The Women's Library is the most extensive women's history collection in the UK. It is currently housed in a purpose-built building in East London, which campaigners fought hard to have built to home the collection in 2002. Over the past 10 years it has grown from strength-to-strength and now functions as a cultural centre hosting events, exhibitions, talks and provides local community groups and organisations a space to hire. Its staff have worked tirelessly to build and draw new audiences to the materials which have been gathered over the past 86 years and which continue to be. The building is vibrant and accessible, a cultural centre and a focal point for activism - it is truly the kind of home that women's history, so often forgotten about, deserves. However, this cultural centre is now under threat.
London Metropolitan University, the current custodians of the library, have decided that they can no longer run the collection, and have opened the bidding process for a new institution to take over the running of the library. However, they have not made the retention of its East London home an essential part of the selection criteria, and this means that the institution that takes over the running of the collection could move it to a much less accessible location, destroying all of the community links to the collection which have been built over the last 10 years. Staff at the library are clear that this is not what they want to happen, and is not what is best for the continuation of such an important collection.
The following is a list of bidders for the library, announced recently:
- Senate House, University of London (Christine Wise, Historic Collections and Head of Special Collections: christine.wise@london.ac.uk)
- Manchester City Council (libraries@manchester.gov.uk)
- London School of Economics, University of London (Elizabeth Chapman, Director of Library Services: e.chapman@lse.ac.uk )
- Warwick University (Robin Green, Librarian: robin.green@warwick.ac.uk )
- University of York (Stephen Town, Director of Information and University Librarian: stephen.town@york.ac.uk)
We're asking feminists, historians (and anyone else!) connected to these institutions – be you students, alumni or staff – to write to your head of library services to ask that they consider including the retention of the building as part of their bid. You can use the example letter below as a starting point, but personalised letters are best, so try to include your connection to the institution, and any personal comments that you might have. If you receive a response, please forward it to savetwl86@gmail.com.
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing with regards to your institution's bid to take over custodianship of The Women's Library collection.
The “Save The Women's Library” Campaign was initiated by staff, users and supporters of The Women's Library when it became clear that London Metropolitan University had made the decision to divest custodianship of the collection to another institution. The aims of the campaign have been as follows: to keep the collection intact; to retain its expert staff; and to remain in the dedicated building in East London where it has been housed since 2002. The campaign are delighted that a number of bids for the collection, including your own, mean that the collection is highly likely to remain in tact. However, we are very concerned that London Metropolitan University have not made the retention of the dedicated building an essential part of the bid.
The collection currently housed in a purpose-built building in East London, which campaigners fought hard to have built to home the collection in 2002. Over the past 10 years it has grown from strength-to-strength and now functions as a cultural centre hosting events, exhibitions, talks and provides local community groups and organisations a space to hire. Its staff have worked tirelessly to build and draw new audiences to the materials which have been gathered over the past 86 years and which continue to be. The building is vibrant and accessible, a cultural centre and a focal point for activism - it is truly the kind of home that women's history, so often forgotten about, deserves. In the run-up to a major suffrage anniversary in 2018, The Women’s Library should be looking to thrive, not just survive. Staying in its building, near its audiences, with its staff, offers a sound basis for doing this.
I am therefore writing to encourage you to consider the retention of the building as part of your institution's bid for the collection. I am sure that staff at the Library would be happy to speak with you personally about why they feel the retention of the building is so important.
I look forward to receiving your response.
I am writing with regards to your institution's bid to take over custodianship of The Women's Library collection.
The “Save The Women's Library” Campaign was initiated by staff, users and supporters of The Women's Library when it became clear that London Metropolitan University had made the decision to divest custodianship of the collection to another institution. The aims of the campaign have been as follows: to keep the collection intact; to retain its expert staff; and to remain in the dedicated building in East London where it has been housed since 2002. The campaign are delighted that a number of bids for the collection, including your own, mean that the collection is highly likely to remain in tact. However, we are very concerned that London Metropolitan University have not made the retention of the dedicated building an essential part of the bid.
The collection currently housed in a purpose-built building in East London, which campaigners fought hard to have built to home the collection in 2002. Over the past 10 years it has grown from strength-to-strength and now functions as a cultural centre hosting events, exhibitions, talks and provides local community groups and organisations a space to hire. Its staff have worked tirelessly to build and draw new audiences to the materials which have been gathered over the past 86 years and which continue to be. The building is vibrant and accessible, a cultural centre and a focal point for activism - it is truly the kind of home that women's history, so often forgotten about, deserves. In the run-up to a major suffrage anniversary in 2018, The Women’s Library should be looking to thrive, not just survive. Staying in its building, near its audiences, with its staff, offers a sound basis for doing this.
I am therefore writing to encourage you to consider the retention of the building as part of your institution's bid for the collection. I am sure that staff at the Library would be happy to speak with you personally about why they feel the retention of the building is so important.
I look forward to receiving your response.
Yours faithfully,
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