Cincinnati, OH 45220
email:
ohiolesbianarchives@yahoo.com
Archival Cincinnati Pictures
In keeping with the Archives' mission to collect, celebrate and make accessible lesbian culture in all its splendor, OLA houses an amazing collection. Books by or about lesbians have a home in the Archives as well as lesbian periodicals, flyers from lesbian events, photographs, posters, CDs, LPs, videocassettes (movies and interviews), audiocassettes (music, interviews and poetry), t-shirts, buttons, etc. In addition to a concentration in all things lesbian OLA also collects lesbian/gay movement flyers and periodicals from the tri-state area. A large lesbian/gay history collection is also part of OLA.
The Ohio Lesbian Archives was originally envisioned by Karen phebe Beiser in the early 70's. She and Victoria Ramstetter were members of a lesbian feminist commune, also home for a time to Labyris, a traveling lesbian bookstore. Vic and phebe both also worked on the lesbian magazine, Dinah, for many years. Although they had been collecting books, flyers, etc., the abundance of exchange periodicals and review books that accompanied Dinah made the dream of a lesbian archives in Cincinnati start to take shape. As founder, phebe stored magazines and books intended for the Archives in her apartment for several years while women continued to meet and plan to make the dream come true. When the Crazy Ladies Collective purchased the Cincinnati Women's Building, the original Archives committee helped rehab the space and arranged for OLA to rent a room on the third floor. Ater Crazy Ladies Bookstore closed and the building was sold in 2006 the archives was invited to move to a large room at the Clifton United Methodist Church.
"That Wild Girl From Cincinnati"
OLA was awarded a grant to purchase a video camera for the Oral History Project. Let us know if you or anyone else you know is willing to be interviewed on audiotape or videotape.
OLA is owned by all lesbians. Feel free to make an appointment to visit. You will be amazed at the feeling you get surrounded by our culture.
Slide Show
OLA was also awarded a grant to purchase a screen and slide projector. The History of Lesbians Slide Show is available to present to groups or classes. We are always eager to incorporate new pictures, so don't feel shy if you would like for us to include a picture of you or some other historical lesbian.
OLA also maintains an honors system lending library, separate from the Archives.
Victoria Ramstetter
Co-Directors