Folio Club records, 1927-2020
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Summary
- Creator:
- Folio Club (Durham, N.C.)
- Abstract:
- Durham's Folio Club was founded by Duke University faculty wives and other Duke-affiliated women in 1927. This collection includes the records of the Folio Club, including meeting minutes, programs, correspondence, and clippings related to the activities of the club and its members. Additionally, audiocassettes in the collection date from the late 1980s and contain recordings of Folio Club members discussing various writers.
- Extent:
- 3.25 Linear Feet
- Language:
- Materials in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.10195
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Folio Club Records include meeting minutes and notes from the foundation of the club through recent years, reflecting the evolution and development of the club from a small group of Duke faculty wives to a large club of women with affiliations throughout the Durham area. Also included are correspondence files, which consist largely of postcard invitations to club programs and letters from members nominating new women to join the group. Also included are several versions of the club's constitution; photographs, some with labels, of the club's members; a handwritten history of the club's first 50 years; and programs collected by the club historian dating from 1937 through 2020 (an incomplete run). The annual programs include membership directories and a schedule of club events, usually centered around a theme. Some are annotated by their former owners.
Audiocassettes in the collection date from the late 1980s and contain recordings of Folio Club members discussing various writers.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Folio Club is a book club based in Durham, N.C., that was established by wives of Duke University faculty members in the fall of 1927. Originally, the club consisted of 14 women who paid dues of 75 cents. Early meetings consisted of knitting, conversation, a book review, and tea. They evolved over time to adopt formal study of topics, ranging from art and history to music and political movements. Each member was responsible for either hosting or leading a program at least once per year. The club also raised money in support of local civic groups and organizations, including the Durham County Library, The Red Cross, hospitals and arts programs, and children's groups. The Folio Club remains active and caps its membership at 40 people.
- Acquisition information:
- The Folio Club Records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1979, with additions in 1983, 2003, and 2015; and as a gift from the Folio Club's historian (Mary Jane Rivers) in 2025.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Meghan Lyon, February 2015
Accession 2025-0153 processed by Reina Henderson, January 2026
Accessions described in this finding aid: 1979 and 1983 accessions, 2003-0063, 2015-0016, 2025-0153.
- Arrangement:
-
Arranged into two series: Records and Audiocassettes.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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Access note. Some materials in this collection are original audiovisual items that need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Folio Club Records, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1904k