Descriptive SummaryStoryletters.Storyletters Records
1991-2000Materials are in English.MS 40
1.6 linear feet (about 1,200 items)
University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special CollectionsStoryletters is an international publication of women’s writing founded, edited, and produced by Dr. Katharine Kittu Riddle. Riddle began the publication in 1993 to provide a place for women to contribute and share their stories. Issues of Storyletters contain poetry, correspondence, and true stories written and contributed by women from around the world. The records consist of a brief history, issues of Storyletters, correspondence, and publications. Collectively, the records document the lives and experiences of women from diverse cultures through their own writing. The collection also provides insight into readers' opinions and views on the publication.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Storyletters Records, 1991-2000, MS 40, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Historical Note
Storyletters is an international publication of women's writing founded, edited, and produced by Dr. Katharine Kittu Riddle. Riddle began the publication in 1993 to provide a place for women to contribute and share their stories. Issues of Storyletters contain poetry, correspondence, and true stories written and contributed by women from around the world.
It was intended that Storyletters would facilitate the reading, retelling, and sharing of women’s stories, and foster appreciation of commonalties and diversities among women. Storyletters was published two to three times a year and sent to hundreds of readers in several countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. In an effort to reach the widest possible audience without charging subscription fees, Riddle urged readers to share Storyletters with friends, family, and organizations. The publication was funded with donations from its readers and was a project of the Doté Foundation, a non-profit organization in San Antonio. The final issue of the newsletter was issued in October 2000.
Riddle's own background and stories are rich with experiences from abroad. Riddle grew up in India and later worked in 17 countries to improve the health of women and their children through church-sponsored food and education projects. Riddle earned a Ph.D. in Nutrition Education and taught at colleges, universities, and nursing schools in India and China during her career. In recognition of her accomplishments, Riddle was listed in the 1993-1994 edition of Who's Who of American Women.
Scope and Content Note
The records consist of a brief history, issues of Storyletters, correspondence, publications and office files. Collectively, the records document the lives and experiences of women from diverse cultures through their own writing. The collection also provides insight into readers’ opinions, views on the publication, and the manner in which Katharine Riddle managed the materials and writers featured in each issue.
Storyletters is divided into five series. History provides a brief, but clear history of Storyletters and a short autobiography of its founder, Dr. Katharine Kittu Riddle. The series is valuable in understanding the beginnings and purpose of the publication. The Storyletters series contains almost a complete run of the issues of the publication, spanning from its first issue in 1993 through its final issue in October 2000. The Correspondence series strongly documents the various ways in which readers first encountered Storyletters, their initial reactions to the publication, and ways in which they offered to contribute to the publication. In addition, writers of the correspondence often offer personal information about themselves and their particular interests. However, since the majority of correspondence is incoming, few responses from the editor exist in this collection. The Publications series consists of newsletters, journals, and magazines of women's writing and advocacy groups from around the world.
Arrangement
The papers are arranged as follows:
- History
- Storyletters
- Correspondence
- Publications
- Office Files
Acquisition Information
All the materials in this collection were donated by Kathatine Riddle in 1997, 1998, 1999 (Acc. #s 1997-006, 1998-015, 1999-013, 1999-036).
Access Restrictions
This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.
Usage Restrictions
Permission to publish from Storyletters Records must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Processing InformationProcessed by Toni Jeske, Processing Archivist, February 2001. Materials added to the records by Traci JoLeigh Drummond, Archivist, July 2004.
Index Terms
OrganizationsStoryletters (Organization).
Topics
Women--Social networks--Periodicals.
Women--Texas--San Antonio.
Local Subjects
Literary/Literature
Publishing, Press, Printing
Women's Groups
Detailed Description of the Collection
History
Contains a brief history of
Storyletters including its origin, purpose, and audience. Also contains a brief autobiography of the founder, Katharine "Kittu" Riddle. This series is arranged by type of material.
11History, 1996
Storyletters
Contains nineteen issues of the publication: Spring 1993, Fall 1993, Spring 1994, Summer 1994, Fall 1994, Spring 1995, Fall 1995, Winter 1996, Spring 1996, Fall 1996, and Winter 1997, Fall 1998, October 1999, February 2000.
This series is arranged chronologically.
12Storyletters, 1993-2000
Correspondence
Correspondence spans
Storyletters' existence, and mainly consists of incoming correspondence. Correspondents respond from a variety of countries and include contributors as well as friends. Of particular note is correspondence from 2000 in which many readers express sadness at the publication's ending. This series is arranged chronologically.
1
3
1991-1994
1
4
1994-1998
1
4
1998-2000
Publications
Contains national and international publications from women's writing organizations and advocacy groups. Titles include
Zimbabwe Women Writers, Shadows and Light
magazine (San Antonio), People's Rights (Egypt) and The Circle (Ontario). This series is arranged alphabetically by title of publication.
1
6-7
Assorted, 1993-2000
2
1
Asian Women, 1993
2
2
The Circle (Ontario), 1994-2000
2
3
Forum News (Asia Pacific), 1998
2
4
Gender Research Project Bulletin (South Africa), 1998
2
5
Hoja del Pueg, 1997-2000
2
6
Jornal da Rede (Brazil), 1995-1998
2
7
Manushi (India), 1992, 1995
2
8
News & Views (Johannesburg), 1998-2000
2
9
People's Rights (Egypt), 1996-1998
2
10
Shadows and Light (San Antonio), 1994-1995
2
11
Tierra Viva, 1995, 1997
2
12
Women (Sudan), 1992, 1993, 1998
2
13
Zimbabwe Women Writers, 1993-2000
Office FilesThis series is arranged into three subseries: Issue Files, Licensing Agreements and General files. The Issue Files and Licensing Agreements are arranged both chronologically and numerically by Issue. General files are arranged by subject.
3Issue FilesThe Issue Files contain correspondence with contributors to the publications, newspaper and magazine clippings, and copies of the stories that appeared in Storyletters.
31Letter 6,Spring 199532Letter 7, Fall 199533Letter 8, Winter 199634Letter 9, Spring 199635Letter 10, Fall 199636Letter 11, Winter 199737Letter 12, Spring 199738Letter 13, Fall 199739Letter 14, Spring 1998310Letter 15, Fall 1998311Letter 16, February 1999312Letter 17, June 1999313Letter 18, October 1999314Letter 19, February 1999315Red Roses Tributes,1996-1997 and undated4Licensing AgreementsThe licensing agreements include agreements made between Katharine Riddle and authors determining how stories could be used in Storyletters.
41Letter 1,Spring 199342Letter 2, Fall 199343Letter 3, Spring 199444Letter 4, Summer 199445Letter 5, Fall 199446Letter 6, Spring 199547Letter 7, Fall 199548Letter 8, Winter 199649Letter 9, Spring 1996410Letter 10, Fall 1996411Letter 11, Winter 1997412Letter 12, Spring 1997413Letter 13, Fall 1997414Letter 14, Spring 1998415Letter 17, June 1999416Blank forms, undated4General The General files reflect how Riddle kept files for legal organizations, women's studies programs, mailing lists, grant funding and other essential office documents.
417Storyletters Mailing Lists, 1987, 1989, 1993, undated418Mailing Lists (A Wind), undated419Grant Writing, 1993, undated420Feminists For A Compassionate Society Grant Application, 1993-1996 and undated421Contributing Authors – Correspondence, 1993-1994422Licensing Agreement Correspondence, 1993-1997423General Correspondence, 1993-1994424Association of Women In Development – Correspondence, 1993425Legal Organizations – Correspondence, 1993426Women's Studies – Correspondence, 1995, undated427Assorted Correspondence and Printer Materials, 1993-1996, undated428Participation Refusals, 1993-1997429Permissions Form Letter, 1993 and undated