GENERAL INFORMATION

Mission Statment Resource Collection Services Provided History Job Descriptions Staff Schedule Budget

Mission Statement

The staff of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Women's Resource Room strive to keep the Lawrence University community informed on issues of gender and sexuality. The Resource Room provides a safe, private space in which issues of gender and sexuality may be freely discussed. The Resource Room offers the community a unique collection of books, magazines, videos, pamphlets, and other kinds of resources. The Resource Room coordinates services such as referral and advertising to students, facutly, staff and the surrounding community.

Resource Collection

The Resource Room has an eclectic collection of books, periodicals, monographs, audio/visual media, and special materials such as course syllabi. The collection is supplementary to that of the college library: by diversifying and supplementing available resources, we hope to increase education and awareness of gender and sexuality issues. Some topical guidelines for collection development include wellness, current activism, and popular culture and art. The college library's collection is primarily academic, comprising of scholarly books and monographs on such topics as queer theory or feminist criticism. Go to the Resource Room Catalog.

Services Provided

As the primary purpose of the Resource Room is not service-oriented, our service is broad and simple: to help you find useful information. Managers are qualified to assist in research and to answer any questions you may have about the collection or the subject matter. The volunteers who work as monitors are also ready to any questions and to assist (when possible).

We offer referral services to several local, statewide, and nationwide organizations. Tell us your specific interests and we can put you in contact with the appropriate organizations. Stay tuned for an on line list of local GLBT- and Feminist-related organizations.

The Resource Room also provides a quiet space for studying and is occasionally used for student organization meetings. The feminist and women's student organization, Downer Feminist Council (DFC) and the GLBT student organization (PRIDE) use the room for weekly meetings.

If you would like to get more information about using the Resource Room, or if you would like to volunteer to work for the Resource Room, pleace send an email message to resource.room@lawrence.edu.

History

In the Spring of 1997, the Resource Room was founded by Julie Wroblewski, '97 and Joe Tennis, '98. Utilizing the resources that Downer Feminist Council and the GLBT student organization (then BGLASS, since changed to PRIDE), Wroblewski and Tennis organized a library of books and magaizines. Voicing concerns for a better space to Dean of Students Nancy Truesdell, they were awarded space in the new Diversity Center.

The Resource Room continues to grow under the hard work and guidance of Assistant Dean of Student Activities, Timothy Gibson, and through the efforts of student workers Carol Hinz, Erin Landry, Kai Williams, Katie McKee, and Zach Victor.

Job Descriptions

For a list of Job Descriptions, please see our "old" page at http://www.lawrence.edu/sorg/resource_room/general/job.html.

Budget

The Resource Room is funded through the Dean of Students office, the GLBT Student Organization (PRIDE), and through the women and feminist's organization, Downer Feminist Council (DFC). The Resource Room will soon have a budget of its own.