Women’s Voices and Life Writing, 1600–1968

CONTENT This database is a compilation of books, correspondence, diaries, oral histories, printed memoirs, and visual artifacts from hundreds of little-known women who lived in the UK and Ireland over the last four centuries. Content is sourced from 108 collections in 12 regional and national archives, including the British Library, the National Library of Ireland, and the National Library of Scotland. The materials are wide-ranging, with contributions from women of a variety of social classes, economic statuses, and domestic situations. Approximately 1,500 items and 18 different document types are featured, with diaries making up about 70 percent of the holdings. Interestingly, the oral histories are recent recordings made since 2000. The collection is organized around 12 themes, including courtship and marriage, domestic life, education, employment, family, leisure and entertainment, life in wartime, physical and mental health, politics and public life, pregnancy and motherhood, religion and spirituality, and travel and tourism.

USABILITY Those familiar with AM’s databases will be pleased to find that the user experience here adheres to the usual first-rate standards. At the top of the attractive but user-friendly home page is a basic search box with a link to advanced search. Next to the search options are icons for sharing retrieved documents, accessing saved searches, and changing screen contrasts. Also on the landing page are options labeled “Introduction,” “View Documents,” “Searching Guide,” “Oral Histories,” and “Research Tools.” “View Documents” and “Oral Histories” take users directly to core sources in the collection. “View Documents” also has a link to a search directories page for browsing by collection or by an author’s name, age, marital status, nationality, or occupation. Most visible are six colorful tiles that provide general information about the archive and best practices for using it: “Nature and Scope,” “Essays and Video Interviews,” “Exhibitions,” “Author Biographies,” “Guide to the Archival Collections,” and “Thematic Guides”; the latter two are good starting points. Keyword and phrase searching on the advanced search page can be refined by date, document type, language, and library or archive. Documents can be filtered by document type, theme, and library source. Each document has a “Documents Detail” page with additional access points via keyword, collection, and the writer’s biography. Although the digitization is excellent, some older documents can be challenging to read. A transcription feature helps but may not wholly interpret or represent the author’s intent or prose. The audio quality of oral histories is excellent. Users who create an account can save and share searches. Response time is fast. Navigating within the archive is easy, and viewing and downloading options are plentiful.

PRICING This resource is available for perpetual access; pricing is customized for each institution. Contact AM for price inquiries.

VERDICT AM has once again produced an impressive archive of important primary documents that give users a firsthand glimpse into the perspectives and mindsets of an underrepresented but essential group in UK and Irish history. The accounts of daily life and the roles and responsibilities of women since 1600 are riveting to read and hear. Enhancing the outstanding primary sources are superb browsability, exceptional features, and numerous search options.