Kirsten MacQuarrie is Sector Development Manager at CILIP Scotland, developing CPD opportunities and advocating for over 1000 members across Scotland and beyond. In November 2021, Kirsten founded Winspiration, CILIP Scotland’s ongoing programme of feminist events, interventions and provocations for library professionals. Amongst other achievements, Winspiration has highlighted the hidden herstories of iconic LIS women like decolonising cataloguer Dorothy Porter and, through the #NotOurJob campaign, made CILIPS the first professional association in Europe to take a public stand against sexual harassment in libraries. Kirsten was honoured to appear on the CILIP125 list, which marked the 125th anniversary of CILIP's Royal Charter by highlighting a new generation of librarians, information and knowledge management professionals who drive positive change, make a difference and have an impact across all sectors. She is an author and a chartered librarian whose debut novel Remember the Rowan (Ringwood, 2024) was a finalist for The People's Book Prize and is currently longlisted for The Highland Book Prize. Kirsten's writing has been published by New Writing Scotland, the Scottish Poetry Library, Gutter Magazine, Scottish PEN, the Women's History Network and others, and she has been shortlisted for a Vogue Magazine Young Talent Award, selected as an Editor's Choice for the John Byrne Award and twice winner of the Glasgow Women's Library Poetry Prize.

• Foreword – Amina Shah, National Librarian of ScotlandChapter One: Saints and Stereotypes: Of men, lions, and holy women in the library world - Jennifer HoranChapter Two: Turning the Page on Cliché: Uncovering female borrowing patterns in the Books and Borrowing database - Dr Cleo O’Callaghan YeomanChapter Three: Glasgow Girls: Following in our foremothers’ footsteps at the Mitchell Library - Clare ThompsonChapter Four: Notes from a New Professional I: History Her Story - Leah HigginsChapter Five: Dear Reader: Taylor Swift and the joy of legal deposit - Dr Sarah MackayChapter Six: Going With and Against the Flow: Menstrual literacy in bloody brilliant libraries - Kirsten MacQuarrieChapter Seven: A Day in the Life of a Feminist Librarian - Silvia SpaltroChapter Eight: Safe and Seen in the School Library: Attachment theory, feminist practice and giving girls what they need to thrive - Pamela McLeanChapter Nine: Child-led, Librarian-held: Early empowerment of tomorrow’s young women through the serious work of play - Francesca Boyd-ThorpeChapter Ten: Called to Challenge: How libraries can catalyse women’s creativity - Jemima Frankel and Joy McLeanChapter Eleven: Ms Information: intentionally inclusive practices in a feminist library partnership - Gill RyanChapter Twelve: A Five-Part Feminist Feature: Glasgow Women’s Library - Dr Adele Patrick, Wendy Kirk, Donna Moore, Gabrielle Macbeth and Caroline GausdenChapter Thirteen: More Than One Way to be a Man: A Call to Action for Colleagues - Sean McNamara and Kavan P. StaffordChapter Fourteen: Lighting Up Lives: A Feminist Librarian’s Response to Toxic Masculinity - Anaïs CayzacChapter Fifteen: World-Changing Work: Planting the seeds eco-feminism needs to flourish in libraries - Kirsten MacQuarrieChapter Sixteen: Razzle-dazzle ’em! Why ethical AI can’t be left to the tech bros - Dr Emily MunroChapter Seventeen: Notes from a New Professional II: Interviews on Imposter Syndrome - Leah HigginsChapter Eighteen: Beyond the Small Print: finding the words, losing the preface - Amanda WrightConclusion

There is a paucity of writing about women in libraries. Kirsten’s book goes to the heart of our values and to the feminist ethics of care. It explores our herstory and speaks to why we do what we do, debunking stereotypes and questioning the visibility and perceived worth of women as librarians and as library users, as donors and as authors. This is a bold book, shouting for recognition of all that women bring to our wonderful profession and to the challenges we still face, while advocating for a radically transformed future.