Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Administrative History
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Related Material
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Note
- Encoding Information
- Series List
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | Vassar College. Library |
| Title: | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Lives Manuscript Collection |
| Dates: | 1990-2002 |
| Quantity: | 1.4 cubic feet (3 boxes) |
| Abstract: | Memoirs, manuscripts, diaries, correspondence and other materials documenting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons affiliated with Vassar College. |
Administrative History
Planning for the Vassar College Libraries' Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Lives Collection began in 1996 when Psychology professor John Schoonbeck approached Vassar College librarian Nancy Mackechnie about creating a collection of primary-source records documenting the experiences of LGBT members of the Vassar College community. The initial mission of the project was to provide research materials that were by and about lesbians and gay men affiliated with Vassar College. As the project evolved, it grew to include bisexual and transgender members of the community, although the final title of the project was officially "The Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Lives Library Project." Inclusion of "Transgender" into the project title was considered in March 2000 at the suggestion of Shannon Wyss (VC 1995), but ultimately rejected by the project oversight committee, although the project description was amended to include a mention of transgender experiences.
TopScope and Content Note
Memoirs, manuscripts, diaries, correspondence and other materials documenting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons affiliated with Vassar College. Unpublished material was solicited in 1999 and received between 1999 and 2001. In addition, some early funding was used to purchase books and videos relating to LGBT life for the Main Library.
TopAccess and Use
Access
The Baguer manuscript and Wyss correspondence are currently restricted. This rest of the collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
- Anderson, Tobias
- Baguer, Carlos
- Lieber, Jeffrey (Jeffrey D.)
- MacKay, Anne, 1928-2012
- Wyss, Shannon
Organizations:
- Vassar College--Alumni and alumnae
Subjects:
- Bisexual college students--New York (State)
- Gay college students--New York (State)
- Gay men's writings
- Lesbian college students--New York (State)
- Lesbians' writings
- Transgender college students--New York (State)
Document Types:
- Correspondence
- Diaries
- Drafts
VCL Categories:
- LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,Transgender & Queer) Life and Culture
- Literature and Writing
- Vassar College
Encoding Information
Encoded by Laura Streett, January 2009. Updated by Emma Gronbeck, July 2025.
TopAdministrative Information
Preferred Citation
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Lives Manuscript Collection, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Processed by Laura Streett, March 2009. Updated by Emma Gronbeck, July 2025.
Acquisition Information
The journals of Tobias Anderson were the gift of Tobias Anderson, August 1999.
The Shannon Wyss letters and paper were the gift of Shannon Wyss, January 2000.
The thesis of Carlos Baguer was the gift of Carlos Baguer, March 2000.
The class paper written by Jeffrey D. Lieber was the gift of Jeffrey D. Lieber, April 2000.
Anne MacKay's drafts of "Just Lucky, I guess!" and poem collections from 1999 and 2000 were the gift of Anne Mackay, February 2001. Materials related to MacKay's book, "Wolf Girls at Vassar," were gifted by MacKay in 2002 and incorporated into the LGBT Lives Collection in 2009. [M2002-008]
Series List
Series I. Tobias Anderson (VC 1998), 1992-2002 (12 volumes) | |
|---|---|
| Twelve volumes, including diaries, dream journals, and some class notes. | |
| Arranged chronologically. |
Series II. Carlos Baguer (VC 1996), 1996 (1 folder) | |
|---|---|
| Baguer's Vassar senior thesis, "No Se Dice Nada, Se Haga Todo": The Not-So-Secret History of My Familial Closet. | |
| Note: Due to third-party privacy issues, this collection is currently restricted. |
Series III. Jeffrey Lieber (VC 1997), 1993 (1 folder) | |
|---|---|
| A paper Lieber wrote for a Vassar English class in his first year of college. |
Series IV. Anne MacKay (VC 1949), 1990-2002 (2 boxes) | |
|---|---|
| Primarily materials related to her book, Wolf Girls at Vassar: Lesbian and Gay Experiences, 1930-1990, an unpublished manuscript of memoirs entitled, Just Lucky, I Guess!: Memoirs of a Wolf Girl or Growing up in Sheep's Clothing, drafts of poetry, an audio cassette of Vassar speeches given by MacKay(?), and miscellaneous other writings. | |
| Arranged into two subseries and sub-arranged alphabetically by title. |
Series V. Shannon Wyss (VC 1995), 1991-2000 (2 folders) | |
|---|---|
| A paper Wyss wrote while a graduate student in 1999: "Women on the Edge of the Transgender Era: Struggling to Throw Off Lesbian Feminism's Legacy," and correspondence written to friends and family during and after her time at Vassar. | |
| Note: Due to third-party privacy issues, the correspondence in this collection is currently restricted. |
Container List
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
Memoirs, manuscripts, diaries, correspondence and other materials documenting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons affiliated with Vassar College.
