READER FILES,, 1980-2006

The documents comprising the records of SIGNS: A JOURNAL OF WOMEN IN CULTURE AND SOCIETY (1974- ), span the period 1973-2014, although the bulk of the collection dates from 1974-1983. The records reflect two distinct periods of the journal's. history. Material from 1974 to 1980 documents the journal's activities under editor Catharine Stimpson at Barnard College. Material from 1980 to 1985 documents the journal's history under editor Barbara Charlesworth Gelpi at Stanford University. Those files generated under each editor form a single record group and are arranged in their original chronological or alphabetical order. Not included in the collection are the University of Chicago Press records of SIGNS for either period.

The SIGNS collection consists of 15 series. SIGNS records include the agendas and minutes of the SIGNS Editorial Board 1974-1990; editorial correspondence, 1974-(1979) 1983; questionnaires and newsletters of SIGNS editorial and advisory boards, 1974 (1975)-(1977) 1978; logbooks and manuscripts submitted to SINGS, 1974-1990; manuscripts rejected by SIGNS 1974-2012; book reviews and review essays, 1974-1988; files of issues published, 1975-2014; special issues published and conferences held, 1976-1985; promotion and subscriptions, 1974-1990; financial documents, 1985-1990; staff employment records, 1975-1983; general file, 1980-1984; reader files, 1980-2006; revise and resubmit, 1984-1999; and international corresondents files, 1974-1980.

Those working with the collection should note that: (1) correspondence is scattered throughout the collection, see especially REJECTED MANUSCRIPTS, BOOK REVIEWS AND REVIEW ESSAYS, SPECIAL ISSUES AND- CONFERENCES and ISSUE FILES. (2) Although 13 of the 28 boxes are identified as "rejected manuscripts," there are, in fact, very few manuscripts in this entire collection for it consists primarily of correspondence pertaining to manuscripts. (3) Similarly, there are only a couple of actual book reviews within the BOOK REVIEWS AND REVIEW ESSAY files. (4) Documents generated during the first year of the journal's history are more likely to be filed by date than by subject. Researchers interested in this early period should see SIGNS history files in EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE Some agendas and minutes of SIGNS board meetings, for example, are contained in these files.

While few original manuscripts are included within this collection, it is nonetheless valuable to those researching a variety of topics and trends, including: the history of Women's Studies, the formation and administration of women's journals, changing trends in women's scholarship, the changing relationship between parent institutions (e.g., universities and university press) and the editors.