1980s Culture and Society

CONTENT AM’s 1980s Culture and Society provides a window into defining topics of the 1980s, such as environmentalism, feminism, music and fandom subcultures, the nuclear threat, the rise of conservatism, consumer culture, religious movements, and the AIDS crisis. Information is presented in a variety of formats, including photographs, newspapers and newsletters, papers collections, memoranda, flyers, zines, periodicals, and video footage. The collection is curated from 11 archives, including the British Film Institute, Interference Archive, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, the National Archives, UK, and the photographic archive Mirrorpix. Most of the documents are drawn from the archives in the United Kingdom and the United States. They are organized into 16 thematic areas with deep coverage in the areas of politics (conservatism specifically), conflicts and disasters, consumer culture, grassroots activism, and health and social issues. Some 1,400 documents precede the decade, and a limited number of titles (266) come from the 1990s. The scope of materials provides a reliable picture of the era from the perspectives of both the Western establishment and under-represented groups, including content created by and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, newspapers produced by and for Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada, and grassroots and left-wing publications such as Black Flag, an anarchist magazine produced by the Anarchist Black Cross.

USABILITY A search box at the top of the homepage allows ready entry into the collection, both through keyword and advanced searches. Users can share search results through social media channels or email, create an account of saved searches, or adjust the viewing contrast modes. Results are returned almost instantly; for instance, a search for the video console Atari immediately returns four pages of content. Facets on the left side of the page can be used to narrow searches. The tabbed bar at the top of the home-page contains links to many helpful areas, including an introduction, a searching guide, visual resources, research tools, and a link for viewing documents. The top navigation links provide searchers of all levels with guidance on how to navigate the material and understand metadata so they can better find information on people, places, and events. The research tools tab is especially helpful, with an interactive chronology and a “Featured Organizations” tool that documents the decade’s key events, movements, and groups. The collection can be further explored through six information portals, which provide more information on the nature and scope of the collection, selection criteria, search directories, essays and video interviews, and an introduction to zines.

PRICING The resource is primarily available to higher education institutes; other types of organizations should contact AM directly for availability. Higher education pricing is determined by a number of factors that impact the size of the potential user group. These determining factors include, but are not limited to, Carnegie Classification and full-time enrollment.

VERDICT This AM resource provides a variety of information originating from an assortment of formats that will surely satisfy anyone interested in 1980s culture and society. Universities and colleges alike will want to consider adding this helpful targeted resource, as most people look back on the decade with both fondness and disappointment.