Stained Glass Library Trail Nominated for Community Champion Award
A trail of stained glass windows depicting some of Glasgow’s significant historical figures has been nominated for the Glasgow Times Community Champion Award under the North East category. The beautiful stained glass compositions have been created by artist Keira McLean and have been specially made for libraries across Glasgow. Keep reading to find out more about the projects and how they strengthen the connection between the library, the social history of Glasgow, youth groups and communities. Click here to vote for the project to win the Community Champion Award 2024!
In highlighting these important figures in Scottish social history, the project has bridged across the library communities as Keira worked with different community groups in the creation of each of the pieces. A window of socialist Campaigner John McLean was created for the centenary of his death and this is located in Pollokshaws Library, near where the revolutionary had been born in 1879. The window features the very strong message of “Your ambition must be to use your knowledge for the benefit of others,” which is such a strong message especially for the library and information community who do this on a daily basis.
Window depicting John McLean in Pollokshaws Library.
Keira told the Glasgow Times that,
“There are so many forgotten histories of people who made a real difference to the city, and the trail is a fantastic way to bring those stories alive… Glass is a great material for telling stories, you can paint, stain, etch and mould it. All the layers of history you can put into it – it is very exciting.”
“Much of my work is restoring damaged or neglected windows,” she explained, “but the library project feels like a step beyond, restoring the neglected histories of communities often marginalised or dismissed.”
Those familiar with Glasgow Suffragette lore may know the name Jessie Soga, the only documented woman of colour in the Scottish Suffragette movement, although no photographs of her exist. McLean has created a suffragette window for Woodside Library which celebrates the legacy of Soga, the co-founder of the Women’s Freedom League Hillhead, and Helen Crawford, a Govan-born suffragette who had been responsible for the successful rent strikes in 1915. Again the grassroots of this project are underlined by the involvement of young people from the SiMY community youth development project in Townhead. Glasgow Special Collections Librarian, founder of the project Protests and Suffragettes, and CILIPS Member, Clare Thompson was also involved in the process of researching the women as part of the project. Of course this combination of librarianship, youth community voice, and a talented artists resulted in an incredibly beautiful and poignant creation which library visitors will enjoy for many years to come.
Suffragette window in Woodside Library showing Jessie Soga and Helen Crawford.
Those involved in the creation of the Govanhill artwork included young people with additional support needs from Hollybrook Academy, Govanhill Youth Project and Larkfield Centre’s art group. The groups wanted the image to appear like graffiti on a brick wall, scattered with inspirational words and quotes about their future and community too. Although there are no historical figures included in this window, it will act for future generations as a message from communities of the past, creating history in its own way. Again, library users will benefit from this artwork for many years!
Window from Govanhill Library
Window from Govanhill Library
Window from Govanhill Library
Don’t forget to support this project to become Community Champion of the Year, in the North East Category!