Women's club
Encyclopedia
Women’s clubs, also known as woman's clubs, first arose in the United States
during the post-Civil War
period, in both the North
and the South
. As a result of increased leisure time due to modern household advances, middle-class women had more time to engage in intellectual pursuits. They established numerous women’s clubs, many with a primary function of "study clubs and reading circles". They also frequently supported social welfare goals, such as building of schools, public libraries and hospitals. They founded 75-80 percent of the libraries in communities across the nation. These clubs were an integral part of a cultural building of institutions that occurred around the years 1870-1930 throughout the United States. It led to the formation of the General Federation of Women's Clubs
(GFWC).
Traveling libraries were collections which women’s clubs would share with other towns and communities that did not have libraries in their own towns. Women’s clubs circulated collections of materials through traveling libraries to promote literacy in communities without their own means and resources. After the establishment of traveling libraries, many women’s clubs turned to establishing public libraries within their own communities.
Women’s clubs helped establish many public libraries by contributing their book collections, raising money for building construction through a variety of activities for years, acting as librarians, cataloguing early collections, enlisting male leaders for public funding, and other management activities. After the public libraries were established, women’s clubs lobbied on behalf of the public libraries in state legislatures and also for funding from the Carnegie Library
Endowment. According to the American Library Association
and GFWC, women’s clubs are estimated to have started between 75 and 80 percent of the public libraries in the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the post-Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
period, in both the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
and the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. As a result of increased leisure time due to modern household advances, middle-class women had more time to engage in intellectual pursuits. They established numerous women’s clubs, many with a primary function of "study clubs and reading circles". They also frequently supported social welfare goals, such as building of schools, public libraries and hospitals. They founded 75-80 percent of the libraries in communities across the nation. These clubs were an integral part of a cultural building of institutions that occurred around the years 1870-1930 throughout the United States. It led to the formation of the General Federation of Women's Clubs
General Federation of Women's Clubs
The General Federation of Women's Clubs , founded in 1890, is an international women's organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service...
(GFWC).
Contribution to library development
The focus on self discovery in most women’s clubs resulted in their maintaining book collections for use by club members (Watson 1994, 235). As the clubs evolved, the members began to focus on civic duty within their communities. One of the first items on the club’s agendas was promoting literacy by increasing availability of books and establishing libraries. Women’s clubs wanted to share their libraries with the community, which led to the beginnings of traveling libraries.Traveling libraries were collections which women’s clubs would share with other towns and communities that did not have libraries in their own towns. Women’s clubs circulated collections of materials through traveling libraries to promote literacy in communities without their own means and resources. After the establishment of traveling libraries, many women’s clubs turned to establishing public libraries within their own communities.
Women’s clubs helped establish many public libraries by contributing their book collections, raising money for building construction through a variety of activities for years, acting as librarians, cataloguing early collections, enlisting male leaders for public funding, and other management activities. After the public libraries were established, women’s clubs lobbied on behalf of the public libraries in state legislatures and also for funding from the Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
Endowment. According to the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
and GFWC, women’s clubs are estimated to have started between 75 and 80 percent of the public libraries in the United States.
External links
- General Federation of Women's Clubs
- For Our Mutual Benefit: The Athens Woman's Club and Social Reform, 1899-1920 in the Digital Library of Georgia
- http://www.washingtonhistory.org/wshs/research/finding_aids.htm provides finding aid to article subject from the Special Collections, Washington State Historical Society (WSHS)