Vermont Woman Magazine Papers
Scope and Content note
Collection contains print master files; subject files with research collected for articles, correspondence with readers, advertisers, and contributors; editorial files with submission guidelines, board information, form letters; financial files; personnel files; advertising files; and public relations files. These records document the preparation and content of the magazine throughout its life, 1985-1990.
Dates
- circa 1979-1990
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.
Historical Note
Vermont Woman Publications was incorporated in September 1985 and published its first issue of Vermont Woman in November 1985. It was founded and solely owned by its publisher, Suzanne Gillis until a public stock offering in 1987. The last issue was published in July 1990. The publication's news release of 5 September 1985 describing its format and mission stated:
Vermont Woman, the first statewide woman's newspaper...will have a tabloid format with a magazine style. Publisher Sue Gillis says the purpose of the new monthly paper is "to provide a forum for women in Vermont to recognize each other's accomplishments, and to exchange information and support."
...Circulation will be 20,000 with a projected readership of 60,000....
Vermont Woman plans to feature a Vermont woman of achievement on every cover. Each issue will give advice on money and legal matters, share perspectives on the home front, give the latest information on health and what's happening in women's sports. Vermont Woman will review books, movies, and local theatre to raise awareness of women's contributions in these areas, and provide a regular guest "opinion" column, too. "Our aim is to affirm Vermont Women wherever they are, recognizing their diversity and vitality," says Editor Ricky Gard Diamond...
Vermont Woman may have initially intended to feature "a woman of achievement" every month, but early in its publication history is featured issues that affect women (and men) of all social strata, such as child support, incest, and house ownership.
Lack of advertiser support, apparently, led to the editorial decision to cease publication. It seems that the general public, despite its inability to support the publication, was supportive and missed it when it ended.
Extent
7.5 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Collection contains print master files; subject files with research collected for articles, correspondence with readers, advertisers, and contributors; editorial files with submission guidelines, board information, form letters; financial files; personnel files; advertising files; and public relations files. These records document the preparation and content of the magazine throughout its life, 1985-1990.
Arrangement note
The collection is arranged into nine series.
Series 1 contains master files from which many issues of Vermont Woman was published, notably print masters for issues October 1986, January 1987-March 1987, August 1987-December 1989, and July 1990. There are also drafts of articles and features, letters to the editors and responses (when called for), correspondence with writers, photographs which do not appear. Some material in this series was filed as "items not run." This category contains article submissions, news clippings, etc. which were considered but not printed in Vermont Woman. Some, but few, of the items not run do appear in issues up to many months later.
Series 2 is the subject files which contain an alphabetical listing of potential story items; essentially the raw material needed to produce an article. Some of these may have been incorporated into articles in the first year of publication.
Series 3 is correspondence. In early years, the following types of letters were common: letters to the editor; letters from potential freelance writeres; letters from advertisers; letters from readers dissatisfied with editorial decisions, advertisements, etc.; and some personal letters.
Series 4 is a binder containing a photocopy of the table of contents from each issue of Vermont Woman, arranged in chronological order. (NB: the August 1989 table of contents was printed as "July 1989" with the correct issue number)
Series 5 contains editorial material and is categorized as follows: Advisory Board Information, Writers' Guidelines, Inhouse stylesheets, Production schedules, Forms, Form letters, story files, 1990.
Series 6 contains financial information and is categorized as follows: Billing problems, information on proposed Women's Publication Network, Stock offering, and Promissory note.
Series 7 contains personnel information and includes job descriptions and contracts with agents.
Series 8 contains materials used to develop a readership profile and to market the publication to potential advertisers.
Series 9 contains information on public relations. Notable inclusions are press releases and a guest book from the 1986 First Anniversary Party which contains the names of many prominent local women.
Location
Library Research Annex
- Title
- Guide to the Vermont Woman Magazine Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)
uvmsc@uvm.edu
