The Lending Library

Spend some time browsing our bookshelves and you’ll be amazed by what you find. We are home to ‘hard to find anywhere else’ books by, for and about women.

From pioneering artists, explorers and political activists to fiction and poetry from Scotland and all around the world, our lending library will have something to spark your curiosity. Alongside well-known feminist classics such as Judtih Butler’s Gender Trouble you’ll find books on the Suffragettes, lesbian history, religion, spirituality, film, art, photography… the list goes on!

We have a wonderful selection of biographies of well-known and unsung heroines which highlight the incredible achievements of women throughout history.

Browse our online catalogue or pop into the library and browse our shelves: you can borrow books for free by joining the Library.

Not sure where to start? Take a look at our Reading Ideas, and see what Library staff, volunteers and borrowers are recommending.

Help us grow our collection

All of our books have been donated by our library users and supporters. Find out more about how to donate books to the library.

Using the Lending Library

We have hundreds of wonderful books written by and about women, from feminist classics, to new publications, to books that are hard to find anywhere else. Anyone of any gender can use our Lending Library – it’s easy and completely free!

If you already have an idea of what you’re looking for, you might want to start by checking our online catalogue before you visit. You can search the catalogue for specific titles and authors, or for more general topics and key words.

Or, you’re welcome to come along and browse in person. The Library uses our own feminist cataloguing system. There are maps that explain the different sections of the Library and you can also ask staff or volunteers at the Front Desk to help you to find what you’re looking for.

Once you’ve found something you’re interested in, you can either find a comfy spot to read in our building or, if the book isn’t marked with a yellow ‘Reference Only’ sticker, you can become a Library Member and take it home with you.

To become a member, all you need to do is complete a form at the Front Desk. You won’t need any ID and you’ll be able to start taking books out right away! Your Library Card will allow you to borrow up to eight books at a time. You will have two weeks to read non-fiction books and four weeks for fiction, although you can renew books and we never charge late fees. Since all of our books are donated and we have no budget for new books, please value and respect us by returning borrowed books. Happy reading!