The WAMEDA, Inc. Research Library
Is Open for Business!
For a list of available Library materials, see the WAMEDA Library Inventory List. The WAMEDA Library is currently housed at Dancer the Unusual Store at 8010 Old Branch Avenue, Clinton, MD 20735.
You can check out Library materials in two ways:
- Call Dancer (301-856-2144) to tell us which materials you’d like to borrow. The WAMEDA Librarian will get them ready for you to pick up at Dancer.
- Download, print and fill out the WAMEDA Library Form. Mail it to Dancer at 8010 Old Branch Avenue, Clinton, MD 20735. The WAMEDA Librarian will mail the materials to you.
Support the WAMEDA Library
with Your Donation!
The WAMEDA Library is a treasure, but maintaining this treasure takes not only time & volunteer labor, but money, so WAMEDA still needs your help! Donations to the WAMEDA Library Fund are welcome — and they’re tax-deductible.
Many thanks & much appreciation to our donors!
– OR –
You can mail your check or money order (payable to “WAMEDA, Inc.”) to:
WAMEDA Library Fund
c/o Dancer
8010 Old Branch Avenue
Clinton, MD 20735
The State of the Library
The WAMEDA Library needs your help! We’re down to only one Librarian, Joyce Jackson (Jamil Bient). We need more people to serve on the Library Committee, to catalogue, mail and keep track of materials sent to members and make sure they are returned. If you would like to assist our Librarian, please contact Jamil Bient.
The WAMEDA Library is a work in progress. Items are continually being added as new donations are received. Each item received must be reviewed, documented and given a catalogue number, which is a very involved process. We have worked to make your research experience more interactive by adding new fields (i.e., “Genre”) so that you can easily find items that you’re looking for. The inventory list is far from perfect. For example, two new fields, “Release Date” and “Run Time,” are not complete on most records because in many cases, we must view the video to find the information.
We welcome your feedback to help us make your research efforts easier. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact WAMEDA Librarian Jamil Bient.
— Tessa Garner, WAMEDA Librarian 2012
In 2012, WAMEDA Librarian Tessa Gardner performed an invaluable service in reorganizing the contents of our Library. However, we need aid in preserving, restoring, archiving and copying the hundreds of videos, DVDs, CDs, tapes, books, magazines, newspaper articles, & more that make up the Library. Our policy is never to lend out the original material, only copies, so we must have copies of every single item — and in up-to-date format. To that end, we’d like to copy our videos to DVDs and to archive our papers in electronic form. Maybe someday, the WAMEDA Library will be available online (in view-only format) to WAMEDA Members.
— Susannah Challis (Shagoura), President of WAMEDA 2014
Spring, a time of rebirth and renewal. For WAMEDA, this season starts with the RE-PURCHASE of our library. A welcomed and happy return! This would not have been possible except for all the members and non-members who donated funds to help us in this endeavor. THANK YOU!
— Doris Elias, President of WAMEDA 2012
Many WAMEDA members look forward to being able to, once again, watch the videos of WAMEDA’s many years of joyous dance events as well as its collection of classic belly dancing videos. The library also gives new dancers an opportunity to understand who the dancers are that many of the experienced dancers talk about.
— Patrice LeBlond, President of WAMEDA 2011