On July 22, we proudly launched the first edition of ELENORacademy, our new format designed to foster exchange, reflection, and shared learning across European feminist archives and libraries. And what a start it was!
Two Archives, Two Stories, Endless Inspiration
We were thrilled to welcome two inspiring presenters:
🔹 Anna Pramstrahler (Biblioteca Italiana delle Donne, Bologna)
🔹 Solange Jaccard (Gosteli-Archiv, Worblaufen)
They each shared a hands-on practice from their institution — one bold, public, and festival-like; the other intimate, quiet, and weekly. Both equally powerful.
Flush Festival: When a Library Becomes a Feminist Celebration
Presented by Anna Pramstrahler
Imagine turning a historic feminist library into a three-day cultural festival – and having nearly 1,000 people show up. That’s exactly what Flush Festival in Bologna does. https://flushfestival.women.it/
Held every September in the cloister of the Biblioteca Italiana delle Donne, Flush is a festival of feminist and independent publishing, co-organized with local partners and full of life:
- A vibrant book fair with 20+ independent publishers
- Talks and panels with feminist thinkers and activists
- Workshops on publishing, media, and archives
- Guided tours through one of Europe’s largest feminist collections
- Experimental formats like bibliomancy – part literature, part magic
But it’s more than just a festival. Flush reclaims public space, amplifies feminist voices, and turns the library into a living, breathing space for collective memory and future-making.
“You show off the power of networking and build a lighthouse for feminist expression. Chapeau!”
Book Speed Dating: 15 Minutes to Rethink Everything
Presented by Solange Jaccard
Sometimes, the simplest practices are the most transformative.
At the Gosteli Archive https://www.gosteli-archiv.ch/, team members meet once a week for a tiny ritual with big impact:
Pick a random book from the library. Prepare for 15 minutes. Present it in 5. Discuss.
Sounds easy? It is. And it works.
This playful practice has helped the team rediscover forgotten titles, spark new ideas, and make space for curiosity, dialogue, and informal learning — all within their archive walls.
“It’s not about performance; it’s about opening a door. To new thoughts. To shared knowledge. To laughter.”
Want to try it with your team? You might be surprised by how far 15 minutes with a book can go.
What’s Next?
Thank you to Anna, Solange, and Karin for kicking off ELENORacademy with such depth and generosity. And thanks to all the ELENORs who joined us in this first round — whether in person or in spirit.
The next ELENORacademy is scheduled for October 14, 2025.
Warm greetings from Berlin,
Marius Zierold