The History Girls

The Library’s growth is both strategic and yet still reassuringly organic. Intuition, tapping into (and on spectacular occasions appearing to anticipate and influence) the zeitgeist, working with the knowledge that grafting away at a particular coalface for years gives combined with bouts of sheer, glorious luck and happenstance all figure in the planning and development processes of the Lifelong Learning and Creative Development work I have the good fortune to be steering at GWL.

A new wash of creativity, imagination and energy has coalesced around Women’s History of late. Yes, Living Histories is a GWL Lifelong Learning theme but the synergy of over 60 women stating their interest with the minimum of publicity (a round robin email to women on the LLL database) generating boundless ideas pooling enthusiasm, skills, expertise expressing their hunger for action and activities has exceeded the aims of some bald planning exercise.

Mix with this the wealth of ideas and models of Women’s History in action gleaned in Mexico and I feel excited by the possibilities, rejuvenated and inspired. Since the first meeting of Women Make History a few weeks ago an uncanny cluster of connections and meetings and pathways to making ideas realities have opened up and I feel bouyed by goodwill and the great pleasures that come from working with women in all their vibrant and unpredictable diversity.

So three cheers to all of you who have stepped forward in recent days and weeks for this new adventure in the Glasgow Women’s Library’s life; from the Blue Guide veterans (and I mean that in the most respectful sense), the social history guardians, the students of slavery, the Soul Food historians, those who are lining up to give and record oral histories and all the other genuine lifelong learners that I am thrilled to be working with. Oh, and to those of us at GWL who are making this come alive whilst…in transit shall we say.

Thanks to Alison and Helen for rising to the occasion of maintaining yet more vital Library data as the Library disappears around them, to Wendy for offering her all whilst notching up her three hundredth box, to Anne Marie, a new recruit for her big stake in nurturing this new initiative, and to Sue for essential ferrying, documentation and general encouragement duties. Thanks to all the women who have participated so far – I love you all!

We are all makers of history without a doubt.

I am attaching a photo from meeting 1 (mainly I must say because Helen has just taught me how to do so and because Susan requested some more images a long, long time ago)… and also a photo of the ‘walls that have ears’ (mainly to satsify Sue’s gruesome fascination.