National Alliance for Optional Parenthood Toledo Area chapter records

The records contained in the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate of the National Alliance for Optional Parenthood collection date from 1970 to 1982. The strengths of the collection are its correspondence, newsletters, and magazine and newspaper article files. These give background information on the national organization, some insight into the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate, and demonstrate the relationship between the two groups. The major weakness of the collection is its lack of documentation on the activities of the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate. There is only one copy of meeting minutes from the local group and membership data is scattered. The primary focus of the collection is the national organization.

The majority of the information about the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate comes from correspondence records. These are comprised of materials sent to various segments of the Toledo organization from N.A.O.P. and various individuals, as well as outgoing mail from the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate. Much of the correspondence from the national organization consists of form letters, and this is a weakness, but these documents do demonstrate the relationship between headquarters and the Toledo group. The outgoing correspondence from the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate is the most revealing of local activities, especially the meeting announcements.

Another strength of this collection is its newsletters. These documents originate from N.A.O.P., the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate, and various regional chapters throughout the United States. Again, representation from the Toledo organization is weak, with only one newsletter present. The national and regional newsletters, however, provide information on activities across the nation.

The collection has a strong magazine and newspaper article series. While only a few of the clippings deal specifically with the Toledo Area Chapter/Affiliate, the files do provide considerable background information on N.A.O.P. and topics relevant to the child-free lifestyle.

The collection is completed by an assortment of files, such as the organizational by-laws, several reports, pamphlets and brochures, publicity materials, and various ephemeral documents.