Digital Collections
A digital collection (or library) is any collection of files that has been digitally preserved and is accessible on the internet or through software. A digital library may contain manuscripts, newspapers, books, journals, images, audio, and video.
In this section, we link you to specific collections that have come to our attention. You may also find links to digitized resources in our book, periodical, music, and video catalogues.
As a new archive, Wanderground understands the importance of digital access but also needs to consider the limits of our financial resources and people power. If you have experience or expertise in digital archiving, please let us know!
Please note: Digital archives are becoming more and more integral as everyone uses various web-based and social media to connect to each other and our stories. But as you might imagine, archives struggle with these opportunities as technology constantly changes – rapidly! Very often, once the initial expense is made and the collection catalogued, the technology may have become obsolete or no longer supported.
For example: Backing up your computer….from 1970’s to 2011 Floppy Disk > Zip Drives > CD-R/RW or DVD > USB Flash Drives and SD Cards > External Hard drives > Cloud Storage
Some of Our Favorite Digital Resources
Because of a Song
This online archive documents the extraordinary feminist and Lesbian music that burst forth from the heart of Oakland, CA. Curated by Holly Near.
becauseofasong.com
Lesbian Herstory Archives, Brooklyn, NY
The Lesbian Herstory Archives exists to gather and preserve records of Lesbian lives and activities. This ensures future generations will have ready access to materials relevant to their lives.
herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc
Lesbian Home Move Project, Orland, ME
LHMP exists to find, preserve, digitize, and document as much amateur film and tape made by Lesbians or depicting Lesbian lives as possible
Lesbianhomemovieproject.org
Lesbian Power Authority – Radio Show Archive
The Lesbian Power Authority (LPA), hosted by Mev Miller, aired on KFAI radio in the Twin Cities of MN from January 1994 – through July 2002. Every Sunday evening, listeners could hear 60 – 90 minutes of Lesbian words, music, and culture. The show featured music by Lesbian performers, announcements about Lesbian activities and events, interviews with Lesbian writers, activists, musicians, artists, and many others impacting Lesbian culture and lives.
litwomen.org/Lesbian-power-authority-radio-archives
Outliers and Outlaws:
The Eugene Lesbian History Project, Eugene, OR
The Eugene Lesbian History Project is a community-based, digital humanities project that preserves and shares the unique history of the Lesbian community in Eugene, Oregon. The project includes filmed oral histories with 83 narrators, a digital exhibit, and a documentary film.
blogs.uoregon.edu/outliersandoutlawsexhibit/
Southern Lesbian Feminist Activist Herstory Project, Online
Collecting, archiving, and celebrating oral and written stories of unsung, Southern, Lesbian-feminist activists during the second half of the twentieth century.
slfaherstoryproject.org
A Labor of Love: The History of Feminist and Lesbian Bookstores and Publishing
Written, Produced, and Narrated by Mev Miller, 1995
This radio documentary pays tribute to the work of women’s/feminist and lesbian bookstores and publishers. It was produced in 1995 to celebrate the 25 year anniversaries of:
- Publisher – The Feminist Press at CUNY in New York, NY
- Periodical – Off Our Backs: A Women’s Newsjournal in Washington, DC
- Bookstore – Amazon Bookstore in Minneapolis, MN
Interviews (in order of appearance) include:
- April Jackson – Off Our Backs
- Carol Ann Douglas – Off Our Backs
- Florence Howe – Feminist Press, CUNY
- Carol Seajay – Feminist Bookstore News
- Barb Weiser – Iowa City Women’s Press and Amazon Bookstore
- Barbara Grier – Naiad Press
- Barbara Smith – Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press
- Marj Schneider – Womyn’s Braille Press
- Jamie Lee Evans – Aunt Lute Books
- Teresa Corrigan – Lioness Books
- Donna Marie Niles – Amazon Bookstore / Lammas Bookstore
- Linda Bubon – Women and Children First
- Gilda Bruckman – New Words Bookstore
- Pokey Anderson – Inklings
- Selma Miriam – Bloodroot Feminist Vegetarian Restaurant and Bookstore / Sanguinaria Books
Musical Interludes (in order of appearance) include:
- Margie Adams – Waves
- Meg Christian – Moving Right Along
- Nona Hendryx – Can Anybody Hear Me
- Alison Farrell – I Like Being a Dyke
- Phyllis Goldin –
- One Spirit – Dance of Strength
- Anne Seale – Your Women’s Bookstore
- Libby Roderick – Inspire Me
- Margie Adams – Waves
Part 1 (27:28)
Part 2 (29:49)
For a recent and comprehensive history of feminist bookstores, see:
The Feminist Bookstore Movement: Lesbian Antiracism and Feminist Accountability, by Kristen Hogan, Duke University Press, 2016
Archiving Wanderground’s Work – Recorded Events Featuring Wanderground
Over the past few years, Wanderground has sponsored or participated in a number of Zoom events. Here are links to those recordings.
2024
New England Lesbian Heritages
March 21, 2024 – This Zoom event was an interactive conversation about Lesbians and Lesbian organizations in New England. We presented some of the memorabilia in our collection. After the presentation, participants were invited to share their memories.
What other info or stories about New England Lesbians and places should we be aware of? Please let us know (archives@wanderground.org) so we can seek out materials or artifacts to include in the archive.
2023
Out of the Archives
January 26, 2023 – Hosted by The History Project in Boston, MA.
This presentation by Mev Miller, Lesbrarian & Instigator, introduced Wanderground Lesbian Archive/Library – a newly forming community-based venture in Rhode Island for the New England region.
Sinister Wisdom Celebration of Issue #127: On Transfer
Mev Miller, Instigator/Lesbrarian of Wanderground reads from her article, Cherishing/Guarding Lesbiana: A Movement of Words on the Page.
To learn more about this issue & Sinister Wisdom, visit: sinisterwisdom.org/sw127
2022
Inside the Archives
September 28, 2022 – Sponsored by What Cheers Writers Club (New Name: LitArtsRI), Providence, RI How can stories from the past inspire today’s activist storytelling? At What Cheer Writers Club’s Inside the Archives: The Art of Then, learn how to access sources of inspiration in Rhode Island’s collections. Archivists from Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, Rhode Island Historical Society, Rhode Island State Archives, Tomaquag Museum, and Wanderground Lesbian Archives/Library showcase artifacts from our state’s activist movements and offer insight into their collections, including how local writers can access materials to support, inspire and substantiate their creative projects. What Cheer
Celebrate Rhode Island Lesbian Authors
March 27, 2022 – Sponsored by Wanderground
The author event featured readings by and discussions with by our very own Lesbian writers: Mari SanGiovanni, Linda Skibski, Elda Dawber, and Susan Joyce & Thea Ernest.
A Peek into the Herstory of Lesbian Activities in Rhode Island through Archival Materials
March 8, 2022 – Sponsored by Wanderground
This brief PowerPoint presents archival materials discovered during a research project about Lesbian publications and activities in Rhode Island, 1970-Present. Presenter, Mev Miller Wanderground Lesbrarian. This event took place via Zoom during the days of COVID restrictions.
PowerPoint Slides
2021
The Wanderground Archive: Down Time with Cranston Public Library
Released June 29, 2021 by Cranston Public Library, Cranston, RI
In Episode 63 (June 29, 2021), “The Wanderground Archive,” Tayla Cardillo is joined by Robin Nyzio (William Hall Library, Cranston) and Mev Miller from the Wanderground Archive to talk about this budding cultural archive and what inspired her to try to create an archive to preserve Lesbian literature and cultural artifacts in RI. They also talk about enjoying stories about characters that are their age, Disney, and the decline of Lesbian-centric spaces. During The Last Chapter they discuss: how do you organize your books at home?
Cranston librarians Tayla Cardillo and Robin Nyzio produce the weekly podcast, Down Time with Cranston Public Library. In the podcast, Staff from the Cranston Public Library share what they’ve been reading, what they’ve been watching, and what they’ve been loving.
