Sources for women and sociology and social research

The Women's Library, founded in 1926 as the Library of the London Society for Women's Service, exists to document and explore women's lives in Britain in the past, now and in the future. The collections not only support contemporary sociology and social research, but they also document the history of social research into women's lives and the work of social work practitioners. In addition to recent academic secondary sources and contemporary thoughts the collections include a wealth of original and rare primary sources in the form of historic books, pamphlets and periodicals, scrapbooks of press cuttings, archives of organisations and individuals, objects, textiles and visual materials.

Key class numbers and search terms

The Women's Library's printed materials are arranged in the Dewey Decimal Classification and listed on London Metropolitan University's online catalogue. Key class numbers and search terms for employment include:

Child care                                 649.1
Childhood, children                    305.23
Children: abuse, social welfare    362.72
Children: criminology                 364.15554
see also source note on women and family and the home
Criminology                              364
see also source note on women and law
Domestic violence                     303.3
see also source note on women and domestic violence
Education                                 370
see also source note on women and education
Employment                             331.125
see also source note on women and employment
Equality and diversity                 305
see also source note on women, race and ethnicity
Family                                     306.85
see also source note on women and family and the home
Gender                                     305.3
see also source note on sexuality
Housing                                    363.5
see forthcoming source note on Architecture, urban planning and interior design
Human rights                             323
Media                                        302.23082
see also source note on women and media
Migration                                    304.8
see also source note on women, race and ethnicity
Motherhood                                306.8743
see also source note on motherhood
Poverty                                       361
Public health                               610
see also source note on women and health
Social care                                  361.65*
Social change                              303.4
Social class                                 305.5
Social cohesion
Social policy                                361.25
Social problems         361.1
Social research                            001
Social work                               361.3
Social welfare                              362.042
Sociology                                    305.420941
Youth studies                              305.23*
Youth work                                  362.79*

Key references, latest academic works and acquisitions

The Library holds directories of organisations, bibliographies, encyclop?dias and other references sources useful for identifying further information on women and work, such as:

Fabian Society. What to read on social and economic subjects: a select bibliography. 6th ed. London: Fabian Society, 1920. Vault books 016.3 FAB

Wise, Sue. Doing feminist social work : an annotated bibliography and an introductory essay. Manchester : Sociology Department, University of Manchester, c1988. Reading Room oversize books 016.361301 WIS

Een, JoAnn Delores. Women and society, citations 3601 to 6000 : an annotated bibliography. Beverly Hills : Sage Publicatons, c1978 Readng room 016 EEN

Rosenberg, Marie Barovic. Women and society : a critical review of the literature with a selected annotated bibliography. Beverly Hills ; London : Sage Publications, 1975. Reading room 016 ROS

McGregor of Durris, Oliver Ross McGregor, Baron. The social position of women in England, 1850-1914: a bibliography [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1955. Vault pamphlet 305.42 MCG

London and National Society for Women's Service. Women's movement in Great Britain : bibliography. London : London and National Society for Women's Service, 1929.
Vault Cavendish Bentck Library Oversize pamphlet 016.305420941 LON ; Vault oversize pamphlet 016.305420941 LON

The new Walford guide to reference resources. Vol. 2, Social sciences. London : Facet, 2008. Quick reference 011.02 NEW

The Women's Library's most recently published and newly available acquisitions

Periodicals

The Library holds a wide range of periodicals on women, including academic titles, popular magazines and campaigning newsletters. Some relevant periodical titles on sociology and social research include The humanitarian (1896-1900) ; The Englishwoman's review of social and industrial questions (1874-1910) The shield : a review of moral and social hygiene (1916-1961) Working with girls newsletter (1981-1987). For further guidance on identifying periodicals click here

Press cuttings and ephemera

The microfiched press cutting collection cover the whole of the 20th century and are particularly valuable for identifying contemporary comment where retrospective online newspaper coverage is unavailable. In addition to these general press cuttings we also hold scrapbooks of press cuttings on relating to individuals social research. These are located in the archives. The Library's ephemera collection contains information relating to women's organisations, including leaflets, flyers, minutes of meetings, agendas and all kinds of campaign literature.

Zines and artist books

The library also holds an important collection of over 350 zines and artist books which document aspects of women's lives the authors deemed important. Zines and artist books can be identified through the online catalogue.

Electronic resources (online journals and databases)

Electronic resources are currently only available to London Metropolitan University staff and students, and can be accessed via the online catalogue with their institutional identification and password. London Metropolitan Academic Liaison Librarians have provided a list of relevant e-resources for sociology and social research, social work, social policy and Woman and Child Abuse Studies Unit.

Archives (personal and organisational papers)

Archive details can be found in the archive and museum catalogue or in the hard copy catalogues available in the Reading Room on the shelves adjacent to the Information Desk. The following archives, including records of organisations, societies, campaigns, personal papers and letters, relate to social policy, social problems, research and social work:

3AMS Records of the Association for Moral & Social Hygiene (1824-2006) documents social problems
3JBL Josephine Butler Letters Collection (c.1816-1935) documents social problems
5WUS Records of the Women's University Settlement (later known as the Blackfriars Settlement)(1887-1973) documents social housing issues
5OPF Records of the National Council for One Parent Families (1917-2002) relates to social policy and welfare
7AMA Papers of Dame Adelaide Anderson 1863-1936 HM Chief Lady Inspector of Factories
7ASC Papers of Amelia Scott (1860 - 1952) social worker, writer and suffragist
7EES Papers of Edith Eskrigge (1897-1999) suffragist and social work author
7GMA Papers of Dame Adelaide Anderson (1890-1990) civil servant and social worker
7HBE Papers of Helen Bentwich (c.1910-c.1960) social worker and writer
7HMS Papers of Hilda Squire training and work as a medical social worker (hospital almoner) 1920s-1950s
8WWW Records of What Women Want, survey, 1995

There are references to social work and social research throughout the archives.

Museum collections (objects, textiles and other visual materials)

This collection includes badges, postcards, photographs, posters, textiles, some ceramics and other objects. Further details of museum objects available for research can be found in the archive and museum catalogue or in the hard copy catalogues available in the Reading Room on the shelves adjacent to the Information Desk.

Identifying images

Images can be found throughout The Women's Library's collections. Many digital images are available on Flickr, Vads, the archives catalogue (click on the number in the left hand side) and Mary Evans Picture Library. Use Mary Evans Picture Library's fast service for a non-watermarked high resolution images suitable for publication. If you require an image which has not been digitised you are welcome to use our reprographic service. Normal copyright conditions will apply.

Web archive

Women's Issues provides a list of links to Web sites of women's organisations and campaigns, research reports, government publications and statistics pertaining to women, personal sites of women, such as blogs, and women focused e-zines.web sites. You can search for keywords in the title and full text. Examples of Web site related to women and sociology and social research include: One Parent Families and Threshold: run by women for women. Initiated in 2005 and Women's Issues is maintained by the British Library in collaboration with The Women's Library, London Metropolitan University.

TUC Library Collections (TUC), London Metropolitan University stem from its foundation in 1868 and holds historical and contemporary reference works on the trade union movement in the UK and overseas, working conditions and industrial relations much of which relates to women and social welfare and policy. For more information see Sources for the study of women and gender issues in the TUC Library.

London Metropolitan research institutes and centres includes The Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) and The Human Rights and Social Justice Research Institute (HRSJ)is based in London Metropolitan University's Faculty of Applied Social Sciences (FASS). WLRI undertakes socially committed academic and applied research into all aspects of working lives, emphasising equality and social justice, and working for and in partnership with trade unions.

Further information The staff of The Women's Library can help you find material relating to your subject area; please don't hesitate to ask. You can contact the Information Desk staff prior to your visit via email twlinfodesk@londonmet.ac.uk, by telephone 020 7320 3515 or in person at the Information Desk when in the Reading Room.

Image References

Housework is a skilled career. London : National Institute of Houseworkers, [ca. 1950-1960] Vault pamphlet 640.4602341 NAT ; Digton Pollock, Mrs. The women of today. London : Routledge, 1929. Pamphlet UDC BOX 301 ;

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