c e b u t a l s o t h r o u g h t h e development o f i n n o v a t i v e methods

o f i n f o r m a t i o n d i s s e m i n a t i o n . I n keeping w i t h NWSA's purpose o f e d u c a t i o n f o r
change, t h e L i b r a r i a n s ' Task Force developed t h e f o l l o w i n g goals:

t o p r o v i d e a forum f o r f e m i n i s t 1 i b r a r i a n s w i t h i n NWSA;
t o develop a f e m i n i s t approach t o t h e p r a c t i c e o f l i b r a r i a n s h i p ;
t o c r e a t e t h e s t r u c t u r e f o r a coal i t i o n o f f e m i n i s t 1 i b r a r i a n s i n NWSA
and w i t h o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s ;
t o develop programming about l i b r a r i e s and l i b r a r y s e r v i c e s f o r t h e na-
t i o n a l and r e g i o n a l conventions o f NWSA;
t o e s t a b l i s h communications between f e m i n i s t l i b r a r i a n s and o t h e r groups1
caucuses w i t h i n g NWSA;
t o i n i t i a t e new r e f e r e n c e t o o l s f o r l a b o u t women's s t u d i e s i n f o r m a t i o n needs;
t o c o o r d i n a t e n a t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e pro j c c t s f n women's s t u d i e s ;
t o educate t h e f e m i n i s t community about t h e r o l e o f l i b r a r i a n s as i n f o r -
m a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t s i n t h e f e m i n i s t movement;
t o adviselparticipate i n grant applications f o r information-related projects.

NWSA and t h e L i b r a r i a n s ' Task Force p r o v i d e a mechanism through which l i b r a r i a n s

can p a r t i c i p a t e i n a n a t i o n a l network o f f e m i n i s t i n f o r m a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t s who a r e
developing d i v e r s e p r o j e c t s . For example, d u r i n g t h i s y e a r ' s conference I viewed
a demonstration o f t h e automated N a t i o n a l Women's M a i l i n g L i s t . A n o n - p r o f i t pro-
j e c t o f t h e Women's I n f o r m a t i o n Exchange, t h e N a t i o n a l Women's M a i l i n g L i s t i s a
computerized d a t a bank o f m a i l i n g l a b e l s which can be s o r t e d according t o geography,
demography, o r i n t e r e s t areas. The N a t i o n a l Women's M a i l i n g L i s t uses computer tech-

Page Seven
n o l o g y t o d e v e l o p communication n e t w o r k s f o r f e m i n i s t o r g a n i z a t i o n s and t h e i r sup-
p o r t e r s . S i n c e b o t h i n d i v i d u a l s and groups a r e l i s t e d , t h i s d a t a bank has a l r e a d y
become an i n v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e f o r f e m i n i s t s . To d e s c r i b e t h e N a t i o n a l
Women's M a i l i n g L i s t i n more d e t a i l , t h e Women's I n f o r m a t i o n Exchange has p r o v i d e d
a b r o c h u r e which i s e n c l o s e d i n t h i s m a i l i n g .

A m a j o r g o a l o f NWSA i s t o e d u c a t e f o r s o c i a l change. W i t h s k i l l s i n computer

t e c h n o l o g y , c a t a l o g i n g , and r e f e r e n c e s e r v i c e , t h e L i b r a r i a n - a t - L a r g e can j o i n
w i t h o t h e r f e m i n i s t 1 i b r a r i a n s i n b r i n g i n g t h i s change c l o s e r t o r e a l i t y .

-- L.P.

PERIODICRL NOTES
FEMINIST REVIEW MEDIA

As w e ' v e o f t e n emphasized i n t h e pages o f t h i s n e w s l e t t e r , s m a l l press p u b l i s h -

i n g i s t h e backbone o f t h e f e m i n i s t p r i n t movanent. Small presses a r e t y p i c a l l y
s h o e - s t r i n g e n t e r p r i s e s , s t a f f e d l a r g e l y by v o l u n t e e r s , o p e r a t i n g o u t o f p r i v a t e
1 i v i n g rooms and basements on i n e f f i c i e n t , outmoded presses, and l a c k i n g i n t h e
f u n d s a v a i l a b l e t o commercial presses f o r publ i c i t y , bookkeeping, l a r g e - s c a l e
d i s t r i b u t i o n , d i s c o u n t s , and so on. Thus, t h o s e i n t e r e s t e d i n f o l l o w i n g f e m i -
n i s t small press 1i t e r a t u r e - - b i b 1 iographers, booksellers, professors, i n d i v i d u a l
readers--commonly f i n d t h a t s i m p l y k e e p i n g t r a c k o f f e m i n i s t presses and p u b l i -
c a t i o n s p r e s e n t s a s i z e a b l e c h a l l e n g e . C o n v e n t i o n a l r e v i e w media used by l i b r a r -
i e s and booksel 1 e r s - - L i b r a r y Journal , Choice, Pub1 i s h e r ' s Week1 y, The New York
Times Book Review, The New York Review o f Books--have d e v o t e d i n c r e a s i n g a t t e n -
t i o n t o women's publ i c a t i o n s o v e r t h e l a s t decade. However, t h e i r emphasis t e n d s
t o be a l m o s t e x c l u s i v e l y commercial women's s t u d i e s p u b l i c a t i o n s and t h e i r r e v i e w e r s
may o r may n o t be w e l l r e a d i n f e m i n i s t 1 i t e r a t u r e . The Small Press Review i s
geared t o t h e "a1 t e r n a t i v e " 1 it e r a t u r e o f t e n o v e r l o o k e d by mainstream r e v i e w media,
b u t r e l a t i v e l y few women's p u b l i c a t i o n s appear i n i t s pages. H a p p i l y , a number o f
f e m i n i s t r e v i e w p e r i o d i c a l s have sprung u p t o fill t h e gap, I t i s t h e s e r e v i e w i n g
sources t h a t a r e t h e f o c u s o f t h i s column o f " P e r i o d i c a l Notes."

I n t h e a n n o t a t e d 1 i s t i n g below, I have chosen t o ' i n c l u d e o n l y t h o s e p e r i o d i c a l s

w i t h an e x c l u s i v e o r p r i m a r y emphasis on r e v i e w s . M i s s i n g , t h e r e f o r e , a r e t h e
manv f i n e f e m i n i s t i o u r n a l s w h i c h ~ r o v i d er e v i e w s a l o n a w i t h o t h e r v a r i e d o f f e r -
ing;--signs, ~ e m i n i i tS t u d i e s , s i n i s t e r Wisdom, ~ o n d i t i o n s , F r o n t i e r s , Ms., Off
Our Backs, S o j o u r n e r , t o name b u t a few.

New Women's Times F e m i n i s t Review.

1978- . 6 i s s u e s / y e a r (supplement t o New Women's Times, a m o n t h l y p u b l i c a t i o n ) .
S u b s c r i p t i o n s ( t o NWT): $1 5 . ( i n d i v . ) ; $30 ( i n s t . ) . Back i s s u e s : $3 each. Sub-
s c r i p t i o n address : New Uomen's Times, 804 Meigs S t r e e t , Rochester, NY 14620.

Page E i g h t
E d i t o r s : Debbie Drechsl er, Martha Gever, Karen A. Hagberg, Susan Jordan,
Beverly LaBell e MJ Roy, Gai 1 Seneca, Marl i Wei ner.

-
The New Women's Times Feminist Review (NWTFR) appears s i x times a year as a
supplement t o t h e monthly f e m i n i s t newspaper, New Women's Times. S u b t i t l e d
"A review o f 1 it e r a t u r e and t h e a r t s , " NWTFR publ i s h e s readers' l e t t e r s ,
gra hics, i n t e r v i e w s , and ( p r i m a r i l y ) reviews i n i t s 20-page newspaper format.
R
I t as succeeded i n a t t r a c t i n g well-known and t a l e n t e d women writers--e.g.,
Becky B i r t h a , Maureen Brady, Karl a Jay, J u d i t h McDaniel , Susan Leigh S t a r ,
Adrienne Rich--and t h e q u a l i t y o f i t s reviews i s c o n s i s t e n t l y high. With 15
t o 20 books under review i n any one issue, t h e j o u r n a l i s c l e a r l y n o t attempt,
i n g t o be comprehensive. Rather, books seem t o be s e l e c t e d f o r t h e i r v i s i -
b i l i t y and s i g n i f i c a n c e w i t h i n the women's movement. O f those sel ected, one-
t h i r d t o one-ha1 f tend t o be from small presses.

Reviews a r e 1 engthy (300-400 words on average), substantive, and c r i t i c a l .

Although a goodly p o r t i o n o f t h e reviewers are professional w r i t e r s o r aca-
demics, t h e w r i t i n g i s g e n e r a l l y addresed t o a broad f e m i n i s t audience, as-
suming more i n t h e way o f f e m i n i s t p o l i t i c a l background than any p a r t i c u l a r
s u b j e c t e x p e r t i s e . Books a r e f o r t h e most p a r t very r e c e n t and i n c l ude f i c -
t i o n , poetry, autobiography and biography, f e m i n i s t theory, h i s t o r y , sociology.
For example, i n a r e c e n t i s s u e (no.15, A p r i l l M a y 1981 ), t h e f o l l o w i n g works
-
were reviewed: Loba by Diane d i Prima (Wingbow Press); Rape: The Power o f
Consciousness by Susan G r i f f i n (Harper); Don't Ex l a i n by A l e x i s de Veaux
(Harper);hanqe
-
--75-
Worlds by Anna Louise Strong Sea Press); New French Femi-
nisms e d i t e d by E l a i n e Marks and I s a b e l l e de C o u r t i v r o n ( U n i v e r s i t y o f Massa-
chusetts Press); Claiming an I d e n t i t y They Taught Me t o Despise by M i c h e l l e
C l i f f (Persephone Press); The Moon i s Always Female by Marge P i e r c y (Knopf);
Our Mothers' Dauqhters by J u d i t h Arcana (Shameless Hussy Press); The Black and
White o f I t by Ann A l l e n Shockley (Naiad Press); and Ma, Can I Be a Feminist
and S t i l l L i k e Men? by N i c o l e Hollander (St. Martin's]. Reviews demonstrate
a c l e a r f e m i n i s t o r l e s b i a n - f e m i n i s t s e n s i b i l i t y . C r i t i c i s m i s i n general
-
f r i e n d 1 y, a1 though reviewers do seem t o f e e l f r e e t o n o t recommend book. a
P o l i t i c a l judgments a r e c e n t r a l t o t h e c r i t i c a l ,assessments reached by reviewers.
Reviews a r e preceded by basic b i b l i o g r a p h i c i n f o r m a t i o n , i n c l uding t i t 1 e, au-
t h o r , publ i s h e r (addresses a r e provided f o r t h e small presses), date, 1 ength,
and p r i c e . C o n t r i b u t o r s are i n v i t e d t o review books, music, v i s u a l o r p e r f o r -
-
mance a r t s . Anyone i n t e r e s t e d i n c o n t r i b u t i n g t o NWTFR should w r i t e t o New
Women's Times Feminist Review C o l l e c t i v e , 804 Meigs S t r e e t , Rochester, ~ m 4 6 2 0 .

Women's Studies Review.

1979- . (Former1 y Women are Human. 1972-1 979) Month1y. Subscriptions: $5.00.
S u b s c r i p t i o n address: Women's Studies L i b r a r y , 240 Main L i b r a r y , 1858 N e i l Ave-
nue Mall , Col umbus, OH 4321 0. E d i t o r s : Adrienne Zahniser and V i r g i n i a Reynolds.

Women a r e Human: An I n f o r m a t i o n Sheet f o r Women was launched i n 1972 as a b i -

weekly p u b l i c a t i o n , w r i t t e n and produced by "several women i n t h e OSU [Ohio
s t a t e - u n i v e r s i t y ] 1 ibraries." Averaging ~ v t oe s i x pages i n mimeo format,
Women Are Human o r i g i n a l l y o f f e r e d an annotated l i s t o f m a t e r i a l s i n t h e OSU

Page Nine
l i b r a r i e s ( w i t h l o c a t i o n s g i v e n ) , a l o n g w i t h some l o c a l news o f i n t e r e s t t o f e m i -
n i s t s . A n n o t a t i o n s were b r i e f , g e n e r a l 1 y 120-1 50 words.

Women's S t u d i e s Review (WSR) m a i n t a i n s much o f t h e o r i g i n a l emphasis, a1 though

i t i s now a more s u b s t a n t i a l p u b l i c a t i o n - - t w e n t y pages w i t h f i f t e e n t o t w e n t y
r e v i e w s a v e r a g i n g 300-600 words. The audience would s t i l l seem t o be p r i m a r i l y
t h e Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y community (WSR - i s a v a i l a b l e f r e e o f charge t o persons
w i t h a OSU campus address; campus l o c a t i o n s a r e s t i l l g i v e n f o r books under r e -
v i e w ) . However, - WSR has o v e r t h e y e a r s developed a w i d e r r e a d e r s h i p , and i s ,
f o r example, l i s t e d i n t h e c u r r e n t volume o f The Women's I n s t i t u t e f o r Freedom
o f t h e Press I n d e x / D i r e c t o r y o f Ilomen's Media. C o n t r i b u t o r s a r e now drawn from
b o t h OSU f a c u l t y and 1 ib r a r i a n s . Reviews a r e c a r e f u l l y w r i t t e n , w i t h ample
documentation o f arguments drawn from t h e work i n hand, h u t w i t h l e s s p o l i t i c a l
d i s c u s s i o n t h a n one f i n d s i n New Women's Times F e m i n i s t Review w r i t i n g s . Works
s e l e c t e d f o r r e v i e w a l s o t e n d t o be l e s s r e c e n t o n t h e whole t h a n i n NWTFR. An
i s s u e w i l l o f t e n c a r r y a theme--a.g., "Wamen and Work" (Jan.uary/Febru-981)--
w i t h a l l works s e l e c t e d f o r t h e i r r e l e v a n c e t o t h i s t o p i c . Books a r e predomi-
n a n t l y f r o m commercial r a t h e r t h a n small presses, perhaps r e f 1 e c t i n g t h e empha-
s i s o f t h e OSU c o l l e c t i o n s . B i b l i o g r a p h i c i n f o r m a t i o n i s l i m i t e d t o a u t h o r , t i -
t l e , p l a c e o f p u b l i c a t i o n , p u b l i s h e r , and date.
* * * * * * *
M o t h e r o o t J o u r n a l : A Women's Review o f Small Presses.
1 978- . Q u a r t e r 1y. S u b s c r i p t i o n s : 55.001year. Sampl e copy: $1.25. Sub-
s c r i p t i o n address: Ann P r i d e , 214 Dewey s t r e e t , ~ i t t s b u r ~ hPA-, 1521 8. E d i t o r s :
Anne P r i d e , P a t r i c i a McEll i g o t t , P a u l e t t e Balogh.

M o t h e r o o t J o u r n a l ' s (MJ) e x p l i c i t commi tment t o r e v i e w i n g f e m i n i s t small p r e s s

p u b l i c a t i o n s makes ity unique and e x c i t i n g venture, i n v a l u a b l e t o booksel 1 e r s ,
b i b l i o g r a p h e r s , and i n d i v i d u a l readers. *Motheroot i s a l s o i n v o l v e d i n p u b l i s h -
i n g ( u n d e r t h e name M o t h e r o o t p u b l i c a t i o n h a v i n g most r e c e n t l y p u b l i s h e d
M e l a n i e Kaye's c o l l e c t i o n o f w r i t i n g s We Speak i n Code and r e p r i n t e d N a t a l i e
P e t e s c h ' s n o v e l The Odyssey o f K a t i n o u Kalokolrich. J u s t l i k e t h e o t h e r small
presses whose publ i c a t i o n s appear i n i t s pages, & i s a v e r y s m a l l - s c a l e and
d e d i c a t e d o p e r a t i o n . T h i s comes a c r o s s v i v i d l y i n a r e c e n t e d i t o r i a l s t a t e m e n t
which I c a n ' t r e s i s t quoting:

Seeing y o u r s e l f as o t h e r s see you can be s t a r t l i n g and some-

t i m e s amusing. I am o c c a s i o n a l l y s u r p r i s e d b y t h e l e t t e r s
w h i c h a r r i v e addressed t o t h e Motheroot s t a f f a s k i n g f o r an
appointment w i t h an e d i t o r i n o u r o f f i c e s . The l e t t e r s speak
t o chrome and g l a s s h i g h r i s e b u i l d i n g s and a f u l l t i m e s t a f f .
Telephone c a l l s , too, come t o us a s k i n g f o r one department
o r a n o t h e r and i n one case r e p o r t i n g t h a t o u r t e l e p h o n e had
been o u t o f o r d e r s i n c e t h e c a l l e r had t r i e d a t an e a r l i e r
t i m e and r e c e i v e d no answer. Once we r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r com-
p l a i n i n g t h a t a d i r e c t o r y a s s i s t a n c e o p e r a t o r had r e f u s e d
t o g i v e o u t the Motheroot l i s t i n g . Unfortunately, t h e r e i s
none! And l a s t l y , t h e r e was t h e t r u c k d r i v e r who c a l l e d r e -
c e n t l y f o r d i r e c t i o n s t o o u r warehouse--wanting t o check on
Page Ten
 t h e placement o f t h e l o a d i n g dock--and t o a l e r t us t o have
o u r f o r k l i f t ready when he a r r i v e d w i t h t h e books.

Those are, i n f a c t , o t h e r p e o p l e ' s r e a l i t i e s . I n t r u t h ,

Motheroot d o e s n ' t e x i s t as a p l a c e a t a l l u n l e s s i t would
be t h e small second f l o o r o f f i c e i n t h e house t h a t I share
w i t h P a u l e t t e Balogh. I t does e x i s t as a group, o r perhaps
t h e s p i r i t o f a group. M o t h e r o o t i s t h e energy o f f o u r peo-
p l e : Pat M c E l l i g o t t , P a u l e t t e Balogh, F e l i c e Newman and me
[Anne P r i d e ] .
-
( E d i t o r ' s N o t e ( s ) , MJ v.2, no.2, Summer 1980,p.2)

MJ i s publ i s h e d i n newspaper format, e i g h t pages i n l e n g t h f e a t u r i n g t e n o r more

-
r e v i e w s , i n t e r v i e w s , and essays, a l o n g w i t h r e a d e r s ' l e t t e r s . Most b u t n o t a l l
books under r e v i e w a r e v e r y r e c e n t l y publ ished. Author, t i t 1 e, publ i s h e r , pub-
l i s h e r ' s bddress, l e n g t h , and p r i c e a r e l i s t e d ; a s e p a r a t e d i r e c t o r y o f p u b l i s h -
e r s ' addresses i s a l s o i n c l u d e d t o guarantee t h e v i s i b i l i t y o f t h e s e t i n y p r e s -
ses. Reviews a r e i n t e r e s t i n g and l i t e r a t e , w i t h a c l e a r o r i e n t a t i o n t o women's
community audiences. They v a r y i n l e n g t h from f u l l f e a t u r e r e v i e w s t o t h o s e
p u b l i s h e d as p a r t o f a " B r i e f l y Speaking" column. Reviewers o f v a r i e d back-
* ground appear i n t h e pages o f MJ; i n one r e c e n t i s s u e , t h e r e were s e v e r a l f r e e -
l a n c e w r i t e r s , a m u s i c i a n , a psychotherapist/ethnobotonist, a f e m i n i s t shop-
keeper and a poet. MJ cannot o f c o u r s e be comprehensive. However, i f i t i s
a b l e t o r e v i e w on t h e o r d e r o f 4 0 books a y e a r , t h i s i s c l e a r l y a s i z e a b l e con-
t r i b u t i o n . A r e c e n t i s s u e (v.2, no.2, Summer 1980) i n c l u d e d : r e v i e w s o f Songs
o f t h e P i n e - w i f e by S h e i l a N i c k e r s o n (Copper Canyon Press); The L e s b i a n P a t h
e d i t e d by M a r g a r e t Cruikshank ( w i t h a personal s t a t e m e n t b y t h e e d i t o r ; Angel
Press); I n t h e Memory and S p i r i t o f Frances, Zora, and L o r r a i n e : Essays and
I n t e r v i e w s on B l a c k Women and W r i t i n g e d i t e d by J u l i e t t e Bowl es ( I n s t i t u t e f o r
t h e A r t s and Humanities, Howard U n i v e r s i t y - ) ; The B l a c k and White o f I t by Ann
A l l en Shockley (Naiad Press); The Homemaker's Book o f Time and Money Savers by
Jean L a i r d (Stephen Greene Press); M o t h e r i n Ma azine; H e i a (Freestone Pub-
1 i s h i n g Co.) ; Coral 1 i n e Ornaments b+zger
Woman, Churcha -
-4- Weed Patch Press) ;
J o s l y n Gage l o r l g i n a l ly1893; Persephone
Press); p l u s an essay by Judy Hogan ( e d i t o r / p u b l i s h e r o f t h e C a r o l i n e Wren Press)
o n "Women and t h e Small Press Movement." MJ i n v i t e s c o n t r i b u t o r s t o submit r e -
views o f smal 1 p r e s s books b y l a b o u t women,-% w e l l as i n t e r v i e w s o r essays
" a b o u t t h e l i t e r a r y process and women's p l a c e i n it."

Femlni s t Bookstores Newsl e t t e r .

1976?- . Bi-month1 Y. S u b s c r i p t i o n s : $25.00/year ( s l i d i n g s c a l e a v a i l a b l e
f o r f e m i n i s t b o o k s t o r e ; and p u b l i s h e r s ) . Sample c o p i e s : $3.00. Subscription
address : F e m i n i s t Bookstores Newsl e t t y , 1009 Val e n c i a S t r e e t , San F r a n c i s c o ,
CA 94110. S t a f f : Carol Seajay, Andre, Jesse Meredith.

F e m i n i s t Bookstores N e w s l e t t e r (FBN) had i t s b e g i n n i n g s i n t h e landmark Women

i n P r i n t Conference h e l d i n ~ u ~ u m 9 7i n6 Omaha, Nebraska. P u b l i s h i n g o u t o f
a San F r a n c i s c o f e m i n i s t b o o k s t o r e c a l l e d O l d Wives' Tales, t h e o r i g i n a l goal

Page E l e v e n
 of - FBN was t o s e r v e t h e growing number o f f e m i n i s t bookstores s p r i n g i n g up
-
a l l a c r o s s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s . lIn t h e i n t e r v e n i n g y e a r s , FBN has i n c r e a s i n g l y
r e c e i v e d s u b s c r i p t i o n r e q u e s t s from n o n f e m i n i s t bookstores, 1 ib r a r i e s , b i g pub-
l i s h e r s , and i n t e r e s t e d i n d i v i d u a l s . Thus t h e q u e s t i o n o f who t h e i r c o n s t i -
t u e n c y s h o u l d i n c l u d e was r e c e n t l y r a i s e d anew and p u t t o FBN r e a d e r s i n t h e
form o f a s u r v e y ( p u b l i s h e d i n t h e v.IV, no.5, February 1 9 8 1 i s s u e ) . The ma-
j o r i t y o f respondents f a v o r e d an open s u b s c r i p t i o n p o l i c y , a l t h o u g h some femi-
n i s t b o o k s t o r e s do f e a r t h e y may be u n d e r c u t i f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n c a r r i e d i n
FBN i s f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e t o a l l bookstores. Readers a l s o begged FBN t o " r e -
t a i n i t s i n f o r m a l -to-outrageous a t t i t u d e . " - FBN concl uded i t s summary o f t h e
s u r v e y r e s u l t s w i t h t h e statement, "We're agreed t h a t o u r p r i m a r y purpose i s
t o p u t o u t a n e w s l e t t e r f o r and about f e m i n i s t bookstores; o u r secondary p u r -
pose, t o promote and f a c i l i t a t e f e m i n i s t publ i s h i n g " (v.IV, no.6, A p r i l 1981 ,
p.2). The s u b s c r i p t i o n b l a n k appended t o t h e c u r r e n t i s s u e makes i t appear
-
t h a t FBN does now welcome s u b s c r i p t i o n s from whomever; however, t h e y a1 so ask
a v a r i e t y o f q u e s t i o n s about p r o s p e c t i v e s u b s c r i b e r s on t h i s form.

FBN i s publ i s h e d i n a typed, mimeo format, anywhere from 15 t o 30 pages i n

l e n g t h . Readers w i l l f i n d t h a t i t i s v e r y dense--packed w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n ,
w i t h v e r y 1i t t l e a t t e n t i o n p a i d t o l a y - o u t . I f t h e y a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n femi-
n i s t p u b l i s h i n g , however, r e a d e r s w i l l a l s o f i n d t h a t perseverance r i c h l y pays
@ off. - FBN succeeds i n p r o v i d i n g a forum f o r f e m i n i s t bookstores, p u b l i s h i n g
l e t t e r s from a l l o v e r t h a t f a c i l i t a t e n a t i o n w i d e d i s c u s s i o n about a wide va-
r i e t y o f i s s u e s r e 1 e v a n t t o f e m i n i s t publ i s h i n g and booksel 1 i n g - - f i n a n c e s ,
d i s t r i b u t i o n , p o l i t i c s . I n a d d i t i o n , i t i s packed w i t h c u r r e n t i n f o r m a t i o n
on and q u e s t i o n s about day-to-day p r a c t i c a l d e a l i n g s w i t h t h e b i g p u b l i s h e r s
and d i s t r i b u t o r s (e.g., d i s c o u n t s , r e t u r n s , s e l e c t i v e d i s t r i b u t i o n p l ans,
etc.). "Medea Media H o t t e r l i n e " i s an o c c a s i o n a l , humorous column on t h e
w o r l d o f p u b l i s h i n g . A r t i c l e s appear on a v a r i e t y o f t o p i c s , from b o o k s t o r e
p o l i c i e s and p o l i t i c s t o a p a r t i c u l a r l y seminal new book t o t h e pros and cons
o f mainstream p u b l i c i t y . Regular f e a t u r e s i n c l u d e annotated l i s t i n g s o f new
books from small presses and from " t h e Boys' Presses," as w e l l as n o t i c e s about
new tapes, toys, cards, T - s h i r t s and magazjnes t h a t f e m i n i s t bookstores m i g h t
want t o c a r r y . " D a r l e n e ' s List1'--sometimes calJed "Darl enels M y s t i f y i n g L i s t b 1 - -
i s a n o t h e r r e g u l a r f e a t u r e : a l e n g t h y , e s s e n t i a l l y unannotated shopping 1 i s t
o f new r e l e a s e s from presses l a r g e and s m a l l , c o m p i l e d from sources l i k e - Pub-
1 i s h e r s ' Weekly t h a t many small bookstores c a n ' t a f f o r d t o s u b s c r i b e t o . F i -
nally, fl o f f e r s a f r e q u e n t l y updated 1 i s t i n pamphlet form o f t h e a l m o s t
100 English-language f e m i n i s t and a l t e r n a t i v e bookstores i n t h e U.S.A., Canada
and some o t h e r c o u n t r i e s , as w e l l as t h e Women i n D i s t r i b u t i o n (WIND) l i s t o f
names and addresses, i n c l u d i n g about 600 bookstores, 900 1 i b r a r i e s , and 300
women's s t u d i e s departments t o whom WIND d i s t r i b u t e d f e m i n i s t books. W r i t e t o
FBN f o r p r i c e i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e s e two resources. W h i l e r e a d e r s w i l l n o t f i n d
7
-
i n FBN t h e l e n g t h y c r i t i c a l assessments o f new books p u b l i s h e d by New Women's
Times F e m i n i s t Review, Women's S t u d i e s Review, o r Motheroot, t h e n e w s l e t t e r i s
t h e p l a c e t o t u r n f o r up-to-date i n f o r m a t i o n about t h e w o r l d o f f e m i n i s t pub-
l i s h i n g and b o o k s e l l i n g .

Page Twelve
New Books on Women & Feminism.
1979- . Three i s s u e s l y e a r . S u b s c r i p t i o n s : f r e e o f charge. S u b s c r i p t i o n
address: Women's Studies L i b r a r i a n - a t - L a r g e , 112A Memorial L i b r a r y , 728 S t a t e
S t r e e t , Madison, W I 53706. E d i t o r : Catherine Loeb.

One o f t h e f i r s t p r o j e c t s o f t h e O f f i c e o f t h e Women's Studies L i b r a r i a n - a t -

Large f o r t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Wisconsin System was t h e c o m p i l a t i o n o f a basic,
annotated b i b l iography o f women ' s s t u d i e s m a t e r i a l s f o r t h e undergraduate
.
1 ib r a r y A f t e r Esther S t i neman ' s Women ' s Studies : A Recommended Core B i b l i o q -
raphy was p u b l i s h e d i n 1979, o u r o f f i c e continued t o m a i n t a i n c u r r e n t f i l e s on
new r e 1 eases, c o n s i s t i n g o f reviews and publ i s h e r s announcements c u l l ed from
a wide v a r i e t y o f sources. It was decided t h a t Women's S t u d i e s c o u l d be e f f e c -
t i v e l y updated on a r e g u l a r b a s i s from these f i l e s , and t h e f i r s t i s s u e o f New
Books on Women & Feminism appeared i n June 1979, o f f e r i n g t e n pages o f b r i e F
annotated l i s t i n g s c o v e r i n g a wide v a r i e t y o f s u b j e c t areas! New Books has
grown tremendously s i n c e t h a t inaugural issue, i n number o f l i s t i n g s , e x t e n t
o f b i b l i o g r a p h i c i n f o r m a t i o n , and l e n g t h o f annotations. The most r e c e n t issue,
New Books No.5, December 1980, numbered 95 pages and o f f e r e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e
a s e c t i o n on c h i l d r e n ' s books, produced by t h e Cooperative C h i l d r e n ' s Book Cen-
t e r (CCBC) i n Madison, along w i t h s e c t i o n s on n o n - p r i n t m a t e r i a l s and p e r i o d i -
c a l s . Reviews and announcements a r e c u r r e n t l y c o l l e c t e d from up t o 25 sources,
i n c l u d i n g mainstream p u b l i c a t i o n s such as t h e New York Times Book Review, Choice
and L i b r a r y Journal, and women's movement p u b l i c a t i o n s such as those discussed
above. New Books thus o f f e r s coverage o f b o t h commercial and small press pub-
1 i c a t i o n s . Annotations a r e w r i t t e n f r o m whatever reviews a r e a v a i l a b l e , w i t h
suspect e v a l u a t i o n s quoted o r l a b e l e d as such. Our sources a r e c i t e d a t t h e
end o f each l i s t i n g . New Books can o f f e r readers, researchers, b i b l iographers,
1 i b r a r y a c q u i s i t i o n s departments, and bookstores q u i t e a comprehensive c u r r e n t
1 i s t i n g o f new publ i c a t i o n s , w h i l e t h e sources c i t e d can o f t e n 1 ead t h e user t o
more e x t e n s i v e eval u a t i o n s o f p a r t i c u l a r books.

UlOfnEN O N TRPE
One o f t h e most p o p u l a r s e r v i c e s o f t h e College L i b r a r y , UW-Madison, i s i t s
Tape Center, a playback i n s t a l l a t i o n t h a t a l l o w s students t o l i s t e n t o tapes
from l i s t e n i n g s t a t i o n s throughout t h e l i b r a r y . The Tape Center c o l l e c t i o n
attempts t o p r o v i d e r e c r e a t i o n a l l i s t e n i n g t o undergraduate students, i n addi-
t i o n t o meeting t h e i r c u r r i c u l a r and independent research needs. Special con-
s i d e r a t i o n i s g i v e n t o f e m i n i s t m a t e r i a l s.

To he1 p publ i c i z e t h e v a r i e t y and scope o f C o l l ege L i b r a r y ' s f e m i n i s t tape c o l -

l e c t i o n , Mary Anglim has compiled Resources i n Women's S t u d i e s on Tape. I n c l u d e d
i n t h e 19-page l i s t i n g a r e s e c t i o n s c o v e r i n g "Lectures, Documents, and Discus-
s i o n s ," " L i t e r a r y Images o f Women," "Women Poets, N o v e l i s t s and Playwrights,"
" S e l e c t e d Jazz, Blues, Folk and Feminist Music," and " ' S e r i o u s ' Compositions
by Women. "

The College L i b r a r y i s c u r r e n t 1 y experimenting w i t h 1 i m i t e d c i r c u l a t i o n o f tapes

to UW-Madison f a c u l t y and students f o r use i n c l a s s presentations. Tapes a r e
n o t a v a i l a b l e f o r i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n a t t h e present time. I f you would l i k e t o

Page T h i r t e e n
 r e c e i v e a copy o f Resources i n Women's Studies on Tape, send a self-addressed,
stamped envelope t o : Judy Gardner, College L i b r a r y , 600 N. Park S t r e e t , Madi-
son, W I 53706.

ITEfTlS O F NOTE
With t h i s issue, we a r e i n i t i a t i n g a new column e n t i t l e d "Items o f Note."
w i l l use t h i s space t o p u b l i c i z e a v a r i e t y o f resources as t h e y come t o o u r
a t t e n t i o n . We i n v i t e o u r readers t o submit m a t e r i a l s t h e y f e e l would be appro-
p r i a t e f o r t h i s column.

ALLIANCE AGAINST SEXUAL COERCION.

The A1 l i a n c e Against Sexual Coercion, a group p r o v i d i n g d i r e c t c l i e n t s e r v i c e s ,

p u b l i c education and workplace a s s i s t a n c e on sexual harassment s i n c e 1976, i s
now making a v a i l a b l e i t s educational m a t e r i a l s . T h e i r c u r r e n t l i s t o f a v a i l a -
b l e m a t e r i a l s i n c l udes: "Sexual Harassment: An Annotated Bib1 iography"; "Sex-
ual Harassnlent and t h e Law"; " U n i v e r s i t y Grievance Procedures, T i t 1 e I X , and
' Sexual Harassment'' ; "Sexual Harassment a t ' t h e .Workpl ace : Hf s t a r i c a l Notes" by
Mary Bul a r z i k ; and ''Fighting Sexual Harassment: An Advocacy Handbook" ( w i t h an
update). P r i c e s a r e from $1 .OO t o $4.75. W r i t e t o t h e A l l iance a t P.O. Box 1 ,
Cambridge, MA 02139; o r c a l l (617) 482-0329.

RACISM AND SEXISM RESOURCE CENTER FOR EDUCATORS

The Racism and Sexism Resource Center for'Educators was e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1975 by

t h e n o n - p r o f i t Council on I n t e r r a c i a l Books f o r Children. The Resource C e n t e r ' s
purpose i s t o develop, p u b l i s h and d i s t r i b u t e t e a c h i n g and t r a i n i n g m a t e r i a l s
t o combat sexism and racism. I n a d d i t i o n t o producing f i l m s t r i p s , books, l e s -
son plans, c u r r i c u l a , pamphl e t s and f l y e r s , t h e Resource Center a l s o o f f e r s
workshops t o h e l p educators d e t e c t and c o u n t e r a c t race and-sex b i a s I n ' P e s r n t n g
m a t e r i a l s and i n t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n a l practices, The 1980-81 Catalog p u b l i s h e d
by t h e Resource Center i n c l udes among i t s f i l m s t r i p s " I d e n t i f y i n g Sexism and
Racism i n C h i l d r e n ' s Books," " F i g h t i n g D i s c r i m i n a t i o n , " "From Racism t o P l u r a l -
ism" ( f o r s t a f f development), and "Unlearning ' I n d i a n ' Stereotypes ." Also 1 i s t e d
i s a book e n t i t l e d "Stereotypes, D i s t o r t i o n s and Omissions i n U.S. H i s t o r y
Textbooks," pamphlets on "10 Q u i c k Ways t o Analyze C h i l d r e n ' s Books f o r Racism
and Sexism" and "Sexism, Racism and Other Isms: Hidden Messages i n C h i l d r e n ' s
S t o r i e s ,I1 and t h e 15-year-01 d p e r i o d i c a l I n t e r r a c i a l Books f o r C h i l d r e n B u l l e t i n .
Past issues of t h e B u l l e t i n have focused on Asian Americans, Chicanos, Puerto
Ricans, o l d people, and d i s a b l e d people i n c h i l d r e n ' s 1 i t e r a t u r e , racism and
sexism i n day c a r e centers, and stereotypes i n American sfgn language. The c u r -
r e n t c a t a l o g i s a v a i l a b l e from: CIBC Resource Center, 1841 Broadway, New York,
NY 10023; phone (212) 757-5339.

Page Fourteen
WOMEN'S INSTITUTE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

The Women's I n s t i t u t e f o r Freedom o f t h e Press (WIFP) i s a n o n - p r o f i t , tax-exempt

o r g a n i z a t i o n devoted t o research and p u b l i s h i n g about media. More t h a n 600 women
a r e Associates o f WIFP, c o n s t i t u t i n g a n a t i o n a l support network and communication
system among media women and media-concerned women. WIFP p u b l i s h e s a monthly pe-
r i o d i c a l e n t i t l e d Media Report t o Women (1972- )I, an i m p o r t a n t source o f i n -
formation about t h e women's media movement. The Report r e g u l a r 1y covers t h e found-
i n g o f new papers, magazines, j o u r n a l s and o t h e r m e d ~ abusinesses by women, con-
ferences, l e g a l a c t i o n s , n e g o t i a t i o n s , and new media r e f o r m groups. The Report
a1 so r e p o r t s on r e c e n t s t u d i e s o f t h e p o r t r a y a l o f women i n t h e media, s t a t i s t i c s
on employment o f women and m i n o r i t i e s i n t h e media, and t h e e x t e n t and progress
o f women's media i n t h e U.S. and i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y . Media Report t o Women i s i n -
dexed on an annual and c u m u l a t i v e b a s i s i n WIFP's I n d e x / D i r e c t o r y o f Women's
-
Media. The D i r e c t o r i s an i n v a l u a b l e resource f o r almost any f e m i n i s t e n t e r -
p r i s e o r i n d d o m e n ' s s t u d i e s researcher, 1 i s t i n g 265 women's p e r i o d i c a l s,
51 presses and publ i s h e r s , women's news s e r v i c e s , columns, r e g u l a r r a d i o and TV
programs, and women's medfa c o l l e c t i v e s and companies i n f i l m , video and c a b l e ,
music, a r t / g r a p h i c s / t h e a t e r , and mu1 ti-media. E n t r i e s i n c l ude addresses, phones,
and c o n t a c t persons, a l o n g w i t h a 25-word d e s c r i p t i o n w r i t t e n by t h e women them-
selves. A1 so publ i s h e d as p a r t o f t h e D i r e c t o r i s a 1 i s t i n g o f i n d i v i d u a l me-
d i a women and media-concerned women. L- a s7
t y,-WIFP has pub1 i s h e d Women i n Media:.
A Documentary Source Book by Maurine Beasley and S h e i l a S i l v e r . Contact WIFP
a t : 3306 Ross Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008; (202) 966-7783 o r 363-0812.
* * * * * * *
WOMEN'S EDUCATIONAL EQUITY ACT PUBLISHING CENTER

WEEA, t h e Women's Educational E q u i t y Act, was passed by Congress i n 1974 w i t h

t h e goal o f promoting educational e q u i t y f o r g i r l s and women i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .
To pursue t h i s goal t h e WEEA Program, U.S. Education Department, has p r o v i d e d
g r a n t s f o r t h e development o f educational m a t e r i a l s and programs. Since 1977,
Education Development Center (EDC) i n Newton, Mhssachusetts has been c o n t r a c t e d
t o e s t a b l i s h and o p e r a t e t h e WEEA P u b l i s h i n g Center. EDC, i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n
w i t h t h e Center f o r Research on Women a t Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massa-
c h u s e t t s , i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r reviewing, publ i s h i n g , and d i s t r i b u t i n g t h e mate-
r i a l s funded by WEEA. The Publ i s h i n g Center has recent1y i s s u e d a 1 engthy .
c a t a l o g f o r 1980-81, l i s t i n g a v a r i e t y o f p r i n t and a u d i o v i s u a l products. Ma-
t e r i a l s a r e a v a i l abl e i n t h e f o l l o w i n g areas: I n s e r v i c e and S t a f f Development ;
Cur'riculum M a t e r i a l s (K-12 and up); Counseling and Guidance; Career Development;
E a r l y Childhood Education; and Educational A d m i n i s t r a t i o n . Catalogs and a d d i -
t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a r e a v a i l a b l e from: EDC/WEEA Publ i s h i n g Center, Order De-
partment, 55 Chapel S t r e e t , Newton, MA 02160; phone ( t o l l - f r e e ) 800-225-3088.

Page F i f t e e n
 THE NEW SCHOCRRSHIP: SIX YERRS OF
REVIEW ESSRYS IN SIGNS
INDEX: v.1, n.1 (Autumn 1975) - v.6, n.2 (Winter 1980)
In t h e s i x years o f i t s e x i s t e n c e , Signs: A Journal of Women i n Culture and
Society has c o n s i s t e n t l y published f i n e surveys of new feminist l i t e r a t u r e
-
in each o f i t s issues. Since t h e s e review essays a r e one of t h e places t o
s t a r t f o r s t u d e n t s o r researchers embarking on a new t o p i c , we have compiled
t h e following s u b j e c t index t o t h e Signs essays o f t h e l a s t s i x years.
Abortion. v.5, n.2.
Anthropology. v.1, n.1; v.2, n.3; v.4, n.3.
Architecture. v.1, n.4.
Art History. v.1, n.2; v.5, n.3.
Audio-visual Materials. v.1, n.1 ; v.2, n.3.
Bibliographies. v.3, n.2.
Biography. v.1 , n.3, pt.1.
Biology. v.5, n.4; v.6, n.1.
Business. v.5, n.2.
Canada. v.3, n.2.
* Childbirth. v.6, n.1.
Classics. v.2, n.2.
Communication. v.3, n.3.
Demography. v.1, n.3, pt.1.
Economics. v.1, n.1; v.2, n.1; v.3, n.3.
Education. v.1, n.4.
England. v.4, n.4.
Europe. v.2, n.3.
Family. v.3, n.3; v.4, n.4.
France. v.3, n.4.
Gender. v.6, n.1.
History. v.1, n.4; v.2, n.3; v.2, n.4; v.4, n.4; v.5, n.2; v.6, n.1.
Housework. v.1, n.4. \
International Studies. v.5, n.3.
Korea. v.4, n.4.
Labor Force. v.2, n.4.
Language. v.3, n.3.
Latin America. v.5, n.1.
Librarianship. v.1, n.4.
L i t e r a t u r e and L i t e r a r y Criticism. v.1, n.2; v.2, n.2; v.3, n.4; '4.4, n.3; v.6, n.2.
Management. v.5, n.2.
Mass Media. v.4, n.3.
Medicine. v.1, n.4; v.4, n.1.
Men. v.4, n.2.
Menopause. v.5, n.4.
Menstruation. v.5, n.4.
Motherhood. v.5, n.4.
Music. v.6, n.2.
Native American Women. v.6, n.2.
Nursing. v.2, n.4.
Page Sixteen
Overviews. v.1, n.1.
Philosophy. v.1, n.2; v.2, n.2; v.3, n.4.
Physical Education. v.2, n.4.
P o l i t i c a l Science. v.1, n.1; v.2, n.1; v.5, n.2; v.5, n.3.
Population Studies. v.1, n.3, pt.1.
Pregnancy. v .5, n .4.
Psychology. v.1, n.1; v.2, n.1; v.3, n.2; v.5, n.1.
Rape. v.3, n.2.
R e l i g i o n . v.2, n.2.
Science. v.1, n.3, pt.1; v.4, n.1.
Sex Roles. v.3, n.3; v.4, n.2.
S e x u a l i t y . v.5, n.4; v.6, n.1.
Sociology. v.1, n.3, pt.1; v.2, n.1; v.3, n.2; v.5, n.3.
Status o f Women. v.1, n.4.
U n i t e d States. v.1, n.4; v.5, n.2.
Urban Studies. v.1, n.4; v.5, n.3 Supplement.
Widowhood. v.2, n.4.
Woll s t o n e c r a f t , Mary. v .l, n .3, p t .l
Women's Studies. v.4, n.4.
.
Work. v.2, n.4.

The Progress o f Afro-American Women: A Selected B i b l i o g r a p h y and Resource Guide.

Comp. by Janet L. Sims. Foreword b y B e t t y e Thomas. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood,
1980. 37gp. 79-8948. ISBN 0-31 3-22083-2. $29.95.

Women o f South Asia: A Guide t o Resources. By Carol Sakala. Foreword by Maureen

L. P. Patterson. Millwood, N.Y.: Kraus I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 1980. 517p. 79-281 91.
ISBN 0-527-78574-1 , c l o t h ; -78575-X, pap. $25, c l o t h ; $15, pap.

While t h e p a s t decade has seen a f l u r r y o f new r e f e r e n c e books pub1 i s h e d about

women and women's issues, t h e m a j o r i t y o f works 'have concentrated on t h e expe-
r i e n c e o f white, middl e-class American women. The few noteworthy book-l ength
b i b l i o g r a p h i e s o f Engl ish-1 anguage resources on American women o f c o l o r and
women from non-Western c u l t u r e s can be q u i c k l y enumerated: Ora W i l l iamsL
i c a n B l a c k Women i n t h e A r t s and S o c i a l Sciences: A Bib1 i o g r a p h i c Survey (Scare-
e-
crow, 1978) ; Lenwood Davis ' The Black Woman i n American S o c i e t y (G.K. Hal 1 , 1975) ;
A S e l e c t e d B i b l i o g r a p h y on Women i n I n d i a ( d i s t . by South Asia Books, 1976);
and Sue-El l e n Jacobs' Women i n Perspective: A Guide f o r Cross-cul t u r a l Studies
( U n i v e r s i t y o f I 11 i n o i s Press, 1974). The 1 i t e r a t u r e i s enriched c o n s i d e r a b l y
w i t h Sims' Progress o f Afro-American Women and Sakala's Women o f South Asia,
two e x c e p t i o n a l e f f o r t s t h a t w i l l prove t o be indispensable t o o l s f o r women's
s t u d i e s scholars.

The i n t e n t i o n o f ~ i m s 'b i b l i o g r a p h y i s t o document t h e r o l e o f t h e Afro-American

woman i n U n i t e d S t a t e s s o c i e t y , as w e l i as t o encourage more s c h o l a r l y research.
The 4,008 unannotated, t o p i c a l l y arranged e n t r i e s index nineteenth-. and t w e n t i e t h -
c e n t u r y m a t e r i a l s c o v e r i n g t h e Afro-American woman's c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e s t r u g -

Page Seven teen

g l e f o r r a c i a l e q u a l i t y , t h e economic f r o n t , t h e f a m i l y , t h e l i t e r a r y w o r l d ,
publ i c 1 i f e , e d u c a t i o n , t h e s u f f r a g e movement, feminism, t h e church, as w e l l
as h e r personal h e a l t h and beauty, s e l f - i m a g e , and h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e
Afro-American man. S t u d e n t s and r e s e a r c h e r s w i l l g r e a t 1 y a p p r e c i a t e Sims '
achievement i n b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r so much m a t e r i a l i n one volume, and i n s i g -
n i f i c a n t l y u p d a t i n g t h e e a r l i e r b i b l i o g r a p h i c volume by D a v i s ( w i t h whom Sims
has h e r s e l f t w i c e c o l l a b o r a t e d ) . W h i l e two m a j o r areas o f o m i s s i o n - - t h e l a c k
o f m a t e r i a l from n i n e t e e n t h - and t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y newspapers and o f s t u d i e s
on Afro-American women's c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o science--somewhat l i m i t t h e v o ~ u m e l s
comprehensiveness, t h e b i b l i o g r a p h y does o f f e r sources i n s u b j e c t a r e a s n o t
c o v e r e d by p r e v i o u s 1y publ i s h e d b i b l i o g r a p h i e s (e.g., armed s e r v i c e s and de-
fense w o r k ) . Given t h e l a c k o f a n n o t a t i o n s , ' t h e book would have been improved
by t h e i n c l u s i o n o f a more a n a l y t i c a l i n t r o d u c t o r y essay ( d i s c u s s i n g t r e n d s ,
s o c i a l movements, and m a j o r i s s u e s a f f e c t i n g b l a c k women) and o f more sub-
j e c t terms i n t h e index. These m i n o r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s a s i d e , The P r o q r e s s o f
Afro-American Women s t a n d s as a m a j o r new r e f e r e n c e work, n o t l e a s t because
o f i t s A f r o - c e n t r i c f o c u s and i t s a t t e n t i o n t o m a t e r i a l s from m a j o r b l a c k
presses.

Carol S a k a l a ' s Women o f South A s i a i s an e q u a l l y p a t h - b r e a k i n g r e f e r e n c e work,

o f f e r i n g a comprehensive 1 i s t i n g o f sources on women i n I n d i a , P a k i s t a n , Bangla-
desh, S r i Lanka, and Nepal. The 4,629 h i s t o r i c a l and contemporary i t e m s , w r i t -
, t e n i n Western 1 anguages ( p r i m a r i l y Engl i s h ) , range f r o m s c h o l a r l y a n a l y s e s t o
primary source m a t e r i a l s . P a r t I i n c l u d e s d e s c r i p t i v e a n n o t a t i o n s o f books,
a r t i c l e s , s e r i a l s , d i s s e r t a t i o n s , f i l m s , and r e c o r d i n g s publ i s h e d from t h e l a t e
e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y t h r o u g h mid-1979. Sakala's c l a s s i f i c a t i o n o f m a t e r i a l s u t i -
1 i z e s a v e r y d e t a i l ed o u t 1 i n e o f h i s t o r i c a l p e r i o d s w i t h a sub-arrangement b y
c u l t u r a l a r e a . P a r t I 1 d i s c u s s e s t h e h o l d i n g s o f m a j o r 1 ib r a r i e s ; government
a r c h i v e s ; r e c o r d s o f women I s o r g a n i z a t i o n s ; and t h e l o c a t i o n o f r a r e p e r i o d i c a l s
i n I n d i a , P a k i s t a n , Bangladesh, and t h e U n i t e d Kingdom. The v e r y w e l l e x e c u t e d
s u b j e c t i n d e x and s e p a r a t e a u t h o r i n d e x compl ement t h e access t o e n t r i e s p r o v i d e d
by t h e d e t a i l e d t o p i c a l arrangement o f t h e m a i n t e x t . S a k a l a ' s e x c e l 1 e n t i n t r o -
d u c t i o n r e v i e w s t r e n d s i n t h e l i t e r a t u r e a b o u t women i n South A s i a .

The two c o m p i l a t i o n s b y Sims and Sakala a r e i m ~ o r t a n tb i b l i o g r a p h i c a l c o n t r i b u -

t i o n s t o t h e s t u d y o f women and s h o u l d be i n c l u d e d i n a l l 1 i b r a r i e s w i t h women's
studies c a l l ections.

-- L.P.

[ T h i s r e v i e w o r i g i n a l l y appeared i n g v.20, no.2 ( W i n t e r l 9 8 O ) , pp.214-215.1

F e m i n i s t C o l l e c t i o n s i s a p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e O f f i c e o f t h e Women's
S t u d i e s L i b r a r i a n - a t - L a r g e f o r t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Wisconsin System,
112A Memorial L i b r a r y , 728 S t a t e S t r e e t , Madison, W I 53706. Phone
(608) 263-5754. E d i t o r s : L i n d a P a r k e r , Women's S t u d i e s L i b r a r i a n -
a t - L a r g e ; C a t h e r i n e Loeb, Women's S t u d i e s S p e c i a l i s t . F e m i n i s t
C o l l e c t i o n s i s publ i s h e d q u a r t e r l y - - F a l l , W i n t e r , S p r i n g , Summer--
and i s a v a i l a b l e t o i n d i v i d u a l s and i n s t i t u t i o n s a t no c h a r g e .
U n s o l i c i t e d a r t i c l e s o r r e v i e w s a r e welcome.

Page E i g h t e e n