I have to admit, I am really excited about opening our Feminist Library at our new Women’s Centre in Crewe.
There is something rather special about books. They can educate us, challenge us, inspire us, transport us to another world, and, perhaps most importantly, they can start conversations.
I have always loved reading, although what I choose to read depends very much on where my head is at!
When I am away, I love a simple, easy-to-read book that allows me to switch off and escape for a while. There is something wonderful about getting lost in a story and forgetting about everything else for a few hours.
But when I am in “work mode”, my reading choices can be very different. I love reading books that educate and inform me, particularly around feminism, women’s rights, equality and the experiences of women and girls.
And over the years, books have genuinely influenced the work we do at Her-Place.
Ideas I have read about have sparked conversations, challenged my thinking and, on occasions, helped inspire services and projects within our charity. Sometimes a book gives you a completely new idea; sometimes it simply puts words around something you have already been thinking about.
Books can be the beginning of a conversation
One of the things I love most about reading is that talking about books really can be a conversation starter.
You can meet someone you have never spoken to before and ask, “What are you reading?”
Suddenly, you have something to talk about.
You might discover that you have completely different tastes. You might recommend a book to each other. You might disagree about a character, debate an idea or share a story about how a particular book made you feel.
And that is exactly what I want our Feminist Library to become.
A place where women can connect.
A place where conversations begin.
A place where ideas are shared.
A place where women can discover something new.
We know that reading can support wellbeing too. It can give us time to ourselves, help us switch off, encourage reflection and provide an opportunity to learn and explore ideas at our own pace.
Some books stay with you
I also love writing book reviews.
I think, if I am honest, I probably write them as much for my own benefit as anyone else’s!
Writing about a book makes me stop and think about what I have actually taken from it. What did I enjoy? What challenged me? What have I learned? And, perhaps most importantly, will this book stay with me?
Because some books really do.
There are books I have read over the years that I can still remember years later. Sometimes it is a particular character. Sometimes it is a sentence or an idea. Sometimes it is simply the feeling that the book left me with.
And I hope our library will help other women find those books too.
More than just a library
Our Feminist Library isn’t simply about borrowing books.
It is about creating another reason for women to come into our Women’s Centre.
It is about discovering something you might not normally pick up.
It is about sharing recommendations.
It is about sitting down with someone and having a conversation.
It is about learning more about women’s stories, women’s history, feminism and equality.
And it is about creating a space where women feel comfortable to ask questions, share ideas and have their voices heard.
Joining our library costs just £3, and members can borrow a book for a month.
And alongside the library, we are also going to be hosting a series of “Meet the Author” events.
Everyone has a story to tell
This is something I am particularly excited about.
I believe everyone has a story to tell.
We want to invite women who have written their stories to come and share them with us. Not just to talk about the book itself, but to explore where the ideas came from, what inspired them to write, what they discovered along the way, and perhaps even what their next story might be.
Because behind every book is a person.
And behind every person is a story.
I hope our Meet the Author events will give us the opportunity to hear some of those stories and, just as importantly, give women the chance to ask questions and start conversations.
So, as we get ready to open the doors to our Feminist Library, I am already thinking about which books I want to put on the shelves, which books I want to recommend and, of course, which books I haven’t read yet!
Come and join us, readers!
Whether you are a lifelong bookworm, someone who only picks up a book when they go on holiday, or someone who hasn’t read for years but would like to start again, there is a place for you in our Feminist Library.
Because sometimes a book is just a book.
And sometimes, a book can start a conversation, inspire an idea, change your perspective, or even change your life.