A lot has changed over the course of 2010. We’re in new premises, thankfully waterproof and, even in the past month’s cold weather, staying above freezing (we have Eddie in the Mitchell basement to thank for that). But the move to 15 Berkeley Street, into the old Anderston Library space at the Mitchell, was rather more abrupt than we had ever planned, and we’re not yet in the purpose-built home we’ve been working towards since moving out of 109 Trongate in 2006.

That space is now a part of the 103 Trongate visual arts complex, and 81 Parnie Street is due to be renovated by Wasps Studios. Our intention, ever since the 103 Trongate development was announced and we were kindly offered the Anderston space by the Mitchell Library management, was to do the same with this space. We – Sue in particular, as our Strategic Development Manager – have been working with Gareth Hoskins Architects to undertake feasibility studies and Stage D planning for the renovation of the Anderston Library space. The plans included raising the ceiling and adding a mezzanine, essentially increasing the floorspace by 50%, and opening up the back of the space to build a glass-fronted office space. They also looked at crucial accessibility issues, and included lift access to the main floor and the mezzanine, as well as a disabled toilet. There was also space for a small kitchen area – just as crucial to the Library, as anyone who’s spent time with us can tell you: we and our learners and visitors all need our tea!

As the planning progressed, Sue and Adele, supported by the GWL staff and volunteer team, have worked incredibly hard to raise the funds for this renovation. As a result, we’ve raised money with grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (for the archive space and, of course, Hannah the Archivist), from the Robertson Trust, the Third Sector Fund and more.

We’ve also raised funds from you, our supporters, with the Women on the Shelf initiative as well as one-off fundraisers like our ‘Auction of Pleasures’ and the recent GWL Winter Raffle. This support has been even more gratifying than the major grants, because it confirms that the Library is as important to you as it is to us, and shows us that our ambitions for the future of the Library are built on solid foundations.

But the simple fact is that this a very difficult time to be raising money. The financial crisis – crises – of the past few years, combined with the subsequent political backlash and the way in which the current Government has chosen to respond, has left the public and voluntary sector across the country under pressure. The perception is that belts must be tightened, costs cut, regardless of how this impacts on those who are most vulnerable. For an organisation like the Library, which has never been easy to pigeonhole, it is all too easy to find oneself on the wrong lists when it comes to fundraising.

It is ironic, then, that the Library has continued to build its services and reach out to more and more women, both in Glasgow and across Scotland. It could have been possible, over the past year, for us to get bogged down in crisis after crisis, whether bailing out water from our office, or scrambling to prepare for a move into a space that even the most optimistic of us would struggle to describe as ‘fit for purpose’. There have been times when it’s felt like all we have done is fight fire after fire (thankfully, never literally). But looking back over 2010, it’s clear that we are better than that.

Despite the frequent hiatus – through flood, flitting and frost – our learning programs continue to grow. From the immensely popular launch of Jackie Kay’s Red Dust Road to the many women accessing our literacy project, from the women’s history workshops held in Wigtown, Inverness and Dundee, to the oral history project working with older migrant women in Pollokshields, to the young girls combining creative writing and all-action assault course trips in Glenburn – the Library is reaching more women than ever. We continue to work in partnership with national and local organisations, universities, colleges and community centres across Glasgow and Scotland, bringing both our experience and our aspirations for women in all walks of life.

And with the move to 15 Berkeley Street, our collection is starting to come out of the boxes we’ve had in stacks 5 high since 2006. Wendy the Librarian has been readying the shelves, and we hope to start lending books very soon. Meanwhile, Hannah has been opening up the archive for more and more researchers, turning the taped up boxes into a living, working archive once more. The collections team has grown, with more volunteers being trained, joining the volunteers who help us on the reception ‘front line’ as well as those who tutor with the ALN project. And our newly visible location in the Mitchell Library building has shown a marked increase in the number of people entering our doors – many of whom have never found GWL before (and if you haven’t yet, do come and visit us at 15 Berkeley Street!).

At the same time, it’s frustrating to still have two thirds of our collection in storage in the basement of Hillhead Library, and to have no proper disabled access (not to mention no toilet!). We know that it’s frustrating for you, as well, and we’re still working, both as an organisation and with our colleagues in Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council, to improve the situation.

It could be tempting to batten down the hatches, to cut back on what we do, to stick to the safe paths and projects, keep our collection in boxes and never venture out of Glasgow. But it’s not in our nature to do so, and would go against the guiding principles we work by.

Glasgow Women’s Library will be 20 this year: since 1991 we have been both a voice for Scotland’s women and a place where thousands of women have found their own voice. From a wholly voluntary organisation we have grown into a 12-strong staff team, supported by many more volunteers. Our collection has grown, too: what once fit in a Garnethill shopfront now fills more than 500 metre-long boxes. The range and scope of our learning opportunities has expanded, but at their core the same principles can be found.

The Library is a home for women’s histories and, we believe, their futures. The Library is words, written and spoken, recorded and remembered. It is tangible objects that illuminate history, like the umbrella stand painted by imprisoned suffragettes, and it is the intangible ripple effect of empowering women to take control of their own lives. The Library is not easily contained, despite the constraints that have been placed on women’s voices over the years.

We don’t know what 2011 holds for us. Rather than making resolutions in the New Year, we will simply say: We are resolved. We know that it won’t be easy, but we are working towards a fully sustainable future for the Library, and for Scotland’s women.

Best laid schemes...

Empty library

State of the art security

Glad to be finished unpacking

Thank you so much to all the volunteers who are helping us with this sweaty, dusty, vital work, we couldn’t do it without you!

The questions we are currently asking ourselves are what exactly is a pleasure, and how does one go about auctioning one? At the auction in 1990 you could bid for a footwashing ceremony, handmade Belgian chocolates, or you could get your head shaved by a sculptor! Over the next few weeks we will be assembling our own delectable list of delights. If you are as excited as I am about keeping up to date with how preparations are going for the event, or you would like to let us know what pleasure you would like to see at an Auction of Pleasures, keep checking in with the blog…

In the meantime remember that if you are resting on your laurels you are wearing them in the wrong place!

The office had to be re-wired, but by the end of last Wednesday we were able to have de-humidifiers and heaters running in the office to speed up the drying process. The lights were fixed yesterday, and we’re hoping that today will be that last day that we’ll have the de-humidifiers running, and we’ll be able to get back into the office tomorrow.

Of course, even though our office has been out of action, we haven’t! The ESOL classes weren’t able to run last week, but have now started up again. Some staff worked from home or had outreach work and meetings outside the library, while the rest of us alternated between working in the GWL kitchen (keeping an eye on the dehumidifiers) and pigbacking on our neighbours wifi over at 103 Trongate – many thanks to GMAC for the loan of a spare room and their wifi last week, and to KOG cafe for wifi last Tuesday.

Our thanks to Helen, Chris et al from Wasps, who helped with mitigating some of the worst of the flooding in the building. And thanks to the GCC joiner and electricians who’ve been working to ensure our office is safe for us to go back to.

Many thanks also to all of you who have offered kind words and support, by phone and email, and here on the blog.

Many of you have been asking the ever present question – when are we moving to the Mitchell? I’m sure that it’s as frustrating to you as to all of us on the Library team, knowing that we’re so close to moving to new premises, but still being stuck in a cold and occasionally sodden temporary space here in Parnie Street. The simple answer is that as soon as we have raised the funds, we will be able to start work on renovating our future home in the Mitchell Library. Although we have raised some of the capital funds, with grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Robertson Trust and the Scottish Arts Council, we still have a long way to go.

Large grants and funds are, of course, a part of this, but your support is just as important. The Women on the Shelf initiative is a crucial part of our effort to raise money for the move, and allows you to be a real part of the future Women’s Library. By sponsoring a shelf, book or section in the new Women’s Library, you’re ensuring that the Library collection and archive will have a secure, custom-built (dry!) home where it is fully accessible.

Updated Friday 31st July: Voting has now closed. Our congratulations to the winning charity, No Strings Attached Scotland, and many, many thanks to all those who supported us. Don’t forget there are many other ways you can support the Library as we raise funds for our move to the Mitchell!

You can help the Library become this year’s Glasgow ‘Twestival’ Local Charity and help us raise funds for our move to the Mitchell Library. Vote now to nominate Glasgow Women’s Library for the Glasgow Twestival in September!

The Twestival movement is a world-wide phenomenon inspired by the social networking site Twitter but built from grassroots across the globe. Like-minded ‘tweeps‘ come together for an evening of music (and prizes!), and raise money for charity. The last series of Twestivals raised money for Charity: Water, and for the upcoming Twestivals the focus has changed to local charities. The Glasgow Twestival will take place on September 10th, and they’re looking for a Glasgow-based charity to support.

The charity is being chosen by open vote, and we’d like your help in nominating GWL. You can vote for the Library here! Voting is open until midday on Friday, 31st July.

Don’t forget: You can follow the GWL Kettle on Twitter here.

I’m Loraine and I’m the new volunteer at the Library. I’m the New Neighbourhood Research Assistant and for the next wee while I’ll be involved in working on a recently developed project that will enable the organisation to get to know its future neighbourhood in a One Mile radius around the Mitchell Library. This will involve making contact with a wide range of different groups, individuals and organisations and helping promote the Library’s work to a broad range of new potential partners, learners and service users.

I’d been to quite a lot of events and classes at the library before and found it to be a really friendly and nurturing environment. I applied for this post as I wanted to gain more experience working for a women’s organisation, but mostly because I wanted an excuse to spend more time around the Library.

I look forward to seeing you around the library soon.

You can phone in a donation and we’ll take your details – 0141 552 8345 OR You can write and send a cheque made payable to ‘Glasgow Women’s Library’ OR You can make a donation online at https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/donation.asp?ref=155735 or through the Library’s website at http://www.womenslibrary.org.uk/news/womens10k.html Just follow the link. This is facilitated by Charity Choice and is safe, secure and quick.

No amount is too little or too large. We need every penny to count towards the £800,000 needed for the refurbishment of our new premises at the Mitchell Library.

For our elevenses treat, Kay has bought us all Pastel de Nata (Portuguese Tarts) as a reward so we are off to put the kettle on.

Imagine where we’ll be this time next year. Still here, I imagine, BUT with daily visits to our Mitchell space donning hard hats to check on the progress of our building work. Wonder if it’ll be an all-women building site, Irn Bru bottles and empty Yorkie wrappers placed in neat piles. Bliss.