New Digital Collections for Fall 2020

Posted on by Geoffrey Ross

We have acquired several new digital collections for Fall, 2020, including major historical newspaper collections, module three of British Periodicals, two collections for the study of LGBTQ history, the latest release of records from the Mass Observation archive (1981-1990), over  two centuries of U.S. government documents, and a major collection of Chinese gazetteers.

Historical Newspapers and Periodicals

  • British Periodicals III: Nine major British periodicals, eight of which were published by the Illustrated London News Publishing Company:
    • Britannia and Eve (London), 1926-1957
    • Bystander (London), 1903-1940
    • Farm and Country (London), 1874-1970
    • Graphic (London), 1869-1932
    • Illustrated War News (London), 1939
    • London Life, 1965-1966
    • Sketch (London), 1893-1958
    • Sphere (London), 1900-1964
    • Tatler and Bystander (London), 1901-1965
  • Philadelphia Inquirer
    • Philadelphia Inquirer, 1860-1934
    • Philadelphia Inquirer Public Ledger, 1934-1969
    • Philadelphia Inquirer, 1969-2001
  • Toronto Globe and Mail
      • Globe and Mail, 1936-2016
      • Globe, 1844-1936
  • Amateur Newspapers from the American Antiquarian Society: More than 3,300 nineteenth century U.S. newspapers published by children and young adults. Most of these newspapers exist in very short runs (typically from one issue to a few months’ of issues).
  • Al-Ahram, 1876-2014
  • Gudok, 1918-2019
  • Japan Advertiser, 1913-1940
  • Soviet Woman, 1945-1991

LGBTQ Studies

  • LGBT Magazine Archive: 25 periodicals, mostly from Britain and United States, with one French periodical (Arcadie). Coverage varies, but is mostly 1970s forward. Highlights include Advocate (1969-2015), Gay Times (1984-2014), and Out (1992-2015).
  • Archives of Sexuality and Gender: Two collections (out of the four available): LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Parts I and II. These two collections are are subdivided into 51 sub-collections, with an emphasis on the gay rights movement, HIV/AIDS, and California. The following sub-collections are included in LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part I and II:
    • LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part I
      1. ACT UP: AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
      2. The Bush Administration and the AIDS Crisis
      3. Gay Activism in Britain from 1958: The Hall-Carpenter Archives
      4. Gay Activists Alliance, 1970-1983
      5. Gay and Lesbian Community, Support, and Spirit: Selected Newsletters and Periodicals
      6. Gay and Lesbian Politics and Social Activism: Selected Newsletters and Periodicals
      7. Herstory Archive: Feminist Newspapers
      8. The Homophile Movement: Papers of Donald Stewart Lucas, 1941-1976
      9. In Response to the AIDS Crisis: Records of the National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 1983-1994
      10. International Gay and Lesbian Periodicals and Newsletters
      11. International Governmental and Non-Governmental Reports and Policy Studies Related to LGBTQ Issues, Activism and Health
      12. Lesbian Herstory Archives Newsletter Collection
      13. Lesbian Herstory Archives Subject Files
      14. LGBTQ Newspapers and Periodicals Collection from the Lesbian Herstory Archives
      15. The Mattachine Society of New York Records, 1951-1976
      16. Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin: Beyond the Daughters of Bilitis
      17. Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin and the Daughters of Bilitis
      18. Sexual Politics in Britain
      19. Studies in Global Crisis: The International AIDS & HIV Crisis, Part 1: 1985-1999
    • LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II
      1. ACT UP Los Angeles Records
      2. The Allan Berube Papers
      3. Asian/Pacific AIDS Coalition (APAC) Records
      4. Asian Pacific Lesbians and Gays (A/PLG) Records
      5. Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance Archives, 1972-1994
      6. Bob Davis Collection
      7. Dan Siminoski Collection on Federal Bureau of Investigation Surveillance of Gays and Lesbians
      8. Gay and Lesbian Alliance at Stanford University Records
      9. Imperial Courts (San Francisco) Collection
      10. International Vertical Files from the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives
      11. J. David Latham Psychological Surveys
      12. Jim Kepner Papers
      13. John Kyper Collection of Gay Liberation Ephemera & Publications
      14. Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
      15. Los Angeles City College Gay and Lesbian Student Union Records
      16. Manuel boyFrank Papers
      17. Martin Meeker Collection
      18. The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce Records, 1973-2000
      19. National Transgender Library Collection
      20. The Papers of Douglas Sanders and the Association for Social Knowledge (ASK)
      21. The Papers of Vera “Jack” Holme
      22. Periodicals from Lambda Archives of San Diego
      23. Periodicals from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives
      24. Periodicals from the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives
      25. Posters from the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives
      26. Randy Burns Papers
      27. Robert Rosenkrantz Letters
      28. Transgender San Francisco Collection
      29. Twice Blessed Collection
      30. Wide Open Town History Project Records
      31. Will Roscoe Papers and Gay American Indians Records
      32. The Wolfenden Report: Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution, 1954-1957

Government Documents

  • Digital Bills and Resolutions, 1788-2013: All public and private bills and resolutions of the United States Congress. Previously called “Digital U.S. Bills and Resolutions”. Part of ProQuest Congressional. Navigate to “Advanced Search” and select file “Bills and Laws”.
  • China Comprehensive Gazetteers: Unofficial government documents, written by local administrative officials, from across China, ca. 1229-1949, documenting local geography, geology, culture, economy, government, politics, architecture, and more.

Mass Observation Project, 1981-2009

This collection comprises records of the Mass Observation Project from 1981 to 1990. The Mass Observation Project is a revival of the original Mass Observation, which was an independent, British, social research organization that began in 1937, and ceased in the 1960s. The new Mass Observation Project began in 1981 and, like the original project, asks volunteer “mass observers” to complete questionnaires and surveys about their everyday lives, opinions, and observations. The mass observers receive directives from the central organization, and then submit their responses. For example, the Summer, 1984 directive is six pages long, and here is an excerpt from it:

Excerpt from 1984 Summer Directive
Excerpt from 1984 Summer Directive

Over 550 mass observers responded to the Summer, 1984 directive, and the responses include people’s observations and opinions about, among other topics, the ongoing labor strikes. The collection includes directives and all responses. To help researchers contextualize the responses, the collection supplies key demographic indicators for each respondent (e.g. age, gender, place of residence, and occupation).

Records from the archive of the original project can be found in the digital collection Mass Observation Online, which the Library already owns.

The current release only includes records through 1990. The publisher intends to release the rest of the collection in 2021 and 2022.

Updated on by Geoffrey Ross