Virginia Citizens Consumer Council Records, 1969-1993

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Virginia Citizens Consumer Council. Records, 1969-1993. Accession 40992. Organization Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.

Summary

Extent:
7.65 cu. ft. (17 boxes)
Creator:
Virginia Citizens Consumer Council
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Virginia Citizens Consumer Council. Records, 1969-1993. Accession 40992. Organization Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.

Background

Scope and content:

The records are arranged alphabetically in 17 boxes and include annual reports, brochures, by-laws, correspondence, legislation, memoranda, minutes, newspaper clippings, newsletters, press releases, publications, reports, speeches, and surveys, documenting the history of VCCC's contribution to Virginia's consumer rights. Includes information on legislation to promote child car safety, passage of Virginia's new car "lemon-laws," successful challenges to allow prescription drug price advertising, lawsuits brought to restrict the availability of junk food in schools, efforts to stop Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) rate increases, support of plain language laws, regulation of health spas, and reform of ground beef labeling.

The Board of director's minute files are a good resource for annual reports, finances, meeting agendas, membership lists, memoranda, minutes, notes, organizational charts, press releases, resolutions, and treasurer's reports detailing VCCC's yearly activities. Several committees were established by VCCC to confront diverse issues, including the Complaint Committee, Legislative Committee, Supermarket Committee, and Toy Safety Committee. These committee files include correspondence, memoranda, minutes, notes, and press releases. The Legislative Committee, 1973-1991, includes correspondence, copies of legislative bills, information on lobbying efforts in the Virginia General Assembly, voting records of legislative members, and VCCC legislative agendas. The Complaint Committee, 1970-1975, gathered information on consumer complaints against various companies. The committee published the Consumer Complaint Action Guide, which provided consumers information about where and who to write for complaints about products (such as appliance repair, home construction, magazine subscriptions, and the postal service).

Information is included about the Dial-A-Consumer service, a 24 hour a day answering service which contained weekly messages concerning consumer safety alerts, general information on consumer topics, and notices of meetings or seminars, 1976-1977. Included is a notebook from 1977 listing the weekly messages. Also included are agendas, brochures, correspondence, memoranda, and programs for the annual VCCC Consumer Conference, 1988-1989; memoranda regarding grants from the Consumer Federation of America, 1987-1990; and correspondence, newsletters, and press releases from VCCC chapters (Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke, and Williamsburg). The VCCC also initiated a number of lawsuits in their efforts to protect the Virginia consumer and the collection contains clippings, correspondence, legal judgments and statements relating to the suits. The organization was involved with lawsuits against VEPCO, the Virginia State Board of Pharmacy, Department of Agriculture, the American Bar Association, the Virginia State Bar, and Virginia Supreme Court.

Included are copies of newspaper clippings, 1970-1991, regarding initiatives by the VCCC to inform and protect consumers. Included are articles written by members of the VCCC entitled, "Consumer's Voice" and "Buy-Lines" in various Northern Virginia newspapers, 1975-1976. These article inform readers about pool safety, shopping in supermarkets, banking practices, new legislation, red food dye #2, surveys on cold medicine prices at local drug stores, UPC codes, donations to charity, tenant rights, how to proceed with complaints, new rules for mail order firms, salesman insurance laws, medical malpractice laws, and safety with zip-top cans.

Also included is an almost complete run of the VCCC newsletter entitled, "Voice of the Virginia Consumer," 1970-1993. The publication, Handbook (1976), includes a directory of members, board meeting schedules, general resolutions, board pledge, and VCCC bylaws and constitution. Numerous publications are also included such as, Citizen Inflation Action Handbook, Forming Consumer Organizations, Getting your Day in General District Court, and Training Consumer Leaders.

Biographical / historical:

The Virginia Citizens Consumer Council (VCCC) is a non-profit volunteer association founded in 1966 by three women from Northern Virginia who were concerned about rising food and utilities costs. The organization promotes and represents the rights and interests of the consumer in Virginia by advocating pro-consumer positions in regulatory and legislative issues. They also participate in hearings and proceedings at the local, state and federal levels, and educate the community about consumer issues.

Acquisition information:
Gift of the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Richmond, Virginia, 7 January 2004.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title.