Wendy Glass visits Glasgow’s unique Women’s Library
Wendy Glass visits Glasgow Women’s Library, a unique institution dedicated to women’s literature and bringing people together.
As I enter Glasgow Women’s Library, I’m welcomed by the buzz of muted conversations, the wonderful sight of hundreds of books, a smile from a librarian – and the offer of a cup of tea! This is my kind of library.
Glasgow Women’s Library is home to over 20,000 books – all with a link to women.
“This library celebrates all aspects of women and their lives,” Wendy Kirk, one of the librarians at Glasgow Women’s Library, explains.
“Any book written by a woman, about a woman or about a subject relating to women can have a place on our shelves.
“As a result, we have books on a huge range of topics, as well as lots and lots of amazing fiction and poetry books, which are always popular with our borrowers.”
Glasgow Women’s Library started in 1991.
“The library grew out of an arts organisation called ‘Women in Profile’, which was set up to ensure women were represented during Glasgow’s City of Culture in 1990,” Wendy says.
“‘Women in Profile’ gathered many amazing materials, sparking the need to start a library to preserve it all and make it accessible.”
Since then, Glasgow Women’s Library has grown considerably, and two years ago, it was officially recognised as a “Collection of National Significance”.
Yet every one of the library’s 20,000 plus books was donated.
“The library has never had a budget to buy books so we rely entirely on donations of books,” Wendy reveals. “It’s amazing how generous people are – and how many women are only too happy to share books that really mean something to them with other women.
“The books donated to us represent the interests and passions of thousands of women.”
Wendy explains that, for the first nine years, the library had no paid staff and was run entirely by volunteers.
“The volunteers who set up and ran the library in its early days did a fantastic job, and many of them
are still involved,” Wendy says.
“Through their hard work, enthusiasm and commitment, Glasgow Women’s Library is a wonderful place filled with stories, inspiration and friendship.”
As well as being home to thousands of books, Glasgow Women’s Library is an accredited museum.
“We’re the only museum in the UK dedicated to women’s history,” Wendy tells me. “We have so many interesting items relating to women’s lives and, again, everything in our museum was donated.
“Amongst the thousands of fascinating artefacts in our museum and archives we have collections of T-shirts, badges, newsletters, vintage sewing and knitting patterns, quilts and women’s magazines,” Wendy continues.
“As 2018 is the hundredth anniversary of some women being given the right to vote, our Suffragette collection, which includes Suffragette jewellery and postcards, is currently getting a lot of attention.”
In addition, a range of workshops and classes are held at the library.
“Women of all ages and from all walks of life come to Glasgow Women’s Library and we try to reflect their many different interests and backgrounds with what’s on offer,” Pauline Krawehl, a literature student from Germany who’s currently working at the library, says.
“We have history, literature and art classes, as well as creative writing workshops, a singing group and one-to-one help with literacy.
“We also have several book clubs, including one for Muslim women, and our very popular Story Café, which is a read-aloud-anddiscuss group.”
Pauline adds that the library participates in national events such as Book Week Scotland, Glasgow International (GI) Festival and World Book Night, when they have a book giveaway party.
“There’s always something happening,” Pauline says with a laugh. She adds that Glasgow Women’s Library also has a programme of Heritage Walks through the city’s streets.
“These walks highlight the tremendous contribution women have made to Glasgow’s culture, heritage and social history over the years,” she continues.
“The walks are led by a group of volunteers, who uncovered some amazing stories while researching the five walks, which are held from March to October.”
Wendy reveals that Glasgow Women’s Library has a unique way of raising funds – it puts women on the shelf!
“Through our Women On The Shelf scheme, people who sponsor a shelf in the library can dedicate a block to the woman of their choice,” Wendy continues.
“On every shelf, there’s at least one engraved wooden block celebrating a woman who has made a difference – whether in the public eye or an everyday woman who made a contribution to the world in her own, perhaps quieter, way,” Wendy explains.
Studying the blocks perched on the library’s shelves, I spot a block dedicated to Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, another to the artist Joan Eardley and several to groundbreaking female scientists.
Then I spot a block dedicated to “An amazing sister, woman and friend who died too young” and another to “My mother and my inspiration for life”.
“The dedications are often beautiful and sometimes incredibly touching,” Wendy says.
“Just like the books in Glasgow Women’s Library, these blocks tell the stories of so many incredible women.”