The Iowa Woman records date from 1980 to 1996 and measure 7.2 linear feet in 19 containers. The records are arranged in two major series: Administration and Publication, separating the business aspects of producing Iowa Woman from the creative process. These records of Iowa Woman illustrate the process and challenge of independent publishing.

The Adminstration series contains the following subseries: Organization, Promotional materials, Advertising, Newspaper clippings, Grant applications, Financial accounts, Correspondence, and Conferences and events. The Organization subseries (1980-1990) includes the formal documents required for establishing the magazine, minutes of meetings, information on personnel, subscription lists and a 1986 subscriber survey.

The Promotional subseries (1982-1992) includes samples of materials distrubuted to potential subscribers, miscellaneous press releases, flyers, and announcements.

Guidelines and forms for advertising in Iowa Woman appear in the Advertising subseries (undated) and newspaper clippings about the magazine in the Newspaper clippings suberies (1987-1991). Two applications for grants from the Council for Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) and several miscellaneous grant applications comprise the Grant application subseries (1991).

Bank statements and invoices are found in the Financial accounts subseries (1980-1990). Invoices from the Julin Printing Company, advertising and marketing accounts, and summary data from 1989, 1990, and 1991 complete the subseries.

The bulk of materials in the Correspondence subseries (1980-1990) covers the years 1986 to 1991, with only a small amount from the early years. Much of the correspondence comes from subscribers and interested writers. This suberies includes internal memoranda.

On October 7, 1989 the magazine sponsored a conference, "Our Sense, Our place: Visions by Midwestern Women," supported by a grant from the Iowa Humanities Board. The event was held at the Iowa Historical Building in Des Moines. The correspondence, program and planning materials for the conferece are part of the Conferences and events subseries (1989-1991). Also included in the subseries are conference plans for a tenth anniversary celebration and details of public events held in 1991, including an audiocassette of a reading, "Voices of the Present," April 4, 1991 at the Hearst Center in Cedear Falls.

The Publication series focuses on the contents of Iowa Woman and consists of subseries on Contests, Production process, Photographs, Critique sheets, Manuscripts, Iowa Woman News, and Iowa Woman. The Contests subseries (1986-1991) includes correspondence for the 1986 and 1990 contests and cover sheets for the 1990 and 1991 entries.

The Publication process subseries (1986, 1988, 1991) consists of the materials for the publication of vol. 6, no 1-2, Vol. 8, no. 1-2, and vol. 11, no. 4. The Photographs subseries (undated) includes materials from the publication and miscellaneous snapshots. Most are unidentified.

The Critique sheets subseries (1990-1993) consists of the evaluations of submissions to the magazine by a panel of readers. These materials span the years 1990 to 1993 and include correspondence accompanying the submissions, as well as biographical data.

Edited Manuscripts (1988-1991) from eight issues are included in the subseries of that title. (vol. 8, no. 4; vol. 9, no. 2-4; vol.10, no. 4; vol 11, no. 1-3) A number of miscellaneous submissions, many with attached correspondence, complete the subseries.

The 1996 accession updates the records of Iowa Woman. The materials are arranged in the same format as the original collection.

The final subseries is Iowa Woman. It includes publications from 1980-1997. Not included are the issues for the year 1985, when it was not published.