GALAWA acquired the Lespar Library in 2003. It had been a private collection maintained for public use, and operated from Karin Hoffmann’s (1941-) Darlington property, on the outskirts of Perth, for fifteen years.
Born in Wartburg Germany in 1941, Karin Hoffmann developed her views on feminism while living in Paris, before moving to Perth in 1974. In 1975 she joined the Women's Centre Action Group and Women's Electoral Lobby intending to "do what was useful" to enhance the status of women in society. In 1977 she spent her own money on creating a feminist and, although nobody used that word at the time, ‘lesbian’ lending library.
The collection includes over 3,000, many out of print and hard to find books; the largest collection of lesbian novels in Australia, an extensive collection of journals, pamphlets, and magazines from international, national and state sources and the complete recordings of ‘Out of the Gilded Cage’ -Women’s Liberation Radio shows. It significantly holds lesbian magazines and periodicals produced in WA (from the 70’s, 80’s and early 1990’s) and diverse ephemera connected to events and protests.
Source: Westpride Archives Significance Assessment, Jo Darbyshire 26/06/2024
