Additional records of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, 1918-2001 (inclusive), 1960-1990 (bulk)

The additional records of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts include histories; Board minutes and committee files; administration and financial records; program and policy files; publications; and extensive files on local Leagues. See also the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Records, MC 274, for earlier records. Overlapping material between the two collections does exist, especially in the State Board of Directors files. Most files arrived at the library in folders in relatively good order; folder titles were retained, and archivist's notes appear in brackets within the inventory. The archivist created the file arrangement. Audiotapes (T-185), videotapes (Vt-24), and phonograph records (Phon-011) were removed and cataloged separately.

Series I, HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION, 1918-1994 (#1.1-1.11, 235F+B.1, PD.1, E.1), contains historical documents from the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association, the precursor to the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts; League of Women Voters of Massachusetts incorporation papers, meetings, and reports; notes and publications from League of Women Voters of Massachusetts's fiftieth, sixtieth, and seventieth anniversaries; 1994 oral history transcripts from member Florence Rubin; and honors and awards. The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts's web site is being captured periodically as part of Harvard University Library's Web Archive Collection service (WAX); searchable archived versions of the web site will be available through this finding aid in 2010.

Series II, STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 1922-1991 (#1.12-14.8, PD.2), contains minutes, committee files, reports to the national League and local chapters, etc. The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Board of Directors oversees committees and reports regularly to local chapters and their presidents and the national League. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles within each of the four subseries. See also MC 274 for overlapping Board materials in this series (1920-1975).

Subseries A, Minutes/agendas, 1922-1988 (#1.12-7.6), contains minutes and agendas for the State Board of Directors.

Subseries B, Committees and related, 1930-1991 (#7.7-9.8), includes memos, agendas, Board member lists, and reports. Program and issue-related committees are filed in Series V and VI.

Subseries C, Reports, 1928-1985 (#9.9-12.7), contains local League, post-Board, and State Board reports.

Subseries D, By-laws, Board member lists, and related, 1926-1991 (#12.8-14.8, PD.2), includes Board member biographies and lists, by-laws with additions and edits, long range planning files, and member lists.

Series III, ADMINISTRATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND MEMBERSHIP, 1926-1993 (#14.9-19.2, PD.3), includes general operating files, policies and procedures, and development and membership material. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles within each of the four subseries.

Subseries A, Administration, 1930-1990 (#14.9-16.5, PD.3), includes files related to the operation of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts office, office space, event calendars, staff lists and directories, and timecards with breakdown of activities.

Subseries B, Policies and procedures, 1929-1992 (#16.6-17.6), includes guides for local League presidents, information on dealing with verbal and written attacks on the League, and the League's non-partisan stand.

Subseries C, Development, 1966-1990 (#17.7-17.11), contains marketing letters sent requesting support for the organization.

Subseries D, Membership, 1926-1993 (#18.1-19.2), contains forms, applications, and statistics related to cultivating membership for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.

Series IV, FINANCE, 1927-1995 (#19.3-41.14, 235F+B.2-235F+B.6, 236F+B.1-236F+B.3), includes budgets, financial statements/treasurer's reports, check and deposits registers, general ledgers, and tax-related files. Unless specifically noted, files contain information on both the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund finances. This series contains six subseries, arranged in alphabetical order within each subseries by their original folder titles.

Subseries A, Budgets and related, 1927-1991 (#19.3-20.10), contains yearly assessment reports to discern dues from local League chapters to the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, budgets, and balance sheets.

Subseries B, Financial statements, treasurer's reports, and related, 1930-1990 (#20.11-24.10), contains financial statements, treasurer's reports, and related correspondence for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund.

Subseries C, Check registries/journals, 1972-1991 (#24.11-28.8), contains check registries and journals for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund.

Subseries D, General ledgers, balance sheets, and related, 1968-1991 (#29.1-37.4, 235F+B.2-235F+B.6, 236F+B.1-236F+B.3), includes League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund general ledgers, balance sheets and other ledgers. Folders include information on both the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund unless one or the other is specifically noted.

Subseries E, Tax-related material, 1950-1990 (#37.5-38.12), includes reports, filing papers, exemption forms, etc.

Subseries F, General, 1938-1995 (#39.1-41.14), includes financial records referring to League of Women Voters of Massachusetts events, fund information, grant applications, investments, and correspondence.

Series V, CITIZEN EDUCATION AND VOTERS SERVICE, 1922-1991 (#42.1-56.2, 237F+B.1, PD.4sl), documents a program that exists to serve the public, both individuals and organizations, by providing advice and training on how to make the government responsive and accessible, as well as educating members on how to be better informed citizens and voters. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles within each of the four subseries.

Subseries A, General, 1952-1990 (#42.1-45.6, 237F+B.1), includes communications to chairmen of local League voters service committees; League of Women Voters of Massachusetts-sponsored events and programs including debates, election night reporting, voter registration, the VIP (Voter Information Phone) service, and voters' guides published in Boston papers.

Subseries B, Educational programs, 1922-1990 (#45.7-48.8), includes records for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts citizenship schools on government and political techniques, and education in citizenship, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts in cooperation with colleges and universities. The first school held at Radcliffe College in October 1922 was initially known as the Foreign Affairs School and later, the School of International Relations.

Subseries C, Conferences and special events, 1926-1989 (#49.1-54.6, PD.4sl), includes programs, invitations, correspondence, planning meeting minutes, speeches, etc., on League events including the Fall Conference and State Convention.

Subseries D, Lotte E. Scharfman Memorial Fund, 1969-1991 (#54.7-56.2), documents the educational trust established in 1971 after Scharfman's death in 1970, while she was serving as President of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. The Fund is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit fund whose mission is to encourage informed and active citizen participation in government through citizen education and voters service projects, including the Voters Information Phone (VIP) and publications. The Fund supplements and complements the voter service function of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, but goes further by offering direct assistance to individuals and organizations in the metropolitan area. This subseries contains correspondence, meeting files, and donor lists related to the establishment and operation of the Fund.

Series VI, POLICY PROGRAMS/POSITIONS/ACTIONS, 1923-1995 (#56.3-118.7), contains research files, lobby reports, and yearly reports on positions officially supported by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts for the coming year. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles, within each of the two subseries.

Subseries A, Program research, 1924-1995 (#56.3-113.14), contains research files with memos, reports, booklets, press/informational releases (See also Series VI, Subseries A), and correspondence. National League programs were the inspiration for state League programming, with emphasis on local needs and opportunities. In-depth investigations of issues ranging from local water and sewer plans to state-wide tax reform were carried out by the state and local Leagues. Once the issue study was complete, exhaustive information packets, including a series of questions, were given to membership for discussion. Each local chapter then reported to the state League, and once a consensus was reached, a new plan was added to the official program list. Subject-specific issues of League of Women Voters of Massachusetts publications are found throughout, including News, Statement, and Time For Action!.

Subseries B, Reports and related, 1923-1992 (#114.1-118.7), includes lobby reports, files generated by Mary Adelstein (Newton League member and League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Referendum Coordinator), program skits, radio scripts, committee meeting files, and yearly program priority reports. These reports were initially called Program of Work, and later Where We Stand and State Program, to convey the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts's position on issues, present the program, describe how positions were reached and implemented, and highlight current areas of study and action for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.

Series VII, COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLICATIONS, 1920-1995 (#118.8-129.3, 120FB.1v-120FB.6, 121F+B.1v, 122F+B.1v, 237F+B.2-237F+B.12, PD.5), includes public relations, historical and anniversary material, brochures, flyers, handbooks and newsletters. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles within each of the four subseries.

Subseries A, Public relations, 1932-1995 (#118.8-123.5, 120FB.1v, 121F+B.1v, 122F+B.1v), contains clippings, radio and television scripts, etc.

Subseries B, Brochures, booklets, and related, 1920-1994 (#123.6-125.6, PD.5), includes informational booklets, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts brochures, publication catalog listings, and correspondence.

Subseries C, Handbooks, 1945-1993 (#125.7-126.9), includes handbooks and guidelines on how members can reach the public; Board and local unit positions; a guide to annual meetings; voters service; membership; Bulletin editor; etc. Handbooks are arranged in chronological order.

Subseries D, Newsletters/bulletins, 1923-1995 (#126.10-129.3, 120FB.2-120FB.6, 237F+B.2-237F+B.12), contains member bulletins (see also Series V, Subseries A) and newsletters: The Beacon, a legislative bulletin published by League of Women Voters of Massachusetts; Legislative News Letter; Bulletin of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (later became LWV Bulletin); The Massachusetts Voter (changed in July 1985 to The Voter, then changed back to The Massachusetts Voter in November 1990); and State House Reporter. See MC 274 for most of the pre-1975 newsletters.

Series VIII, LOCAL LEAGUES, 1924-2001 (#129.4-234.12, PD.6-PD.9), includes individual files on local League chapters and material distributed by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts to the chapters. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by original folder titles within the two subseries.

Subseries A, Local League chapters, 1924-2001 (#129.4-232.3, PD.6-PD.9), includes timelines, membership lists, handbooks, publications, applications for recognition, annual reports to League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, meeting minutes, and correspondence. Files are arranged in alphabetical order by town name.

Subseries B, General, 1929-1989 (#232.4-234.12), includes meeting files, training, local program files, information on area and city Leagues, local President's Institute, and chapter skits.

Series IX, OVERSIZED, 1923-1995 (#120FB.1v-120FB.6, 121F+B.1v, 122F+B.1v, 235F+B.1-235F+B.6, 236F+B.1-236F+B.3, 237F+B.1-237F+B.12), serves as the shelflist for the oversized items listed in preceding series.

Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be cataloged in VIA, Harvard University's Visual Information Access database.