All these questions may seem overwhelming but need to be thought out hopefully before a single book is put on the shelf or a single article is filed away in a drawer. Although there have been innumerable books published in practically every country and in many, many languages on women's issues and the women's movement, these topics have also generated many pamphlets, oral history tapes, videos, films, and articles in alternative magazines as well as academic journals. There are also unpublished reports, bibliographies and guides. Materials on women's issues ar e proliferating. The rule seems to be when a women's center has empty shelves they will be filled almost immediately with much of these materials.
Women are very generous in donating their books and other materials.
Sometimes there are materials that are not relevant for the center and therefore have to be rejected. This is when the center's criteria for inclusion will come in handy. Women's studies are inter dis ciplinary covering many fields of knowledge. It will be impossible to collect in all these areas so a focus on particular areas of special interest to the scholars using the library will be beneficial. Duplication of materials particularly journals and books in other nearby libraries may not be necessary.