|
Image references: The Women's Library, London Metropolitan University- see images below
Key class numbers and search terms
Key references, latest academic works and acquisitions
Periodicals
Press cuttings and ephemera
Zines and artists books
Electronic resources
Archives (personal and organisational papers and oral histories)
Museum (objects, textiles and visual materials)
Identifying images
Further information
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. Printed material, ephemera, archives, oral histories and museum objects together form The Women's Library collections. The collections include a wide range of resources for the study of the Women's Liberation Movement (WLM) of the 1970s. The WLM initiated through conscious raising non-hierarchical groups developed campaigns and feminist analysis throughout the 1970s. It produced a wealth of printed materials such as newsletters and ephemera much of which is held at The Women's Library along with relevant press cuttings, pamphlets, journals and books in the printed materials collections and organisation and personal papers in the archives and museum objects such as posters and badges. The library also provides access to many electronic resources.
Key class numbers and search terms
The printed collections of The Women's Library are arranged in the Dewey Decimal Classification and listed on London Metropolitan University's online catalogue, available in the Reading Room and via the website. Key class numbers and search terms for The Women's Liberation Movement include:
See also Sources on feminism and suffrage
Key references, latest academic works and acquisitions
The Library holds the following guides and bibliographies, useful for identifying further information and material on the subject:
Dena.Directory of women's liberation newsletters, magazines, journals... : covering Scotland, Wales, England, N. Ireland [s.l.] : [s.n.], [ca. 1979] Vault OS pamphlet 011.34 DEN
Doughan, David. Feminist periodicals 1855-1984: an annotated critical bibliography of British, Irish, Commonwealth and international titles Brighton : Harvester Press, c1987. Reading Room Quick Ref 016.3054205 DOU
Harrison, Cynthia. Women's movement media, a source guide New York ; London : Bowker, 1975 Reading Room 016.305420973 HAR
Krichmar, Albert. The women's movement in the seventies: an annotated English language bibliography London ; [ Folkstone] : Mechuen ; Scarecross Press : [Distributed by Bailey and Swinfen], 1977. Reading Room 016 KRI
Lloyd, Leonora. Booklist for women's liberation Southall : London Socialist Woman's Group, 1970. Vault Oversize Pamphlet 016.30542 LLO
Nordquist, Joan. Feminism worldwide: a bibliography Santa Cruz, CA : Reference and Research Services, 1996 Reading Room 016.30542 NOR
Ross, Elizabeth Arledge et al. A Chronology of The Women's Liberation Movement in Britain: organisations, conferences, jouranls and events, with a focus on Leeds and Bradford, 1969-1979 Bradford : The Feminist Archive, 1996 Vault Oversize Pamphlet 305.420941 ROS
Rowbotham, Sheila. Women's liberation and revolution: a bibliography 2nd ed. Bristol : Falling Wall Press, 1973. Vault pamphlet 016.30542 ROW
Grimstad, Kirsten, Rennie, Susan (eds). The new woman's survival catalog. New York : Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, [1973] Reading Room Oversize 016.305420973 NEW
The Women's Library's relevant materials published between 1960 to 1984, 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. Below is a list of Women's Liberation or second wave feminism newsletters. Titles include Red rag, Shrew: journal of the Women's Liberation Workshop, WIRES and Spare rib. Here is a fuller listing of The Women's Library women's liberation periodicals 
Further details and titles can be found identifield through the online catalogue.
Press cuttings and ephemera
The presscuttings collections cover the whole of the 20th century and are particularly valuable for identifying contemporary comment where retrospective online newspaper coverage is unavailable. The Library holds microfilmed cuttings, up to 1979, on specifically on the emancipation of women at 396.1.
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. It includes ephemera for Bristol Women's Liberation, Wages for Housework, London Women's Liberation Movement and London Gay Liberation Movement. A full listing of relevant organisations and subjects can be found in the ephemera card index in the Reading Room.
Zines and artist books
The Library's collections currently include more than 350 zines and 27 artist books some of which explore motherhood.
Electronic resources
Electronic resources (online journals and databases) 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.
Archives
A brief guide to the archives is available on The Women's Library website. Further details of archives available for research can be found in the archives and museum collections catalogue or in the hard copy catalogues available in the Reading Room on the shelves adjacent to the Enquiry Desk. The following catalogued archives, including records of organisations, societies, campaigns, personal papers, letters relate to The Women's Liberation Movement of the 1970s:
2IAW/2 International Alliance of Women Resource files containing press cuttings, reports, articles, pamphlets, ephemera, and correspondence
2IAW/2/B/13 International Alliance of Women Liberation - Women's Liberation Movement workshop
5ERC Records of Essex Road Women's Centre
5HWA Records of Hackney Women's Aid
5LFH Records of the London Feminist History Group
5MIA/08 Mothers In Action correspondence with other organisations includes correspondence with Union of Women for Liberation
5SRW Records of See Red Women's Workshop
6WHN Records of Women's History Network
6WIL Records of Women in Libraries
6WIM/C Records of Women in Media (series relating to Anti-Discrimination Bill)
5WMA Records of the Women's Media Action Group
5WRR Records of the Women's Research & Resources Centre (London)
5WSC Papers related to Women and Socialism Conferences
6MRW/O Objects relating to The Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company
7ADA Papers of Anna Davin
7ANG Papers of Angela Martin
7CMS Papers of Charlotte Mary Stott
7CTH Papers of Catherine Thackray
7EAW Papers of Elizabeth Wilson and Angela [Weir] Mason
7EHO Papers of Esther Hodge
7EOB Papers of Emil Oberholzer
7ESH Papers of Elaine Showalter
7HEF Papers of Helen Franks
7JAN Papers of Jayne and Juliet Nelson
7JOS Papers of Jo Stanley
7LIM Papers of Lilian Mohin
7PAC Papers of Pat Caplan
7PMA Papers of Pamela Anderson
7SHR Papers of Sheila Rowbotham
7TAK Papers of Tamar Karet (Kingsgate Place Women's Centre)
8ODH/02/01/20 Records of "Out of the Doll's House" include a file on the Women's Liberation Movement in the 1960s and 1970s.
10/52 Scrapbooks of press cuttings relating to the Women's Liberation Movement
11RIP Papers of Rita Pankhurst
Museum
The museum collection comprises postcards, photographs, posters, banners and badges. Further details of museum objects available for research can be found in the archive and museum collections catalogue or in the hard copy catalogues available in the Reading Room on the shelves adjacent to the Enquiry Desk. A selection of images from the collection can be viewed at the Mary Evans Picture Library Specifically the Library holds objects relating to peace campaigning, work and equality in the workplace, women and publishing, equal opportunities, peace campaigning, reproduction, family planning, abortion, birth, childcare, sexuality, violence, organisations and events and campaigning. The women's liberation movement postcards are located in postcard boxes 6 and 7. Badges on modern women's campaigning: 1970s and 1980s feminist imagery and slogans are in badge boxes 25 to 28. The Museum collection includes See Red Women's Workshop Collection TWL.2006.02 and the National Abortion Campaign Collection TWL.2004.365
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.
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, telephone 020 7320 3515, or by asking at the Information Desk in the Reading Room on the day of your visit.
Image reference:
Return to source notes
|
