Save the Feminist Library. Trade Union solidarity needed
The Feminist Library is at risk of eviction and is asking the Trade Union movement to recognise the importance of the Feminist Library and support its campaign to find a permanent and secure home to house this unique resource and community space, currently at risk of being lost forever.
March is Women’s History Month and 8th March is International Women’s Day.
Show your support for Women’s History and the feminist struggle for full gender equality by asking your trade union branch to support the below motion.
Sample Trade Union Motion
The Feminist Library is the UKs pre-eminent collection of Women’s Liberation Movement and feminist literature with an incomparable collection of over 7,000 books, 1500 periodical titles from around the world, archives of feminist individuals and organisations, pamphlets, papers, posters, and ephemera.
Based in London and run by a collective of volunteers, the Feminist Library has been supporting feminist research, activist and community projects since 1975. For over 40 years, the Feminist Library has provided a space for people to learn, educate and organise around feminist issues.
Recent years have seen over an unprecedented attack on public space and amenities and library campaigners predict over 1,000 libraries will have been closed by 2016*. The future of the Feminist Library is also under threat as we are facing unsustainable increases in our rent.
Our landlord, Southwark Council, has recently told the Feminist Library that a further £18,000 rent must be paid on top of the £12,000 annual service charge already paid, otherwise the Feminist Library must vacate the premises occupied since 1984. This brings the proposed total total rent to be paid to £30,000 per year. The Feminist Library as a volunteer-led, practically unfunded, feminist organisation cannot afford this rent increase proposed by Southwark Council and may be forced to close.
In response the Feminist Library has launched a petition and at the time of writing have over 13,500 signatures, all demanding that Southwark Council withdraw the threat of eviction and work with us to protect the much-loved, well-used and internationally acclaimed Feminist Library.
There has been much national and international media coverage of our situation:
The Guardian, The Feminist Library faces eviction after rent hike
Londonist, London’s Feminist Library Faces Closure
Time Out London, The Feminist Library could be evicted after 30 years
The Independent, UK’s leading feminist library facing closure after council says it can no longer afford to subsidise its rent
Morning Star, Is this the end for the Feminist Library? Not if we can help it!
SheKnows, Petition launched to save London’s Feminist Library
The Evening Standard, London’s Feminist Library faces eviction in rent hike row
The Telegraph, Feminist Library facing eviction on first day of Women’s History Month
The Feminist Library collective are asking the Trade Union movement to recognise the importance of the Feminist Library and support it in its campaign to find a permanent and secure home to house this unique resource and community space, currently at risk of being lost forever.
March is Women’s History Month and 8th March is International Women’s Day. Show your support for Women’s History and the feminist struggle for full gender equality by asking your trade union branch to support the following motion.
The Feminist Library is facing a serious funding crisis and potential eviction and this Trade Union branch:
• passes this motion of support for the Feminist Library
• agrees to sign the 38degrees petition to save the Feminist Library from eviction, available at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-feminist-library-from-eviction
• will publicise the Feminist Library to branch members, the work they do and events they run and ask members to also sign the Save the Feminist Library from Eviction petition.
• help secure the future of the Feminist Library by making a financial donation to the Feminist Library emergency fund
If you have any questions, suggestions, or want to discuss further, please get in touch.
5 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7XW
020 7261 0879
admin@feministlibrary.co.uk
*http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/12/library-campaigners-1000-closures-2016