Started by Dutch physician Aletta Jacobs Gerritsen in the late 1800s, this collection of monographs and periodicals reflects the evolution of a feminist consciousness and womens rights. By the time her successors finished their work in 1945, the collection was the greatest single source for the study of womens history in the world, with materials spanning 4 centuries and 15 languages. (Coverage: 1543-1945)
In many cases, the Gerritsen Collection provides easy access to primary sources otherwise available only in a few rare book rooms.