May 19, 2003 Library of Congress Guide to Women's History Resources Garners Kanner Award

"American Women: A Library of Congress Guide for the Study of Women's History and Culture in the United States" has been selected to receive the Barbara Penny Kanner Award for best bibliographical work in historical context published in 2001 or 2002. The award, which confers a prize of $500, will be presented to the Library by the Western Association of Women Historians at the Association's annual conference, to be held June 6-8 at the University of California at Berkeley.

"We are pleased that this resource guide has been cited for excellence," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. "It reflects the hard work of a superb team of subject area specialists at the Library of Congress who unearthed these interdisciplinary, multicultural resources, and a distinguished panel of women's history scholars who provided guidance about research trends in this field."

Published in 2001 by the Library in cooperation with University Press of New England, "American Women" provides a blueprint for research in the field of American women's history and culture using the Library's vast collections, in various disciplines and formats. The guide includes 12 chapters that reflect the diverse holdings of the Library (general collections, newspapers and periodicals, legal materials, rare books, manuscripts, prints and photographs, maps, music, recorded sounds, moving images, American folklife, and foreign-language collections). Also included are five essays that demonstrate how to conduct interdisciplinary research on specific topics using the Library's 21 reading rooms.

The Barbara Penny Kanner Award is intended to promote the practice of bibliomethodology or autobiography in historical context. The bibliographical and the autobiography awards are given in alternate years.

The Western Association of Women Historians was founded in 1969 to promote the interests of women historians in academic settings and in the field of history. Drawing scholars from the Western states and serving 500 members, WAWH is the largest regional women's historical association in the United States.

"American Women: A Library of Congress Guide for the Study of Women's History and Culture in the United States" -- a 456-page softcover book with nearly 300 illustrations -- is available for $35 at major bookstores, through the University Press of New England (603-643-7100) and from the Library of Congress Sales Shop (credit card orders: 888-682-3557). It is one of a series of resource guides published by the Library. Others include: "The African-American Mosaic: A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History and Culture" "Keys to the Encounter: A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of the Age of Discovery" "The Largest Event: A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of World War II" and "Many Nations: A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Indian and Alaska Native Peoples of the United States."

Building on the publication of "American Women," the Library will feature its multiformat holdings in American women's history at a two-day symposium titled "Resourceful Women: Researching and Interpreting American Women's History" to be held on June 19-20 in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. Seating is limited. For more information, visit the symposium's Web site at www.loc.gov/rr/women/.