National Library of Scotland
Black and white photos of Jackie Kay, Muriel Spark and Isabella Bird.
Photo of Muriel Spark 1957 courtesy of London Evening Standard.

In this presentation we will discuss literature and archives in the library that are inspired by the lives of women. The examples chosen are from our ‘Dear Library’ centenary exhibition which explores 100 years of library collections through the favourite works of our collaborators and readers.

It will last approximately one hour and includes a question-and-answer session at the end. This workshop will not be recorded but it is repeated regularly.

We will explore the work of a range of remarkable women including:

  • Isabella Bird (1831 to 1904), who travelled across the world and recorded and photographed her adventures.

  • Muriel Spark (1918 to 2006), who mined her own life experiences to create some of the greatest novels in the English language.

  • Jackie Kay (born 1961), was the third Makar, or National Poet for Scotland (2016 to 2021), and is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Salford.

As well as discussing works surrounding women’s history and their representation in literature. We will show you how to use the library's online resources that start your research and introduce you to our collections.

You may be interested in

Researching gender and sexuality

Workshop
17 September 2025, 3:00PM to 4:00PM
12 black and white photos of women playing characters in pantomimes in the latter half of the 19th century.

Navigating the maps website

Workshop
27 August 2025, 3:00PM to 4:00PM
A map of Scotland with a magnifying glass enlarging Inverness.

Creative writing: Me, mother, other

Workshop
1 September 2025, 10:00AM to 12:00PM
A woman holding a baby.