Lynn Woolsey donates legislative papers to Sonoma State University

Researchers this spring will have access to the legislative papers of retired U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey.

The Petaluma Democrat, who held office for 20 years, donated 97 boxes of material including bills and speeches to the Sonoma State University library.

The special collections department is conducting an inventory and will post an online index. Access will be by appointment.

SSU President Ruben Armi?na called the work "significant" for students and faculty who want to learn how Congress operates.

Also, he said it will give people a view of how "one distinguished representative performed a difficult and important job."

Included in the papers are manuscripts and visual media documenting Woolsey's tenure.

She represented Marin and Sonoma counties in the 6th Congressional District from 1993 to earlier this year.

The co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus was a vocal opponent of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and championed causes related to education, the environment and women and children.

She was on the Petaluma City Council before she was elected to Congress.

Woolsey is at work on a book about her time in office.

For more information, contact the SSU library's special collections department at specialcollections@sonoma.edu.