Further musings.
I am itching to write up the KnowHow materials for all interested parties on my return to Glasgow but some fragments are surfacing as I am sending my penultimate (or final, dependant on time) communique from Oaxaca.
I attended a fascinating academic session led by Clemente from UNAM (University of Mexico) on digital libraries. Of course, at all times I was reflecting on GWL and its (future) capacity. This was a truly enlightening insight into the possible virtual worlds that GWL could create but also led me to thinking about why there is no current ‘knowledge depositary ‘ for women’s info globally…
In a similar vein. I was struck by the benefits for sister projects internationally of having national networks. For women’s libraries in the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and the Nordic nations national networks serve a range of useful purposes not least of providing a forum for continuing the ‘bigger picture’ debates that characterised KnowHow in the four years between these large scale gatherings. Why is there no UK women’s Libary network? How could this advantage GWL, the Women’s Library, London, our Welsh sister org and other relevant archives and libraries?
Finally, I wanted to note that, although there are models galore of projects and ideas, structures and initiatives that we can reflect on and explore in in our own contexts, GWL has models and projects, ideas and initiatives that were of interest to others at KnowHow. It was striking that many of our sister projects had a wealth of human and material resources in comparison, and often many more years under their belts but we were pleased to be able to fully particpate in debates on most topics. I am excited to see what we will have achieved come KnowHow 4 in Korea.
Adios Adele
