Strand: Reading & Writing

Reading & Writing

A world of women’s words, written, spoken, read and heard.

The Lending Library

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

Reading Ideas

Looking for something to read that’s a little bit different? Overwhelmed by rows of books and don’t know where to start? Then look no further – we’ve hand-picked books old […]

Bold Types

Be bold and submit your short stories and poems to our annual writing competition.

Readers of Colour

Readers of Colour is a thriving community of women and non-binary readers of colour who come together to read writing by women and non-binary writers of colour!

The Book Group

Glasgow Women’s Library Book Group is welcoming and inspiring, connecting women* who like reading with each other and to a host of amazing and surprising new reads.  The book group […]

Speaking Volumes

We’ve teamed up with My Bookcase for our project Speaking Volumes as part of Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts. Participant creatives at this year’s festival have been invited to […]

Women in the Landscape

Where you are, where you’ve been, where you grew up . . . how has it shaped who you are? How have you shaped the places you’ve been, where you’ve lived and passed through?

Seeking out and sharing women’s words, inspired and borne out of both rural and urban landscapes across Scotland and beyond, the Glasgow Women’s Library Women in the Landscape project aims to reveal, to celebrate and to preserve women’s stories, experiences and environmental heritage.

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.

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 […]

Book Picnic August 2024

Every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read at our Book Picnic. Here’s what we’ve been reading recently.

Story Cafe round up: Bad girls and lady detectives

Story Cafes with Donna Moore are always very popular and well-attended and this one was no exception so she needed very little introduction from Wendy who welcomed both regulars and […]

Bold Types: Scottish Women’s Creative Writing Competition 2024

Be bold and submit your short stories and poems to our annual writing competition. We’re following Book Week Scotland’s theme – HOPE. Feel free to interpret the theme in any way you like and we can’t wait to be enthralled by your entries!

Story Cafe round-up: Art Road Trip

Pauline gives a brilliant round-up of a very special Story Cafe this summer… This Story Cafe (8th August) was part of the National Gallery Road Art Road Trip, and there […]

Story Cafe round up: our Makar, Kathleen Jamie

Pauline reflects on a very special Story Cafe… There was an air of anticipation (and a full house) as we gathered for a visit from from the Makar, Kathleen Jamie. […]

Story Cafe round-up: Scottish Women’s Land Army

Pauline reflects on a fascinating Story Cafe, inspired by Dorothy’s family history…. Wendy welcomed everyone to this Story Cafe which was led by Dorothy who opened the session by explaining […]

Book Picnic: June 2024

Every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read recently at our Book Picnic. Here’s what we’ve been reading recently…

Reading the Stirling Castle

As a group of women of colour and non-binary people of colour who gather to read works by authors of the same background, Readers of Colour set out to discover what might happen when we gather to read aloud in a location that is framed or perceived as far far away from our own lives and histories. So, following an invitation from Historic Environment Scotland, we traveled to Stirling to find out what transformations might occur if we “read the castle”.

Story Cafe round up: working-class writers

What have we been reading and chatting about at Story Cafe? Pauline gives us the latest round up… It’s great to be back at Story Cafe again – my last […]

Book Picnic: May 2024

Every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read recently at our Book Picnic. Here’s what we’ve been reading recently: Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton Pauline recommended this […]

April Book Picnic Recommendations

On the first Wednesday of every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read recently at our Book Picnic: Other Women by Emma Flint Recommended by Elaine, who […]

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

March Book Picnic Recommendations

On the first Wednesday of every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read recently at our Book Picnic: Sambac Beneath Unlikely Skies by Heba Hayek CW: Eating […]

New fiction

Forbidden notebook by Alba de Cespedes Out running an errand Valeria Cossati gives in to a sudden impulse-she buys a shiny black notebook. She starts keeping a diary in secret, […]

Book Picnic: January 2024

Every month, GWL team members and volunteers share what we’ve read recently at our Book Picnic. Here’s what we’ve been reading over the festive break.

Story Cafe round up: radio pioneers

Pauline shares what we’ve been reading and chatting about at Story Cafe lately… Sometimes a Story Cafe idea stems from something Wendy or I have read. A few weeks ago […]

New Books

Yellowface – Rebecca F. Kuang Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody. When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her manuscript and publishes […]

Inspiration and Conversation at A Beacon of Hope: Libraries for the Future event

Our volunteer Fi reflects on our Libraries of the Future event, which included presentations from inspirational library friends, Book Bunk in Nairobi and Oodi Library in Helsinki, and a workshop […]

Story Cafe Round-up: Harlem Renaissance

What have we been reading and chatting about at Story Cafe? Pauline shares her thoughts.. Special thanks to Fi for all her wonderful research – it was such a memorable […]

Story Cafe Round up: Libraries Week!

Pauline reflects on our love of all things libraries… Story Cafe 28th September Wendy introduced our theme by saying that Libraries Week is an annual showcase and celebration of the […]

Crime Fiction Writers with Dr Noir: a Story Cafe with a difference!

Pauline gives us the lowdown on a very special Story Cafe…. To tie in with Donna-Lisa Healy’s fantastic Telling It Like It Is: Women Crime Writers Photographic Exhibition, we were […]

Open The Door – recommendations and reflections

I am back! Before I let you dive into the amazing recommendations to come, I would like to share some more insights into myself. I am hoping some of you […]

Story Cafe Special: Anne Pia

Pauline reflects on a fabulous afternoon with Dr Anne Pia, who read from and talked about her new poetry collection Dragons Wear Lipstick. Wendy welcomed everyone to Story Cafe and […]

Story Cafe round up: summertime

What have we been reading this month at Story Cafe? Pauline beautifully captures our sunny vibes…. Wendy chose a summer seaside theme for our July Story Cafe and although the […]