| Event type: | Meeting |
| Date: | 19th June 2025 |
| Time: | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
| Venue: | St Columba's Church Hall |
Andrea Russell told us how her lifelong love of books and Libraries led to her role as Warden of Gladstone's Library in Hawarden.
Have you ever looked back on your life and told its story through the lens of Libraries, and the books you have read? When Andrea Russell applied to be the Warden of Gladstone’s Library, that’s exactly what she did. 106 members listened in fascination as Andrea led us through her history and that of Gladstone's Library.
In her own words: "As I sat wondering how to apply for such a unique role, I began to ask myself why I wanted to be connected with this historical community – and I realised that since an early age not only books, but Libraries have played a significant part in my life. And so I began to colour in that outline, tracing my life through the Libraries I had been part of and the books I had read there - telling the story of my life, interwoven with the story of these buildings that are nothing less than gateways to other worlds, treasure houses of facts and opinions and places of challenge and comfort. It formed the basis of my application and led me to be appointed as the 14th Warden and the first woman to hold this position".
Beginning in a coal mining village in NE Derbyshire and ending at Gladstone’s Library, Andrea will follow her steps through London, Nottingham, Birmingham and Oxford; a career in Law, motherhood, back to university, ordination and emerging as a theologian. And now of course there is a new chapter - for Andrea's story and the story of this unique Library have become entwined and as part of the talk she will share her hopes for the future of the Library – offering a space where conversation can take place, so that stories can be told and heard.