women in london

2008, like many years in the history of The Feminist Library, was full of ups and downs, and it looks like 2009 will be no different. We are still looking for a new home for the library. Our current home in Southwark, where we’ve been for over twenty years, is cramped, damp and increasingly expensive, and our time there is quickly running out.

The aim of the trustees and management committee of the Feminist Library has always been for the library to remain as an autonomous whole; however, it is looking increasingly unlikely that we will be able to achieve that, despite investigating many options over the past few years. The Feminist Library collection is massive and has been painstakingly collected over 32 years by many volunteers. The material has been donated by feminist writers, academics and activists, and much of it is unique. It is therefore extremely important that this material is not lost forever. The condition of the building that houses the library is not at all suited for storing such precious and historically important material. We are afraid that if we do not act now, the unsuitable conditions will destroy the more fragile material.

Because we think it is crucial that the work of so many feminists be preserved for future generations, even if this means splitting the Feminist Library collection, we are currently in negotiation with an institution in London to house the entire pamphlet collection. It is a well-established library and archive which is already home to much radical material. They have the facilities and expertise to care for and preserve our precious pamphlet collection and will be able to make it available for everybody to view and use. Within this institution it will remain as an autonomous whole and will forever be “The Feminist Library Pamphlet Collection”.

This is not a decision that we have taken lightly, however we do think that in the long run it is the right decision. Nothing has been finalised as yet, and we will inform the feminist and wider community when we have more information.

Before any material is handed over, it will be fully integrated into the digital catalogue that we are currently working on for the whole Feminist Library. When this is completed, anyone will be able to see what the Feminist Library collection consists of, and where it can be found.

The future of the rest of the collection is still uncertain, but we are working hard to find a new home for everything.

Until then we are open every Saturday from 11 til 4:45, and at other times by appointment, so please do come down and catch us all in one place while you can. We also welcome more volunteers to help us with the cataloguing, fundraising, and all the other tasks connected with the collection.

Report published in the latest issue of the Feminist Library Newsletter – March 2009. Contact admin@feministlibrary.co.uk for copies of the newsletter and / or details on how you can get involved or support the Library.