Jean Girdwood (left) doing research for Women Make History

The staff, leaders and my peers have been instrumental in promoting Glasgow Women’s History to every corner of Glasgow. We were encouraged to research both historical and living Glasgow Women who individually made a difference to the city both in the arts, sciences, education, politics etc, and not forgetting the ordinary or should I say extraordinary women of Glasgow who were/are an integral part of the development and history of Glasgow.

I was immediately impressed by the very positive attitude of everyone at these meetings and the ideas were flowing. A development group was formed for the project and there were about 10 of us. It was decided that we would all be involved in researching these Glasgow women and we put a large map up so that we could highlight which area of the city these women came from and attached written info about them to the map. After a few meetings it was agreed that we should create a walking tour around the west end of the city and relate the info we had gathered on the women.

This walk was all about the history of Glasgow from car designers to women in education at the beginning of the 19th century and their part in making degree courses available to all women. The suffragettes and their great struggle to gain the vote for women, women in the arts including artists, writers and designers.

West End Women's Heritage Walk outside the University of Glasgow

I am one of the guides for these walks and the most memorable part for me was the surprise of the participants at the facts about these Glasgow women which made the research even more worthwhile and also noting how much they all enjoyed the walk. We had a group of 20 for the first booked walk, and I was feeling a little apprehensive but I need not have fretted because I discovered as we were walking and talking that quite a number of the group were making comments e.g. “I didn’t know that”, “I must find out more about that”, “I never heard of her before”, “we should tell others”, this feedback inspired me greatly and still does. This has been evident on all the walks I have done up till now and I know it will continue.

I have tried to give a little flavour of my work with this group which is of course ongoing. The library collection and the services which they offer are vital to the people and the City of Glasgow. The library has had a number of enquiries from other organizations who have either been on the walk or have heard about what the library is doing and they meet with them so that they can set up similar walks in their own towns or other projects.

The volunteering opportunities within the library are invaluable. I personally have benefited greatly from my work with the group and have an even greater respect and interest in Glasgow and its history and what’s still to come. All of the other volunteers whom I have met agree that their lives have been truly enhanced and made richer by their involvement with the Women’s Library and this is ongoing.

Glasgow Women’s Library demonstrates imagination and innovation, changes lives, brings people together and is very creative. Fun, fun, fun is to be had at the library and this is the best therapy of all.

Working collectively on the project for the West End walk pulled me into a world of research. Investigating information was a bit like digging for research treasure, I could easily while away an afternoon in the archives looking for the nugget of a story. I found it genuinely empowering and inspiring how these voices and stories could cross decades and strike a chord with women in the 21st century.

Learning about these strong, defiant, groundbreaking women has helped shape my outlook on women’s history as a whole, and, consequently, given me a better understanding of my own identity.

Kirsty Hood leads the launch of the Women of the Merchant City Walk in 2009

From originally just planning to be part of the research team, I ended up being a tour guide on the walks themselves, an achievement that wouldn’t have happened without the supportive, trusting and encouraging environment that surrounds the project, perpetuated by all the staff team at the library and by fellow history detectives. Mostly undeterred by Glasgow’s weather, I’ve now lead a number of walks. It’s a heartening experience when those who come on the tour can identify with the women we discuss and, in turn, be inspired by them.

I’m now working within Glasgow Museums as a Learning Assistant (with a new role doing live interpretation) and working on the second tour to come from the library – the Merchant City walk.

*written in 2008

Want to know more? We are holding a taster session so you can get more information and see if this is for you:

Taster: Wednesday 31 March, 10am – 12pm
Ten Week Course Starts: Wednesday 21 April, 10am – 12pm

The course runs for 10 weeks and will include visits to a museum and archive. Run by Ronnie Scott* in partnership with DACE at Glasgow University. This course is accredited, so you could receive 4 ACE points.

This course is ILA supported so you need to have this in place to begin. Click here to visit the ILA Scotland website for more information and to register online. If you need assistance just call the library and we can talk you through it, ask for Laura.

For more information or to book your place click here to send us an email or you can call us on 0141 552 8345

*please note this course is run by a male tutor

You might also be interested in attending The Digging Detectives first session on Tuesday 2 March 2010

Come along to our first meeting to find out just who is buried at the Necropolis and how we can dig up the truth about women’s lives in Victorian Glasgow:

Tuesday 2nd March at 7pm at Glasgow Women’s Library

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never done anything like this before. All you need is an interest in women’s history and a sense of adventure! Experienced women’s history detectives are also very welcome to take on a new case!

The group will be informal and we will all be learning together. We’ll meet once a month to share information and problem solve, with additional support available in between. There will also be a group tour of the Necropolis and visit to the Mitchell Library.

If you’d like to know more, or if you’d like to get involved but can’t make the first meeting, click here to contact us or you can email Liza Greig directly.

Let’s start digging!

You might also be interested in the forthcoming Researching Your Local History course starting in April 2010.

Volunteer role: New Neighbourhood Research Assistant
Type of work: Networking, administration, information and data gathering, promotional
Supervision: Creative Development Manager
Average weekly hours required: 7 hours, daytime
Minimum period of volunteering required: 3 months

Volunteer tasks description:

This volunteering opportunity will be involved working on a recently developed project that will enable the organisation to get to know its future new neighbourhood in a One Mile radius around the Mitchell Library. Tasks will include getting to know the whole Library team and their work, keeping accurate records, making contact with a very wide range of different groups, individuals and organisations and helping promote the Library’s work to a broad range of new potential partners, learners and service users.

Essential skills and qualities required:

• Confidence with computer programmes
• Database entry and management and web searching
• Confident and friendly telephone manner
• Confident and capable of working independently
• Eagerness to learn
• Willingness to adapt (GWL is a busy working environment with no dedicated reception staff, all staff currently share in tasks including welcoming learners, keeping the space tidy and answering the phone)

If you are interested in this Volunteer Post, please download and fill in the GWL Volunteer Application Form and send the completed form back to: Glasgow Women’s Library, 2nd Floor, 81 Parnie Street, Glasgow, G1 5RH.