Doors Open Days 2024

We are delighted to be throwing open our doors for Doors Open Day 2024.

Visit our beautiful Category B-listed Carnegie Library in Bridgeton, home to Glasgow Women’s Library since 2013. We’re an archive, museum and library dedicated to women’s lives, histories and achievements.

We’re working towards reaching operational net zero by 2030, guided by our Net Zero Handbook from Dress for the Weather Architects. This phased plan includes insulating the building, and eventually installing renewables. This year we’re embarking on the first steps of insulating the building – come and join us for a building tour focusing on the upcoming works and our practical plans to reduce our carbon footprint! Building tours will take place at 11am & 3pm on Friday 20th and 1pm & 3pm on Saturday 21st, no booking required.

As part of Doors Open Day 2024, Glasgow Women’s Library invites you to explore the rich tapestry of stories that make up our community with our special exhibition, ‘She Settles in the Shields’. Aligned with this year’s theme, “We’re All Here: Diversity and Diaspora”, the exhibition highlights the lives of migrant women who made Pollokshields their home between the 1950s and 1980s.

Told in their own words, these women share compelling narratives of hope, isolation, warm welcomes, cold weather, racism, and their journey towards acceptance and integration. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to delve into the personal histories that have shaped the vibrant, multicultural fabric of Glasgow. 

In addition, the exhibition will feature ‘She Settles in the Shields Sequel,’ which focuses on the intergenerational experiences of the 2nd and 3rd generation migrant women. This sequel showcases their contributions to the area and explores how their identities continue to evolve in the context of their rich heritage.

Visit us and:

• Learn more about our Net Zero Project and find out more about our ongoing work towards building a sustainable, green future.
• Join us for a building tour focusing on these upcoming works and our practical plans to reduce our carbon footprint. Building tours take place at 11am & 3pm on Friday 20th and 1pm & 3pm on Saturday 21st, no booking required.
• Embark on a self-led tour of our beautiful building and find out more about its history and current uses.
• Explore the special exhibition ‘She Settles in the Shields’ – only on during Doors Open Days Festival.
• Colouring in and activity sheets
• Pick up a copy of our newly launched Autumn Programme and find out more about what we have in store over the coming months.
• Pick up one of our Women’s Heritage Trail maps including the East End Heritage Trail Map and embark on a self-led tour of discovery focusing on some of the achievements and struggles of the resourceful and industrious women of Bridgeton and Calton, and explore the radical nature of the area which gave birth to them. You can also download a digital map here.
• Visit our main exhibition, Kate Downie: Conversations with Joan
• Drop-in to our Open Archive: Pamphlet Power to explore the an unparalleled and unique resource of women’s history, movements and lives. Between 1pm & 3pm.
• Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.

Find out more here.

Accessibility

The Library is wheelchair accessible, with lifts to the first floor and the mezzanine and archive.

An induction loop is available for events – please let a member of staff know if you require this.

We have disabled toilets on the ground and first floors, and all the Glasgow Women’s Library bathrooms are individual closed stalls and are gender neutral.

If you need help accessing the library, or would like more information about access, please contact us and we will be very happy to offer you assistance.

We have created this Visual and Sensory Guide to help visitors understand how to get to and around Glasgow Women’s Library. You can download a PDF version of the guide here. Hard copies are available on request from the reception desk.

You can listen to an audio descriptive introduction to GWL, produced by VocalEyes, below. This recorded guide highlights GWL’s achievements, detail how to access our resources, outlines our provision for blind and partially sighted visitors, and includes descriptions of the architecture and layout of our building in Bridgeton.

Booking

Part of the Doors Open Days Festival and booking is not required. Simply drop in to see us anytime between 10am & 4.30pm on Friday 20th September and between 12noon & 4pm on Saturday 21st September