Menstuff® has compiled the following information concerning what is believed to be the largest library of its kind in the world - The Men's Study. (Intern opportunities.)
In August of 1994, our founder, Gordon Clay, took over 1,000 of the books on 64 different men's issues selected from over 3,000 listed on this web site, put them in a converted RV, and went on the road full-time for 4 1/2 years in what he called the Brower's Bookmobile. After traveling over 30,000 miles through 26 states and visiting hundreds of rural towns too small to support their own library or book store, he retired the bookmobile on September 8, 2001 sitting beneath a 50' tall climbing rose bush near the Southern Oregon coast. (See close-up.) It served as a Doctorate Study Library for students choosing to explore Men's Studies. In addition to the 1,000 book library in the Bookmobile, there are an additional 5000 books on men's issues stored in The Men's Study. Included are basically all of the books listed in the "Books" section on this web site.
"My grandfather often went to his 'study' to read, write, think or just get away from the activities of an active family. What an ideal home for the hundreds of books I have gathered on men's issues,'" Gordon thought.
The goal was to build a small library for the entire collection.
With 166 banker boxes of books, 12 boxes of video tapes and audio cassettes, and 50 boxes of men's magazines sitting in the living room of his home for almost two years, Gordon decided to go ahead and construct a suitable building, using his own savings. The building was completed on July 19, 2003 and he filled the shelves with most of those books and audio cassettes. Most of the videos and magazines were donated to the Changing Men's Collection at the Michigan State University in Lansing several years ago.
The Men's Study held 256 linear feet of the men's books,
videos
and audio
tapes listed on this web site (we don't list
books/videos/tapes on this web site that we haven't seen.). See
www.menstuff.org/books/bookindex.html.
The shelves were full and we had 12-18 gallon Rubbermade containers
filled with books as they continue to flow in.
Click on the photo above to see a closer view of
the drawing by Robert Redbird which hangs on the back wall. It has an
Native American proverb which reads
"To give dignity to a man is above all things."
More Books
Our founder had a stroke on March 3, 2014, five days before his 74 birth day. He had written in his will to donate his entire library to the Changing Mens collection at Michigan State University. However, during his five month recovery he decided to move the collection there now to better serve the academic community. They were packed up and shipped in mid-November and arrived in Lansing, Michigan on December 8, 2014. The vision is a reality.
The entrance to New York City's historic main public library (the
Stephen A. Schwazman Building -100 years old in 2011) is flanked by
two large marble lions (Patience and Fortitude). However, in much of
the world, the elephant is the symbol of wisdom and knowledge. So, at
the entrace to The Men's Study sits Ganesh
(or Ganesha) welcoming all who wish more knowledge about men.
When you sell a man a book, you don't sell him 12 ounces of paper and ink and glue - you sell him a whole new life. - Christopher Morley
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