College and Research Libraries Emily Dickinson

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By MARTHA S. BELL Special Women's Collections in United States Libraries

HE FOLLOWING LIST of special collec- When the collections are viewed as a Ttions of materials by and about whole and the source materials they women and their activities was made offer are considered, a number of ob- possible by the kind and ready coopera- servations may be made: (1) The several tion of many librarians. Particular ac- collections specifically on feminism and knowledgement of gratitude goes to the leaders of the feminist movement, to- staff of the Women's Archives at Rad- gether with books on feminism in some cliffe College. Their helpful assistance of the large collections on the history of in making the resources of that splendid women, present comprehensive and ade- library available materially furthered quate coverage on that subject. (2) A few this project. When possible, the librar- collections, assembled in the 1890's and ies concerned were visited and the con- early 1900's, though not now active, have tent of individual collections observed real historical significance. (3) Several at first hand. excellent collections of books, files of pa- The aim of the list is to give loca- pers, letters, journals, etc., offer scholars tion and description of separate collec- extensive and invaluable source material tions only. No attempt is made to present on the history of women, their contri- information concerning the many strong bution, collective or individual, to the holdings on women which are an inte- social, political, and intellectual prob- gral part of numerous libraries, except lems of their times. The two outstanding in a few cases where a specially col- libraries of this nature are the Women's lected group of books on women has Archives at Radcliffe College and the been incorporated directly into the gen- Sophia Smith Collection at Smith Col- eral collection as a matter of library lege. (4) Although some notable separate policy. All listings, with these excep- collections on individual women exist, tions, are for specific materials separated they are not as numerous as would be from the larger holdings of a library, or expected, and materials on individual for those which constitute a special li- authors of note have been neglected. brary in their own right. Collections both True, much valuable material by and large and small have been included. Al- about individual women may be found though many significant letters, manu- in the large collections on the history of scripts, and papers were located, it has women, in numerous college alumnae seemed best to limit this list to collec- sections, and in holdings of countless tions containing published volumes. general libraries. If, however, the publi- Alumnae collections found throughout cations by and about the individual au- the country in women's colleges have thors not represented elsewhere were as- also been omitted. sembled, they would take on significance by presenting and preserving in one group the achievements of the author. Miss Bell is Librarian, Randolph- Such groups of books, also, would be- Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, come most valuable when developed to Virginia.

MAY 1959 235 include personal letters and papers. (5) frage movement during the period when she Comparatively few books by and about was active. Letters, manuscripts, pamphlets, women have been assembled on a re- and related materials collected by the Susan gional basis. (6) Other than in religion B. Anthony Committee have been released to the Henry E. Huntington Library. and medicine, no collections on women in the professions were located. (7) Bibli- MARIE BASHKIRSHEFF. Wilson College Li- ographical data are available for only a brary, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. few collections. When such lists do exist, Books by and about the author, letters, however, they are excellent. pictures, and copies of her Journal in all languages to which it has been translated. INDIVIDUAL About seventy-five items.

JANE ADDAMS. Jane Addams Collection. HALLIE QUINN BROWN. Central State Col- Swarthmore College Peace Collection, lege, Wilberforce, Ohio. Friends Historical Library, Swarth- more, Pennsylvania. Memorial collection of the books, letters and papers of Hallie Q. Brown, Negro au- This collection, a memorial to Miss Ad- thor and elocutionist of the early twentieth dams, includes all her published writings, century. extensive correspondence, and a large col- ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING. Brown- lection of her personal peace records. The ing Collection. Scripps College Li- largest collection of Jane Addams papers brary, Claremont, California. in existence. This collection of books, papers, and ANNE OF BRITTANY. The Anne of Brit- manuscripts by and about the Brownings tany Collection. Love Memorial Li- and Browning source materials was started brary, University of Nebraska, Lin- in 1944 with a gift of its library by the coln, Nebraska. Pacific Coast Browning Foundation. Of the five hundred books in the collection, some This collection contains about fifteen one hundred and twenty-five are by or about hundred books and manuscripts, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Photographs, numerous biographies, references to Anne clippings covering the Brownings, associa- in histories of her time, and related ma- tion items, etc. are included. At present terials. First editions, fine bindings, as well concentration is being placed on acquiring as modern trade editions are included. Ma- manuscripts of original letters to the Brown- terial ranges from stories of romance to ings, manuscripts of their original works, thoughtful analysis of Anne of Brittany, the and association items. Continuous exhibits politician and stateswoman. Several "mu- of material from the collection are featured seum books" on the practice of medicine in the room which houses the collection. during this period are included, along with "Browning Day" is celebrated annually. examples of fine binding and printing of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century France. Ma- WILLA CATHER. Willa Cather Pioneer terial is still being collected. A descriptive Memorial Library, Red Cloud, Ne- folder of the collection was issued in 1951. braska.

SUSAN B. ANTHONY. The Susan B. An- This organization, started in 1955, aims thony Collection. Los Angeles Public to develop a permanent art, literary, and Library, Los Angeles, California. historical collection relating to the life, times, and work of Miss Cather. It now con- This is a varied collection of approx- tains books, photostat copies of early maga- imately seventy-five volumes, part of the zine stories, letters, photographs, and many material previously collected by the Susan clippings about her life and work. It will B. Anthony Committee. It includes any book also contain background literature she her- which mentions Miss Anthony or the suf- self read.

236 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES EMILY DICKINSON. Jones Library, Am- SARAH ORNE JEWETT. Sarah Orne Jewett herst, Massachusetts. Collection. Colby College, Waterville, Maine. This collection presents a practically complete chronological record of the published It is planned to make this collection of works of Emily Dickinson. Starting with the books by and about Miss Jewett as exhaus- first published poems, printed anonymously tive as possible. It contains about eight in an anthology, it contains all editions and hundred books, seventy magazine articles, all printings of all editions of Miss Dickin- various clippings, and four original manu- son's poems, all anthologies in which her scripts. Variant editions of Miss Jewett's poems have appeared, all foreign editions books are included. and translations. Braille editions are also JOAN OF ARC. The Joan of Arc Collec- included. A complete series of editions and tion. Monsignor Joseph M. Gleason printings of her letters have been similarly Library, San Francisco College for assembled. The collection includes biographies of Emily Dickinson as well as books Women, San Francisco, California. which contain critical material, chapters, or Approximately one hundred books, and poems about her. Also, all plays and novels a few pamphlets and clippings, about Joan in which she appears as a character are col- of Arc collected during Monsignor Glea- lected. As an accompaniment to this, there son's lifetime. Started about 1892. Material is an extensive file on newspapers and peri- occasionally added. odicals in which her poems first appeared, as well as articles of criticism, etc. ALICE MEYNELL. Alice Meynell Collec- A group of about thirty graduate theses tion. Boston University Library, Bos- on Emily Dickinson is included, also a file ton, Massachusetts. of sheet music when her poems have been Started in 1946, this collection contains used as songs. The collection is now being all first editions of Mrs. Meynell's publica- expanded by adding the books whose titles tion, a section of volumes containing notable Miss Dickinson mentions in her writings. and significant criticisms of the work, a com- The collection is fully cataloged and in- plete collection of books to which she con- dexed. It forms an interesting addition of tributed prefaces or introductions, and a the Emily Dickinson manuscript material at complete set of her translations from Latin, Amherst College and Harvard. French, Italian. Mrs. Meynell's uncollected ALICE MORSE EARLE. Alice Morse Earle contributions, prose and poetry, are nearly Collection. Brooklyn College, Brook- complete. Material about Alice Meynell is also being collected. The books number to lyn, New York. date about two hundred fifty. There are a Collection of seventeen first editions of few letters and manuscripts in the collec- Mrs. Earle's works. tion. This library contains the only oil portrait of Alice Meynell, done by the late LOUISE IMOGEN GUINEY. Louise Imogen Earl of Lytton. Guiney Collection. Dinand Library, FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. Florence Night- Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massa- ingale Collection. Department of Nurs- chusetts. ing, Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia- Presbyterian Medical Center, New About sixty volumes by and about Miss York, New York. Guiney, poet and essayist, including all but one of her books (a small privately printed Writings of Florence Nightingale, her edition), books edited and translated by her, notes on nursing, addresses to her nurses, scrapbooks, clippings, photographs, twenty- biographies, memorial tributes, pictures, five manuscripts, and some six hundred and etc., and over three hundred of her letters eighty letters written by Miss Guiney. (1838-1856). Catalog of the collection pub- Housed in a memorial room. lished in 1956.

MAY 1959 237 GENEVIEVE TAGGARD-EMILY DICKINSON. and use of present opportunities for women Genevieve Taggard-Emily Dickinson by spreading knowledge of the efforts and Collection. Sarah Lawrence College, sacrifices required to secure them; second, to supply factual information on special sub- Bronxville, New York. jects for students of history, government, This collection numbering about ninety education and economics." The material, books and thirty pamphlets was started in housed in a beautiful fire-proof room in 1955. It contains chiefly the background Longfellow Hall, consists of books, maga- material used by Miss Taggard when she zine articles, files of periodicals, reports of wrote The Life and Mind of Emily Dickin- women's organizations, letters, speeches, son in 1930. Also included are drafts of biographical data, pictures, and press clip- two of her books, never completed. To this pings. The nucleus of the collection came material from the Taggard estate have been from the files of Maud Wood Park. Its added volumes of criticism and various edi- donors now number scores who have been tions of these two authors. The collection interested in and have made contributions is kept up to date with current books of to the woman movement. A Guide to the this nature. Woman's Rights Collection was published by Radcliffe College in 1943. IDA M. TARBELL. Ida M. Tarbell Collec- tion. Allegheny College, Meadville, Frances Bayard Hilles Library, National Pennsylvania. Women's Party, 144 Constitution Ave- nue N.E., Washington, D.C. About eight thousand items consisting of Miss Tarbell's business and personal letters, This collection of several thousand books letters written to her, many of them from on the history of the development of the prominent people, manuscripts, pamphlets, woman movement contains material on etc. Miss Tarbell's personal library is also in- woman suffrage, the equal rights movement, cluded. biographies, a large number of manuscripts, The Allegheny Library also owns The letters, bound clippings, leaflets, bulletins, Ida M. Tarbell Lincoln Collection. Items periodicals, autographed photographs, etc. particularly pertaining to Miss Tarbell in- The nucleus of the collection came from clude her working library on Lincoln, let- the private library of Alva Belmont, her ters written to and by her about Lincoln, journal relating to suffrage and equal rights and first editions of her books on Lincoln. being the most valuable item.

FRANCES E. WILLARD. The Frances E. GEORGIA AUTHORS. Georgia Women Au- Willard Memorial Library for Alcohol- thors Collection. Georgia State College ic Research, National W.C.T.U. Head- for Women, Milledgeville, Georgia. quarters, 1740 Chicago Avenue, Evans- Women born in Georgia, who claim it as ton, Illinois. their native state, and women who have Collection of letters, biographies, original lived there for at least five years and have editions of Miss Willard's works, much of done their writing in Georgia, are included her private library, scrapbooks, etc. "Ma- in the collection. Approximately two hun- terial in fragile condition." dred books, two hundred forty letters, two hundred manuscripts, and several hundred COLLECTIVE clippings, pamphlets, etc., represent the FEMINIST MOVEMENT. Woman's Rights work of more than three hundred authors. Collection. Women's Archives, Rad- Started in 1947, material is still being added. cliffe College, Cambridge, Massachu- HISTORY OF WOMEN. The Ida Rust Mac- setts. pherson Collection. Scripps College, Claremont, California. The purpose of this extensive and valuable collection, opened in 1943, is two- A special collection of books by and about fold: "First, to arouse greater appreciation women, started in 1936 with the gift of

238 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES money and books by Mrs. James Grant of the collection has been compiled by Macpherson. Consists of four main fields of Northwestern. concentration: emancipation and reform, before Plato to the present; pioneer women Gerritsen Collection of "La Femme et la of the west; humanist tradition (women in Feminisme." University of Kansas Li- literature, religion, social reform, science, brary, Lawrence, Kansas. education, art, etc.); domestic history (etiquette, manners, etc.). It contains some fif- About two thousand items in this collec- teen hundred books, about six hundred cos- tion on the social and political history of tume plates, and some valuable manuscripts women were formerly part of the library of and letters. An interesting feature is a file Mr. Carel V. Gerritsen, of Amsterdam. It of tape-recorded interviews with outstand- was acquired by the John Crerar Library in ing women in Southern California. De- 1904 and valuable additions were made over scription of this collection and lists of hold- a period of fifty years. In 1954 the entire ings have been published by Scripps College collection, now numbering some four thou- Library. sand books, pamphlets, and periodicals, was purchased by the Kansas University Library American Woman's Collection. Connect- for the use of students on its campus. The icut College Library, New London, collection includes materials on all phases Connecticut. of women's activities, past and present, particularly material related to their social, A collection of about five hundred books, economic, and political struggles. It con- numerous letters, papers, manuscripts, etc. tains many rare and early editions, as well on all aspects of woman's contributions to as runs of unusual women's magazines and American life and her activities therein. Al- reports of national and international wom- though in no way limited, special emphasis en's organizations. One of the most exten- is given to books by and about Connecticut sive collections of the kind in this country. women, and much valuable material on this subject may be found here. Alma Lutz Collection (private). 22 River Street, Boston 8, Massachusetts. Biblioteca Femina. Northwestern Uni- versity Library, Evanston, Illinois. "Collection of about one thousand books on women and their contribution to civiliza- The nucleus of this collection was two tion, and of several hundred letters. In- thousand books assembled for the Inter- cluded are books dealing with women's role national Book Exhibit as part of the pro- in American history, and their educational, gram of the Congress of Women, held in political and economic advancement." Chicago, July 1933, and deposited at North- western that year. To these books was later Galatea Collection. Boston Public Li- added, by transfer from the Chicago Public brary, Boston, Massachusetts. Library, a large group originally assembled by the International Council of Women for Approximately five thousand volumes re- the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893. lating to the history of women. The orig- The aim of the collection was to make it a inal collection of some one thousand vol- compendium showing the progress of women umes, collected over a period of fifty years, in all countries and in all fields of endeavor. was presented to the library by Thomas A wide variety of subjects is covered, ranging Wentworth Higginson in 1896. It includes from the feminist movement to religion and books in a variety of languages, many of philosophy, from science to art. Thirty-eight them "rare and curious," and of wide sub- countries are represented. Many of the books ject range—individual and collective biog- in foreign languages are rarely found in raphy, health and hygiene, education, oc- American libraries. The chief significance cupations, women in literature, etc. A cata- of this collection today is historical, as it log of the collection was published in 1898. has been impossible and impractical to keep Books are being currently added, as funds it up to date. A checklist of the contents permit.

MAY 1959 239 Women's Archives. Radcliffe College, the staff do much to induce use of the col- Cambridge, Massachusetts. lection by college students. It is also open to scholars engaged in research in this and The purpose and function of this collec- related fields. Plans are underway for the tion is to increase understanding of the publication of a series of monographs on social and historical contributions made by the collection. women to American life, past and present, and to indicate what may be their responsibil- Collection on Women. Wheaton College, ity for the future. Some five thousand pub- Norton, Massachusetts. lished volumes and very extensive files of This group of about three hundred vol- papers, letters, manuscripts, photographs, umes consists primarily of books on the autographs, etc., provide the student and education and development of women. Ma- scholar with a rich assortment of materials terial on etiquette, fashions, the suffrage on all fields which touch women's interests. movement, are included. Books date back "Inconspicuous as well as famous persons to the turn of the century and current vol- are included, individuals and groups alike umes on the subject are being added as are represented." Valuable papers and let- funds permit. ters of individuals and organizations are constantly being added. The collection, Miriam Y. Holden Collection (private). housed in an attractive room in Longfellow 57 East 78th Street, New York, New Hall, is thoroughly cataloged, and the staff York. has compiled an excellent and useful union catalog of women's manuscripts located else- "A collection of more than two thousand where than at Radcliffe. A brochure giving books dealing with women's achievements information about the collection, its devel- and their contribution to social history, their opment and recent acquisitions, is issued an- lives, ideas, interests and activities, political, nually. legal and economic through the ages." Books are available to research workers. Sophia Smith Collection. Smith College, Southampton, Massachusetts. Schwemmer-Lloyd Collection. New York This rich and rapidly growing collection Public Library, New York, New York. of over five hundred thousand items con- About three thousands items collected by sists of books, manuscripts, diaries, pamph- Madame Rosika Schwemmer and Mrs. Lola lets, and other materials relating to the Maverick Lloyd. It includes materials on social and intellectual history of women, woman's work and activities, the change in together with complete files of papers, corre- her position, her efforts to achieve security, spondence, etc., of many prominent individ- and the feminist movement in foreign coun- uals. The strongest and largest international tries, as well as fields of social activity which collection on women in existence, it presents affected women. Special areas of personal rare and valuable source material on every interest to the two women who collected activity of women "through the ages of the books are also included—world peace, recorded time and around the world." Con- housing, medicine, etc. Extensive files of temporary items from foreign countries are correspondence of Madame Schwemmer and constantly being added. Except for publica- Mrs. Lloyd are in the collection. Acquired tions of exceptional value, the collection is through gifts in 1940, the collection is in not physically separated from the other the process of being cataloged. holdings of the general library of Smith Col- lege, as its stated purpose is "to bring to The Woman's Collection. Woman's Col- light the contributions of women to the lege Library, University of North society of men and women ... as part of Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina. the record of mankind." A special analytical subject catalog serves as a complete guide This library has been gathering special to the various holdings in this selective field. printed materials in all areas pertaining to Through extensive exhibits, publicity, etc., women since 1937. Most of the items are

240 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES classified with the regular library holdings Woman's Collection. Bennett College and made available as a subject group Library, Greensboro, North Carolina. through the library catalog and annotated bibliographies which are issued yearly and This collection includes materials by and cumulated at five year intervals. Books pub- about Negro women, chiefly American, of lished before 1900 (about eight hundred the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth cen- volumes) are set aside as a special collec- turies. All areas of the achievement are in- tion for historical purposes to be used for cluded and about two hundred authors represented. It contains approximately three research and exhibition. Printed bibliogra- hundred twenty-five books, four hundred phies of the collection have been issued since mounted clippings, and a few letters. Started 1938. in 1946, it is being kept up to date as new Charles Chauncey Mellor Collection. publications appear. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pitts- VIRGINIA AUTHORS. Collections of Writ- burgh, Pennsylvania. ings by Virginia Women. Randolph- This collection was established through a Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, bequest in 1909 from Mr. Charles Chauncey Virginia. Mellor. The bequest stated that the collec- This collection of books by women born tion should contain books which relate to in Virginia, or so closely associated with the woman, "considered physically, intellectu- state that they have become identified with ally, and historically; to what has been her it, aims to assemble everything published by position from the most primitive times to a Virginia woman. Imprints date from 1825 the present; to her work and influence in to the present, and the collection is con- the evolution and development of the race, stantly being expanded. It presents a cross- and of its industries, arts, and history; to section of the thinking, the social and polit- what she is now doing on the same lines, ical activities of these women, and furnishes and what she could and would do if allowed examples of the varied subjects in which by men, and a portion of her own sex; to each has been interested. "Literary worth" equality, especially to her right of suffrage." as such, has been disregarded. The collection The collection contains about seventeen numbers about thirteen hundred volumes, hundred volumes. It includes material on representing the work of approximately five women from primitive times to the present, hundred women. A few manuscripts are in- with an emphasis on the history of women cluded. in the United States. Books in foreign languages are also included. It is not separated WOMEN AND THE CHURCH. Alma Lutz from the other holdings of the Carnegie Li- Collection on the Church and Women. brary, a memorial bookplate being the only Zion Research Library, 120 Seaver designation. Income from the bequest per- Street, Brookline 46, Massachusetts. petuates the collection. This Protestant, non-sectarian library for Women's Collection. Texas State College the study of the Bible and the history of for Women, Denton, Texas. the Christian Church is developing a special collection of books on the role of women Originally started with no geographical in the church and the history and growth or chronological limits, this collection is of their work therein. It contains memoirs now loosely limited to women in the United of women in the ministry, early sermons States who have had a significant part in delivered to "female" schools and church the development of American civilization— groups, etc., as well as material on activ- in education, the arts, politics, social wel- ities of the present day. There are about fare, etc. Started in 1932, it contains ap- one hundred books and pamphlets to date. proximately twenty-five hundred books. About two hundred women are represented. WOMEN IN MEDICINE. Elizabeth Bass Col- NEGRO WOMEN. The Afro-American lection on Women in Medicine. Ru-

MAY 1959 241 dolph Matas Medical Library, Tulane Woman's Medical College of Pennsyl- University, New Orleans, Louisiana. vania Library, Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania. Collection of material about women in the field of medicine, the history of their This collection consists of approximately growth in the profession and material about five hundred books, two hundred manu- individual women physicians. It contains scripts and one hundred fifty letters pertain- some five hundred books and one thousand ing to the history of women physicians. It folders containing letters, biographical clip- is not housed separately but shelved with pings, portraits, etc., relating to individual other materials in this medical college li- women physicians. An index is also avail- brary. As soon as possible, a large collec- able for all news items about women in tion of books, reprints, clippings, etc., as- medicine which have appeared in journals sembled by Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen during published by and for women physicians. her lifetime, will be added.

Buildings and Equipment Institute

Plans for four new college and research libraries will be presented and discussed at the Saturday, June 20, meetings of the Buildings and Equipment Institute to be held June 18-20 at the McKeldin Library of the University of Maryland. The libraries discussed will be those of the United States Air Force Academy, Colo.; Saint Vin- cent College and Archabbey, Latrobe, Penna.; Case Institute of Technology, Cleve- land; and Trinity College, Washington, D.C. Registrants at the Institute will, of course, have opportunities to see the new library of the University of Maryland in operation. Edwin T. Coman, Jr., librarian of the University of California at Riverside, will preside at the Saturday meetings of college and university librarians. Lt. Col. George V. Fagan, director of the Air Force Academy Library, will present the plans for the new building there. Donald C. Davidson, librarian of Santa Barbara College of the University of California, will criticize them. The Saint Vincent plans will be presented by the Rev. Finton R. Shoniker, librarian, and criticized by James D. Mack, librarian of Lehigh University. Mary F. Pinches, librarian of Case Institute, will present the plans for the library there. They will be criticized by H. Dean Stallings, librarian of the North Dakota Agricultural College. Sister Helen, librarian at Trin- ity College, will present the plans for Trinity. Their critic will be Dorothy W. Reed- er, librarian of Maryland State Teachers College, Towson. The general programs of the Institute are designed to be helpful to all librarians working toward new buildings. At its first meeting (Thursday evening, June 18) the Institute members will hear a talk by Dean Paul Schweiber, School of Architecture of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, on "Problems of Contemporary Planning." A Friday afternoon panel on "Equipment Evaluation and Specification Writing" should prove of special interest and usefulness. Representatives of business firms will discuss such pertinent topics as "Equipment Lay-Out Plans and Library Interiors," "Resilient Floorings for Library Buildings," "Library Lighting," and "Heating and Ventilating." There will be wide opportunity for full and general exchange of information on library plans. The Institute will show an extensive selection of actual plans, draw- ings, and views of recently completed buildings and those now being constructed. A detailed program appears in the May issue of the ALA Bulletin.

242 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES