Victor Weybright Archives of Gypsy Studies

Collection

Identifier: MSS 551 large

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Victor Weybright Archives of Gypsy Studies contains books, dissertations, journal articles, newspaper clippings, manuscripts, audio-visual materials, and ephemera relating to the documentation and study of Gypsy and Traveler cultures including the Rom, Romanichels, Cale, Sinti, Ludar, Romungre, Irish Travelers, Scottish Travelers and many others.

Dates

Creation: 1907 - 2016

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is currently in process. For access, please contact Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Access

The material is stored offsite in Remote Storage. Please contact Special Collections 3 working days in advance if you wish to use it.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the authors of the items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. For photocopy and duplication requests, please contact the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections, Michigan State University Libraries.

Biographical / Historical

The Gypsy Lore Society was founded in England in 1888. The North American chapter was founded in 1977 with the support of American publisher, Victor Weybright, and has operated as the headquarters of the Gypsy Lore Society since 1989. Its goals include promotion of the study of Gypsy, Traveler, and analogous peripatetic cultures worldwide; dissemination of accurate information aimed at increasing understanding of these cultures in their diverse forms; and establishment of closer contacts among scholars studying any aspects of these cultures.

The Victor Weybright Archives of Gypsy Studies was established in 1978. As a growing research collection, it was housed in the home of Sheila and Matt Salo in Cheverly, Maryland. Carmen Hendershott served as volunteer archivist from 1979 to 2012, and oversaw the expansion and detailed cataloging of the collection.

Extent

approximately 50 Linear Feet (50 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated by the Gypsy Lore Society in 2016.

Related Materials

Monographs and most other publications have been separated from this collection for individual cataloging. As of 2019, they are currently in-process.

MSS 477 William G. Lockwood collection of Romani Ethnology and Gypsy Stereotypes http://as.lib.msu.edu/repositories/2/resources/1917

The archives of the Gypsy Lore Society are held at the University of Liverpool in England. https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/7c3a0b8b-bfa3-3b69-ac8a-2c0984d6df77

Processing Information

Lydia Tang, Lisa Bosman, Tatum Bostain and Calla Sundin began processing this collection in 2017 and was completed in 2019.

Sources consulted in the creation of this finding aid include: "Weybright Archives," Gypsy Lore Society, http://www.gypsyloresociety.org/weybright-archives

"The Gypsy Collections," University of Liverpool Special Collections and Archives, https://web.archive.org/web/20070927105134/http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/colldescs/gls.html

Many published materials have been separated from this collection and individually cataloged with a series note of "From the Gypsy Lore Society Victor Weybright Archives of Gypsy Studies" and a gift note of "Gift of the Gypsy Lore Society." Cataloging of these materials is ongoing.

Print-offs of library holdings and photocopies of the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society have not been retained.