The Yellow Wall-paper

A traveling exhibition from the National Library of Medicine, The Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "The Yellow Wall-Paper" will occupy the lobby of Memorial Library until May 21, 2011. The exhibition examines how women’s entry into public and intellectual life had been restricted by theories, promulgated by medical professionals, of feminine weakness. Gilman’s short story, "The Yellow Wall-paper" (first published in 1892), remains a strong indictment of these particular medical and social conventions with a protagonist driven to madness by a prescribed "rest cure".

The exhibition has inspired several related exhibits in campus libraries.

Descriptions of related exhibits follow below:

The William B. Cairns Collection of American Women Writers 1650–1940, located in the Department of Special Collections, Memorial Library (9th Floor), boasts a number of works by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Steenbock Library has a small complementary book display featuring material from its collection on both domestic science in the nineteenth century and the history of wallpaper. The exhibit is available for viewing outside of Room 240 through May 21.

Ebling Library for the Health Sciences has a book selection in its 2nd floor study area displaying modern books on mental health issues in women, including some titles on postpartum depression. It also features a reprint of "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and a bibliography of the selected titles. Books on similar subjects from the nineteenth and early twentieth century are available by contacting Micaela Sullivan-Fowler. The display is at Ebling until May 21.

For more information about the traveling exhibition in Memorial Library, visit its page on the National Library of Medicine Website.

Top 100 Women, Writing and Academia

Continue your reflection upon International Women’s Day (yesterday, March 8) with a review of the accomplishments of 100 women making their way in writing and academia. This list, and reflection upon the contribution of each woman, has been compiled by editors and contributors to the Guardian.

Speak with your librarians should you need assistance locating the texts produced by these remarkable women.

And, visit the Top 100 page for additional content about inspiring women in other fields of endeavor.

Women's History Month (March)

What began as a grassroots movement in the late 1970s to raise awareness of women’s history with, what was then, “Women’s History Week,” now enjoys month-long reflection with a collection of informative sites from the Library of Congress and other government agencies—including the US Census Bureau with its Facts for Features data column.

Should you wish to find research literature on any number of topics within women’s history and/or gender studies, do consider using the following campus library databases, accessible via the E-Resource Gateway (SubjectBrowse, Choose Category "Social Sciences", then Sub-Category "Women's Studies").

• Contemporary Women’s Issues

• GenderWatch

• Women’s Studies International

Additionally, the Women’s Studies Librarian’s Office supplies a rich listing of online resources and bibliographies.