A Guide to the Storyletters Records, 1991-2000


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Storyletters.
	Title:	Storyletters Records,
	Dates:	1991-2000
	Creator Abstract:	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.
	Content Abstract:	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.
	Identification:	MS 40
	Extent:	1.58 linear feet (about 1,200 items)
	Language:	Materials are in English.
	Repository:	Archives and Special Collections Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio Library

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.

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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.

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Arrangement
	The papers are arranged as follows:

		History
		Storyletters
		Correspondence
		Publications
		Office Files

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials

Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish from Storyletters Records must be obtained from UTSA Archives and Special Collections.

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Index Terms

	Organizations
		Storyletters (Organization).
	Topics
		Women--Social networks--Periodicals.
		Women--Texas--San Antonio.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Storyletters Records, MS 40, Archives and Special Collections, Library, University of Texas at San Antonio.

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).

Processing Information

Processed by Toni Jeske, Processing Archivist, February 2001. Materials added to the records by Traci JoLeigh Drummond, Archivist, July 2004.

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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.

Box

Folder

History, 1996

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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.

Box

Folder

Storyletters, 1993-2000

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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.
Box	Folder
1	3	1991-1994
	4	1994-1998
	4	1998-2000

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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.
Box	Folder
1	6-7	Assorted, 1993-2000
Box	Folder
2	1	Asian Women, 1993
	2	The Circle (Ontario), 1994-2000
	3	Forum News (Asia Pacific), 1998
	4	Gender Research Project Bulletin (South Africa), 1998
	5	Hoja del Pueg, 1997-2000
	6	Jornal da Rede (Brazil), 1995-1998
	7	Manushi (India), 1992, 1995
	8	News & Views (Johannesburg), 1998-2000
	9	People's Rights (Egypt), 1996-1998
	10	Shadows and Light (San Antonio), 1994-1995
	11	Tierra Viva, 1995, 1997
	12	Women (Sudan), 1992, 1993, 1998
	13	Zimbabwe Women Writers, 1993-2000

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Office Files
	This series is arranged into three sub-series: 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.
Box	Folder
3			Issue Files
		The Issue Files contain correspondence with contributors to the publications, newspaper and magazine clippings, and copies of the stories that appeared in Storyletters.
	1			Letter 6, Spring 1995
	2			Letter 7, Fall 1995
	3			Letter 8, Winter 1996
	4			Letter 9, Spring 1996
	5			Letter 10, Fall 1996
	6			Letter 11, Winter 1997
	7			Letter 12, Spring 1997
	8			Letter 13, Fall 1997
	9			Letter 14, Spring 1998
	10			Letter 15, Fall 1998
	11			Letter 16, February 1999
	12			Letter 17, June 1999
	13			Letter 18, October 1999
	14			Letter 19, February 1999
	15			Red Roses Tributes, 1996-1997, undated
Box	Folder
4			Licensing Agreements
		The licensing agreements include agreements made between Katharine Riddle and authors determining how stories could be used in Storyletters.
	1			Letter 1, Spring 1993
	2			Letter 2, Fall 1993
	3			Letter 3, Spring 1994
	4			Letter 4, Summer 1994
	5			Letter 5, Fall 1994
	6			Letter 6, Spring 1995
	7			Letter 7, Fall 1995
	8			Letter 8, Winter 1996
	9			Letter 9, Spring 1996
	10			Letter 10, Fall 1996
	11			Letter 11, Winter 1997
	12			Letter 12, Spring 1997
	13			Letter 13, Fall 1997
	14			Letter 14, Spring 1998
	15			Letter 17, June 1999
	16			Blank Forms, undated
			General
		The General files reflect how Riddle kept files for legal organizations, women’s studies programs, mailing lists, grant funding and other essential office documents.
	17			Storyletters Mailing Lists, 1987, 1989, 1993, undated
	18			Mailing Lists (A Wind), undated
	19			Grant Writing, 1993, undated
	20			Feminists For A Compassionate Society Grant Application, 1993-1996, undated
	21			Contributing Authors – Correspondence, 1993-1994
	22			Licensing Agreement Correspondence, 1993-1997
	23			General Correspondence, 1993-1994
	24			Association of Women In Development – Correspondence, 1993
	25			Legal Organizations – Correspondence, 1993
	26			Women’s Studies – Correspondence, 1995, undated
	27			Assorted Correspondence and Printer Materials, 1993-1996, undated
	28			Participation Refusals, 1993–1997
	29			Permissions Form Letter, 1993, undated

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