Spinsters Books and Webbery, Inc. records
Overview
Spinsters Books and Webbery, Inc. was a non-profit women and children's bookstore and women's center collectively operated by lesbians in downtown Lawrence, Kansas during the 1980s. They also published a lesbian and feminist newsletter entitled Monthly Cycle. This collection includes this publication as well as a collection of women's newsletters from around the country, newspaper clippings, volunteer log books, correspondence and business records.
Dates
- Creation: 1970 - 1994
Creator
- Spinsters Books and Webbery, Inc. (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
No access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.
History of Spinsters Books and Webbery
Spinsters Books and Webbery, Inc. was a non-profit women and children's bookstore and women's center collectively operated by lesbians in downtown Lawrence, Kansas during the 1980s. For a few years, they published a lesbian and feminist newsletter entitled Monthly Cycle.
The collective sold books for women by women, women's music, crafts, buttons, and other related merchandise. They also offered a free lending library, though men were not permitted access. The bookstore hosted dances, a lesbian tea hour, speakers, classes, and other events that fulfilled the "webbery" aspects of the collective. The women of Spinsters, including members and volunteers, worked closely with Women's Transitional Care Services and women in prison.
Extent
23.25 Linear Feet (24 boxes + 2 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Language of Materials
English
Physical Location
RH MS 704
Physical Location
RH MS 1058
Physical Location
RH MS 1196
Physical Location
RH MS R156
Physical Location
RH MS Q173
Physical Location
RH MS R290
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifts, Spinster Books and Webbery, 1990-1991; Lisa McGraw, 1993; Roberta Woods, 2006; Maggie Cloud, 2020; and Judith Galas, 2021.
Processing Information
Throughout this finding aid to aid consistency in searching, "women" is substituted for a number of alternative spellings (womyn, wimin, womon, etc.).
- Title
- Guide to the Spinsters Books Collection
- Subtitle
- Spinsters Books and Webbery, Inc. records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by rlf, 2006. Finding aid encoded by rlf, 2005. Finding aid revised by skt, 2010; mmm, 2017; mwh, 2021; cmp, 2022.
- Date
- 2006
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Finding aid written in English.
- Finding aid permalink
- http://hdl.handle.net/10407/2150170668
- Preferred citation
-
Spinsters Books and Webbery records, Kansas Collection, RH MS 704, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas
Repository Details
Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository