ACRL/New England Chapter
Women's Studies Interest Group
Annual Report 2005-2006
The Women's Studies Interest Group held two programs during the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
Summer Retreat, Colby College and the Margaret Chase Smith Library, Maine, July 21-22, 2005
Two dozen librarians gathered for a two-day program July 21-22 at Colby College Library Special Collections, Waterville, Maine, and the Margaret Chase Smith Library, in Skowhegan, Maine. Most participants stayed overnight at Colby College's Dana Hall between the two programs. Librarians, a few coming with their significant others, made the four to six hour drive from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and were joined by librarians attending for one or both days from Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby colleges.
Pat Burdick, Special Collections Librarian at Colby College, welcomed the group over refreshments, gave an overview of Special Collections and led a tour of the rooms comprising Special Collections. Maggie Libby, Visual Resources and Manuscripts Librarian, spoke about her recent exhibit, “Where are the Women, Portraits of Colby Women, 1875 – 1904.” She showed slides of portraits she had done of early Colby alumnae. Karen Gillum, who holds positions in Special Collections and Technical Services, spoke about Mary Ellen Chase (1887-1973), who was a writer, scholar, and educator, born in Blue Hill, Maine. Jennifer Thorn, Assistant Professor of English at Colby College, has a background in 18th century British literature and culture and Anglo Irish fiction. She talked about her use of the Healy Collection in her courses. She includes non-anthologized woman writers in the Healy Collection on her syllabus so that students use sources not found in traditional anthologies and coursepacks.
Following the program, attendees got settled in their housing at Dana Hall, caught up on their recreational reading, visited the Colby College Museum of Art or the Colby College bookstore, went to a film at the Maine International Film Festival, or joined colleagues for dinner. In the morning, sleepy-eyed librarians trickled into the Dana Hall dining commons for a buffet style breakfast before setting off for Skowhegan for the second day of the retreat.
The Northwood University Margaret Chase Smith Library, in Skowhegan, some 22 miles from Colby College, was the location of the second day of the Women's Studies Interest Group. We were warmly welcomed by Assistant Director David Richards, who gave us an overview of the Margaret Chase Smith Library and its functions. We next watched a 20 minute biographical video entitled Margaret Chase Smith: The Voice of Maine, The Conscience of the Senate. Dr. Gregory Gallant, Director, was our next speaker. He spoke about Congressional papers and their importance. Angie Stockwell, Collection Specialist, spoke to us in the Research Room about the collections and handed out packets of information regarding the library. Dr. Lisa Ossian, a community college history professor from Iowa, spoke to us about her personal research at the MCS Library. Ms. Ossian is working on a book on childhood in the U.S., during World War II. At the end of the formal presentations, David Richards took the group on a tour of the Margaret Chase Smith home.
Naval War College and Newport Historical Society, RI, May 3, 2006
A cool and rainy, March-like May day did not deter nine WSIG members and friends from attending the Women's Studies Interest Group spring program, held at the Naval War College and the Newport Historical Society in Newport, Rhode Island on May 3, 2006. Evelyn Cherpak, Head, Naval Historical Collection, Naval War College, and co-chair of the Women's Studies Interest Group, gave a brief overview of the Naval War College and a presentation on Women's History Sources in the Naval Historical Collection. After the presentation we looked at some of the manuscripts, photograph albums, and other resources she had discussed.
We next headed to the Newport Historical Society Library. Bert Lippincott, Reference Librarian, Genealogist, and Acting Curator of Manuscripts, took us through a chronological walk-through of women's collections at the Newport Historical Society Library. He talked about sources of women's history in the collection and handed a number of items from the collections around the table for us to examine.
Other Accomplishments
Other accomplishments this year involved the creation of a new WSIG listserv and the moving of the WSIG web page to a more permanent home. The WSIG distribution list evolved into a listserv, WSIG-L, hosted at Bowdoin College. The WSIG Web page is being moved to the ACRL/NEC Web page. Christina Smith, who had run both the distribution list and the WSIG web page, stepped down as WSIG co-chair/chair after having served in that capacity since 1996. Continuing as co-chairs for WSIG for 2006 and 2007 are Evelyn Cherpak and Susan Klein. They met at the conclusion of the May 3 program in Newport to discuss program ideas for the coming year.
Christina Smith, co-chair, 1996-2006