Strand: Learning at GWL

Learning at GWL

Learning is at the heart of Glasgow Women’s Library’s work. We have created spaces and resources where people can discover information and learn in ways that are inspiring, thought-provoking and life-changing.

Responders of Colour

Responders of Colour is a creative project that looks at items from the GWL archive from the perspective of women and non-binary people of colour.

Equality in Progress: Research from a grassroots museum

GWL is a values-led feminist museum that rethinks the traditions of museum practice; and stands as a model of good practice with an innovative and proactive approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

The Equality in Progress project aims to support the wider museum sector to gain a better understanding of ‘equality’ as a theory, with the intention of widening access, representation and inclusion for people with Protected Characteristics.

This report responds to the need for analysis of the complex systems of intersectional inequality in museums. As a project we deconstructed the power relationships between museums and people, exposing the barriers to information, learning and resources; unpacking the methods that have established, and maintain, inequality of access to museums.

HOUSE WORK CASTLE MILK WOMAN HOUSE

HOUSE WORK CASTLE MILK WOMAN HOUSE is a research and art project, by Glasgow Women’s Library and Kate Davis, which looks at the Castlemilk Womanhouse project which began in 1990, the year that Glasgow became European City of Culture.

In Her Shoes – Hearing Women’s Experiences of Hate Crime

  In April 2016, Glasgow Women’s Library was awarded Scottish Government funding to deliver our In Her Shoes project. The aim of In Her Shoes was to produce innovative and […]

Illuminated Letters

Glasgow Women’s Library and the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow are inviting women across the world to write illuminated letters of love and honour to an inspirational woman. The […]

Seeing Things

Seeing Things is designed to give women the opportunity to explore cultural events across Glasgow, such as (but not limited to!) art, music, theatre or comedy, together with friendly and like-minded women. Since the start of 2014, the group has visited art and performance events in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Sex in the Women’s Library: The Film

Sex in the Women’s Library Sex Between the Covers: What is Sexology? Sex Between the Covers: Exhibited Items Sex Between The Covers: the publication What Women Talk About When They […]

What is Sexology?

Sex in the Women’s Library Sex Between the Covers: Exhibited Items Sex Between The Covers: the publication Sex in the Women’s Library: The Film What Women Talk About When They […]

What Women Talk About When They Talk About Sex

Sex in the Women’s Library Sex Between the Covers: What is Sexology? Sex Between the Covers: Exhibited Items Sex Between The Covers: the publication Sex in the Women’s Library: The […]

30 Years of Changing Minds

Glasgow Women’s Library is thrilled to be the recipient of a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a two year project to interpret, safeguard and share our own 30-year heritage, and enable us to ‘look back to move forward’.

Two Decades of Changing Minds

Glasgow Women’s Library has reached a significant milestone. This time last year, with two decades of amazing achievements to celebrate and our 21st birthday due in September 2012, we wanted […]

LGBTQ Collections Online Resource

Early Lesbian and Gay Publications Feminism and Lesbian Politics We Recruit!Campaigns and Organisations The Personal is PoliticalLesbian Life LGBTQ Life in Scotland Bibliography Welcome to our new online resource which […]

Decoding Inequality

Our Decoding Inequality project uses feminist object interpretation to generate meaningful discussion on issues of women’s structural inequality with our visitors and learners.

Equality in Progress

In GWL’s work with diverse communities over 25 years we have learnt about the spectrum of ways that structural, institutional and attitudinal inequalities impact women. GWL grew from a grassroots project into a Recognised Collection of National Significance in the Museum sector with inclusion, representation and access rooted in our values at the core of the organisation.

This project will produce a blueprint for equalities-led transformation in the museum sector by making explicit GWL’s participation framework, engaging ‘community critics’ and conducting large-scale research on equality, diversity and inclusion in Scottish Museums.

Speaking Out Learning Resource

The Speaking Out learning resource has been developed for use in secondary schools and by youth organisations in Scotland. Using material gathered as part of the Speaking Out oral history project, the resource aims to engage and develop discussions amongst young people on the connection between gender inequality and violence against women and girls, specifically, domestic abuse.

Young Critics

Young Critics was our project for young women, running 2014-2016. Young Critics was three small, diverse groups who came together at GWL to attend arts events, thoughtfully review and critique […]

English language classes

Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL) holds 2 levels of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes for women. 2021/2022 classes will include online learning as well as learning in the […]

Get help with reading, writing or numbers

Do you need help with words and numbers? Do you find it difficult to read? Are you wanting to progress in your career? Do you just want to improve your […]

Decoding Inequality: Online Exhibition

The objects in this exhibition have been chosen from the museum and archive collections of Glasgow Women’s Library. They were selected by staff and volunteers to reflect the nature of […]

Moving Mountains: Visioning Intersectional Feminist Leadership

Feminist Leadership is an under-researched area. In 2018/2019 GWL’s co-founder and Creative Development Manager Adele Patrick took time out to reflect, learn and develop new feminist intersectional approaches supported by Clore Leadership.

How to Access the Collections

The archive and museum collections at GWL are open to everyone. We ask people to arrange an appointment in advance if they wish to access material not currently on display.

Feminist Lines of Flight

In order to explore the question of how we have gone on, how we do go on now, and how we dream/ desire to go on in the future in response to a feminist heritage, this rich and expansive archive of texts, publications, audio/video, film-clips and images offers a range of starting points for feminist lines of flight in art and politics.

Sex in the Women’s Library

Our Sex in the Women’s Library programme, in partnership with the Wellcome Collection’s Institute of Sexology season, spotlighted items in the GWL’s diverse library, museum and archive collection which focus on the terrain of sex, sexual identity, feminism and power, and used these as a catalyst for discussions, screenings and performances.

Resources

From resources introducing elements of our collections, to reading lists and project reports, research and more.

Decoding Inequality Sector Report 2019

The Decoding Inequality project turns the analytical attention of our Equality in Progress project directly to GWL’s collections and interpretation. The Equality in Progress project has used theories of intersectional feminism to interrogate museums as institutions, with the aim of supporting practitioners to develop much better awareness of systems of inequality. The Decoding Inequality project builds on this work by conducting a process of feminist interpretation or ‘decoding’ of our collection.

Explore Our Collections

An accredited museum, lending library and archive, the Library holds a rich and diverse collection of books, artefacts and archives exemplifying the lives of women, charting their historical and contemporary achievements and contributions, all donated by users, supporters, members and publishers.