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Article: The women's library. (Frontline).
- Article from:
- History Today
- Article date:
- February 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 History Today Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ON FEBRUARY 4TH, THE WOMEN'S LIBRARY opens in an extraordinary new building in Aldgate East. Designed by Wright and Wright, it retains the facade of the old wash houses formerly occupying the site, a place where women gathered and worked. Behind, a startling contemporary building rises, constructed from brick, stone, copper and oak. In 1942, the Librarian of the Fawcett Library, Vera Douie, had written `Though at present only in its infancy, great things are expected of this little Library, which shows every promise of a very useful future'. Since 1977 the Library has had its home in a basement at London Guildhall University, hard to find, charming but cramped. Visitors ...