Library Service Blog

International Women's Day 2024 - Inspire Inclusion

 International Women’s Day 2024 - Inspire Inclusion 

This year's campaign theme underscores the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. Inspire Inclusion encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalised communities.

Read more about this years theme here.

 About International Women’s Day 

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Each year, this day serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made towards gender equality and highlights the work that still needs to be done.

 Herstory - Influential Women and Their Stories Reading List 

"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." - Maya Angelou. 

Our dedicated reading list “Herstory - Influential Women and Their Stories” aims to highlight the numerous books, journals, essays, DVDs and much more that we have available within the Library that were created by or focus on self-identifying influential & inspiring women.

Explore the reading list here

 Liz Mossop - Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor 

Our vice-chancellor has chosen a couple of titles from the list and also shares her thoughts on one of Sheffield Hallam's inspirational women, Professor Heidi Probst.

The Good Ally: A Guided Anti-Racism Journey from Bystander to Changemaker by Nova Reid
"There’s an important point about ally being a verb not a noun – and this book is a great introduction on how to do this. It challenges you and makes you think about being truly anti-racist, in an active manner."
View this title in the reading list here.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
"It’s a classic which many of us read growing up – with strong identification with certain characters, although I’ve found this has changed as I have re-read or watched one of the films in later life! Definitely always worth a revisit."
View this title in the reading list here.

Professor Heidi Probst, Director of the Health Research Institute, Researcher and lecturer
"Heidi is such an inspiring colleague, her and her team are doing some incredible work to support women better during radiotherapy. So much medical care puts men first by default and these impressive women are breaking that rule and really transforming lives!"

In the New Year's Honours List 2024, Professor Heidi Probst was made an MBE for services to radiography. Following a 14-year career as a therapeutic radiographer in the NHS, Heidi moved into academia with more than 20 years' experience as a researcher and lecturer.
Read more here.

 About the library's Curated Reading Lists 

Here at Hallam Library, your librarians, have handcrafted a range of curated reading lists to help explore a range of political and social issues, or find genre fiction to help you unwind and take a break from academic studies – recreational reading with a little bit of dystopian fiction anyone?

Discover more here.

 BFI Player - Woman With A Movie Camera 

The BFI [British Film Institute] has a collection of films by female directors past and present titled Woman With A Movie Camera, accessible via the BFI Player for FREE when you register for an account.

Sign up for free here.

 Everyone everywhere can inspire inclusion 

Organisations, groups, and individuals worldwide can all play a part - in the community, at work, at home, and beyond.

To truly include women means to openly embrace their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and how they identify. Worldwide, women must be included in all fields of endeavour.