Out in the Mountains The Lesbian Herstory Archives Moira I have been trying to organize a trip to the Lesbian Herstory Archives for several years. Finally this spring I was able to arrange a time to visit. I was intrigued when one of the volunteers told me over the phone, "It will change your life forever." Always open for adventure, this was the perfect recommendation. \Il \I|!l R Prudentia_|_Be_f_e_rra_| Services“ l\l|R\\IIII\\| \|l\\||k‘\ Edward J. Kaufman Broker/REALTOR Voice Mail (802) 864-1905 ext. 35 (802) 864-0541 FAX (302; 864-1910 360 Main Street Burlington Vermont 05401 Barre Pen Dragon Bennington Bennington Free Library Bennington College Bennington Library Record Rack Southern Vermont College Brattleboro Brattleboro Food Coop Common Ground Everyone's Books Burlington Burlington College Chassman & Bern Fletcher Free Library Onion River Co—op Parmers in Recovery & Growth Peace & Justice Center Pearls Planned Parenthood Casfleton STEP Learning Center Chester Misty Valley Books Chester Craftsbury Craftsbury Public Library Where to Find OITM Locating the elegant brownstone in Brooklyn (surprisingly close to where ‘my family was born and raised) was simple. A quiet side street, no flashing banners, just a small "archives" written above the buzzer. A young woman from the University of Minnesota greeted my mother and me. (Yes my mother has come a long way). We were given the full tour and let loose to dig and,poke about. I spent a fabulous afternoon buried in impeccably organized file cabinets, book cases, boxes and drawers, all brimming with a sense of history, excuse me Herstory. I left with a wonderful picture drawn by these collective images. The Archives was organized in the pantry of Joan Nestle and friends in 1974. Their objective was to collect and preserve what the mainstream libraries and research institutions were ignoring. In 1993 the Archives moved to its present location. This was a reflection of much growth and activity in the 80's when the organization also incorporated as the Lesbian Herstory Educational Foundation. It is the overwhelming effort of thousands of lesbians. The material housed spans decades, from the paperbacks of the fifties to current news articles on issues such as lesbian parenting. One is immediately impressed with the many diverse lives that have shaped this unique place. Center Rutland Rutland Area Gay/Lesbian Connection East Hardwick Greenhope Farm Fair Haven Fair Haven Free Library Hardwick Buffalo Mountain Coop Galaxy Books Lyndonville Jon's Automotive Project EXCEL, Lyndon State College Manchester Center Northshire Bookstore Middlebury Middlebury Natural Food Coop Montpelier Bear Pond Books Horn of the Moon Cafe Rivendell Books Woman Centered Morrisville Monistown Centennial Library Newfane Moore Free Library Northfield Brown Public Library The collection is divided into eight major sections. The first two rooms hold 10,000 books, from history, health and religion to several hundreds of the 50's pulp novels, poetry, classic favorites and contemporary lesbian writers. Especially innovative is the system of alphabetizing -by the women's first name, not her father's last name. Also in these front, high—ceilinged rooms are all the indexes and reference materials, along with subject files. There is a file for just about everything - all filled with clippings, articles, notes, and photos. I went through a small slice of them from Relationships-couples/marriages (even with a few matchboxes and cocktail napkins from that special day), Sports (plenty of stories on Martina), Stonewall (lots on this subject), Spinsters, songs, and S&M. The file on Passing Women was so complete there was a reference to the Brandon Teena file ( the woman killed in Nebraska this past New Years for being a "passing woman"). Next is the Audio—Visual collection. While I was there, a woman was spreading hundreds of photos on the big table, looking for images for a store front window she was designing for the Stonewall Anniversary. I looked over faces of lesbians of every color, size and age. Displayed on the walls is a recent Norwich Social Alternatives for Gay Men Plainfield Woman's Study Program Putney Putney Library Randolph Kimball Public Library Rutland ' PFLAG Rutland Free Library United Methodist Churh Grace Cong. United Church of Christ St. J ohnsbury LUNA/NEVGALR c/0 Umbrella Natural Provisions Regional Library St. Johnsbury Athenaeum Stowe Food for Thought Waterbury Video Exchange White River J unction WRJ Books Upper Valley Coop Williamstown, MA Wild Oats Co—op Or by Subscription mailed right to your door! 14