Elizabeth G. Sullivan and her Memorial
Collection
on Ecofeminism and Related
Materials at Gill Library, CNR
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth G. Sullivan, graduated in 1948 from
the School of Arts and Sciences of The College
of New Rochelle and remains fondly remembered as
a lover of nature and an inspirational woman who
touched and influenced a great many lives.
Before her graduation from CNR, she had
successfully engaged the College in the
National Student Association
and became CNR's representative to the NSA. She
received a fellowship at the University of
Chicago where she completed her master’s degree
in Political Science. Her passion had been to
teach in the deep South when the library of St.
Jean Baptiste on Lexington Ave. became available
for sale. Elizabeth was able to secure a loan
and bought the space which she called The
Paraclete Book Center. The Center became a
major resource and community for scholars,
religious women, priests, and seminarians until
its closing a few years ago.
Her sister, Nancy Sullivan Murray, founder and
benefactress of the Ecofeminism Collection at
CNR Gill Library, explains that Elizabeth was
also very passionate about Liturgy: “Elizabeth
was not only an active member of the National
Liturgical Conference, she also served as its
President in the last years of her all-too-brief
life.” Though many who remembered
her zeal for and involvement with the
Post-Vatican II Church are gone, we remember
her here today in the hope that her work and
dedication will continue to inspire and educate.
The Paraclete
Book Center
The Paraclete Book Center, more than a book
store, but a community and resource center for
Catholic study and inspiration closed in the
late nineties. Below Peter Steinfels
quotes the last owner of the shop, Mary Butler
on Elizabeth. See link below to read the
entire article.
|
"The Paraclete opened almost a
half-century ago. Elizabeth
Sullivan, its founding owner,
made the Paraclete an outpost of
the new Catholic thinking that
culminated in the Second Vatican
Council. In the 1960's, during
and after the council, the
business ''grew and grew and
grew,''
Quote by Mary Butler from
Steinfels, Peter.
Beliefs. The New York
Times US. July 25, 1998.
Read the article.
|
History of the
Collection
The College of New Rochelle Gill Library is
proud to offer a rich variety of resources
related to the study of ecology and feminism
through
The Elizabeth G. Sullivan Memorial Collection on
Ecofeminism and Related Materials.
This collection was begun at Gill Library in
January 1989 by Nancy Sullivan Murray, a
graduate of The College of New Rochelle, SAS
'50, for her sister.
Nancy explained, “In 1951, Liz founded the
Paraclete Book Center, which has been an oasis
through the years for scholars, liturgists,
theologians, et al. She, herself was a
scholar, teacher and lover of learning".
With the intention of perpetuating Elizabeth’s
oasis, and with an equal commitment to the study
and support of women, and the environment during
these critical times, CNR Library adds to this
vital collection each year. Thanks to the
on-going support from the family and friends of
Elizabeth, the College, and the Library, the
Ecofeminism Collection continues to take root
and blossom into a significant source of
materials relevant to researchers across many
disciplines.
About
Ecofeminism
Ecofeminism, sometimes referred to as Ecological
Feminism, is a field of study and a focus of
social activism that grew out of insight and
inquiry derived from the merging of the feminist
and environmental movements. The
term “ecofeminism”, was originally conceived and
employed by the author, Françoise d'Eaubonne, a
French feminist and activist, in her books
Le féminisme ou
la mort,
1974
(Feminism or Death)
and
Ecologie-feminisme:revolution ou mutation
(Eco-feminism: Revolution or Mutation?) .
Similarly, it has been adopted by a diverse
range of authors and has come to represent and
encompass an eclectic expanse of work.
Ecofeminists may be found among scholars,
activists, poets, writers, artists,
philosophers, religious leaders, naturalists,
and more.
Ecofeminism explores the relationship between
existing social institutions such as patriarchy,
capitalism and imperialism and issues pertaining
to the domination of women, and the exploitation
of nature. Ecofeminists
propose that the adoption of feminine
sensibilities will promote the healing of social
inequalities and help restore balance to the
natural world. While their work is
diverse, Ecofeminists share in common a profound
concern for preserving the integrity
and inter-connectedness of all life.
About the
Collection
Gill Library's collection of ecofeminism and
related materials encompasses classic
Ecofeminist texts, seminal works out of which
ecofeminist philosophies have evolved, and many
related materials that share ecofeminist
ideologies. For a deeper understanding of the
relevance of early and related scholarship to
the field of ecofeminism, an article by Linda
Vance: Remapping the Terrain: Books on
Ecofeminism. Choice. (June 1993)
pp1585+ is highly recommended as it provides a
retrospective annotated bibliography and a
descriptive essay. Related Materials include
texts on spiritual ecology, feminist
spirituality, social ecofeminism, deep ecology,
feminist activism, animal rights, third world
feminism, and Native American spirituality.
Browsing the
Collection and Additional Resources
Please use the following links to browse the
Ecofeminism Collection at CNR Library:
1-
The
Ecofeminism Collection arranged by subject
divisions
This
link leads to a 2008 bibliography of the
Collection arranged by related subjects such as
ecofeminism and activism, psychology,
philosophy, religion and spirituality, etc.
2-
The Ecofeminism Collection
accessed through Gill Library catalog
Clicking this link will perform a search of the
collection in the Library catalog that will
include most recent additions, arranged
alphabetically by title.
Additional Resources
In
addition to the collection you may
browse selected Ecofeminism
websites
and
related
Ecology websites
For more information about the Ecofeminism
Collection or for assistance with research on
the subject, please contact Susan Acampora at
Gill Library of The College of New Rochelle.
Susan Acampora,
M.L.S., M.S.
Systems Librarian
Mother
Irene Gill Library
The College of New
Rochelle
sacampora@cnr.edu
(914) 654-5353
Updated and
revised April 2012
______________________________________________________________________________
Works Cited:
d'Eaubonne,
Françoise. Le féminisme ou la mort,
1974 (Feminism or Death). Paris, P.
Horay, 1974.
d'Eaubonne, Françoise.
Ecologie-feminisme:revolution ou mutation
(Eco-feminism: Revolution or Mutation?) Paris :
Éditions A.T.P., 1978.
Vance, Linda. "Remapping the Terrain:
Books on Ecofeminism" Choice. (June 1993)
pp1585+