In the fall of 1917, fifteen women booksellers who had been excluded from membership in the all-male Bookseller’s League and from attending the league’s annual convention, met in Sherwood’s Book Store at 19 John Street in downtown New York. They met again on November 13 of that year with thirty-five women present and formed a permanent organization, the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA), and elected its first president, Pauline Sherwood. WNBA’s unique characteristic was a membership open to women in all facets of the world of books—publishers, booksellers, librarians, authors, illustrators, agents, book production people—the only criterion being that part of their income must come from books.

During the early and difficult years of the organization, Publishers Weekly was a major support, allotting a page each month in the magazine for copy supplied by WNBA editors. Now, eighty-seven years later, with nine chapters in cities spanning the country and with Corresponding Members in nearly all of the fifty states, WNBA is still championing the role of women in the world of words. Its membership is open to women and men who subscribe to WNBA’s mission and goals.

During its long existence, WNBA has run seminars on bookselling techniques, published several books, participated in book programs on both radio and television, led in-service courses for teachers on children’s books, sponsored book and author luncheons and dinners, cooperated on local book fairs, founded chapters in London, New Delhi, Paris, and Tokyo, has been active as a DPI/NGO member in the United Nations, entertained visiting bookwomen from across the United States and from abroad, and surveyed the status of women in publishing.

In November 1936 the organization published the first issue of its official publication, The Bookwoman. Originally a quarterly, it was published primarily for the benefit of corresponding members. Today The Bookwoman is a national project under the jurisdiction of the national executive board and appointed editors. The National Organization has its own Web site.

New York was the founding chapter of WNBA and for thirty years was the only active chapter, building up corresponding memberships throughout the country. In 1958 a National Board was created to coordinate chapter activities and undertake projects of its own. The New York members, working in the publishing center of the world, thus became a separate chapter that to this day initiates programs and subjects that are useful to other chapters and to the publishing community at large. WNBA/NYC publishes its own newsletter, The New York Bookwoman, for all its members.

Believing that books have power, WNBA was formed to make it possible for people engaged in various book activities to help broaden their part in the world of books, to serve the book world, and to know one another as individuals with common problems, aspirations, and goals. Today women have more opportunity to implement change and move ahead than ever before. WNBA is the organization in which they can come together, define goals, develop leadership, further communication, and organize activities to benefit women.

THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION sponsors the biennial WNBA Award to honor an outstanding bookwoman, the Lucile Micheels Pannell Award to promote interest in children’s books, and the Ann Heidbreder Eastman Grant to enable librarians to take publishing courses.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Ann Heidbreder Eastman Grant
2005: Andrea Wyman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor/Curriculum Materials Librarian, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA
2004: Frances Yates, Education Librarian, Miami University, Oxford, OH
2003: Kimberly Kowal, Assistant Librarian, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis, MN
2002: Stephanie Spetter, Children's Librarian & Assistant Branch Manager, Scottsdale Branch Library, Chicago Public Library Chicago, IL
2001: Debbie Abilock, Technology Library, Nueva School, Hillsborough, CA
2000: Kimmerle Ballentine, Head of Youth Services, Public Library of New London, New London, CT
1999: Angela Leeper, Evaluation Services, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Raleigh, NC
1998: Carolyn Gutierrez, Information Systems Librarian, Rogers State University Library, Claremore, OK


Lucile Micheels Pannell Award
2006: General Bookstore — Northshire Bookstore of Manchester Center, VT
2006: Children's Specialty Store — A Likely Story Children’s Bookstore of Alexandria, VA
2006: Honorable Mention — Changing Hands Bookstore of Tempe, AZ
2005: General Bookstore — Book People of Austin, TX
2005: Children's Specialty Store — Reading Reptiles Books & Tapes for Young Mammals, Kansas City, MO


WNBA Award
2006: TBA
2004: Nancy Pearl, Librarian and Author of Book Lust (Sasquatch, 2003), More Book Lust (Sasquatch, 2005)

2006-2007 NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

National Officers

Chapter Presidents

NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRS

NATIONAL SUSTAINING MEMBERS

Sustaining members are corporations that financially support the work of WNBA.

Time Warner Book Group
Ingram Book Company
Paz & Associates
Random House, Inc.
The H. W. Wilson Company

NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER SPONSORS

Friends provide professional services and/or financial support to WNBA/NYC.

All New Media Publishing
The Children's Book Council
Doris S. Michaels Literary Agency Inc.
Editorial Freelancers Association
International Women's Writing Guild
The Office (Hoboken, NJ)
Riverside Printing (NYC)
Small Press Center NYC
Women, Ink
Zap Printing

© 2002-2006 Women's National Book Association/New York City. All Rights Reserved.
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