❕We will be closed Monday, 27 January for Australia Day Public Holiday!
City Library, Saturday March 8th, 10:30am
Join us in our celebration of International Women’s Day! The theme of 2025 is Accelerating Action and we have invited writers and researchers to speak on their experiences as women in the workforce.
Hosted by Shellharbour Libraries, this event features the phenomenal female writers and researchers accelerating action in and around our community.
Inviting Dr Sonia Henry (Put Your Feet in the Dirt, Girl, 2023), Rosemary Gattuso (Its Not You, Its Me, 2024), as well as Dr Emma Darragh and Dr Ellie Crookes speaking on their newest research project ‘Women’s Mission to Women: Women’s Rights Advocacy in the Illawarra (1970-2025).’
Engage with our panelists as they share the stories behind their written work and research, experiences in the workforce, and the journey to publication. Browse through the book displays, chat with the authors, and perhaps even purchase a signed copy of your next non-fiction piece!
About the Panelists:
Sonia Henry is a doctor and a writer. She has been published in The Australian, RM Williams Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, Kevin MD, Australian Medical Students Association Magazine, The ANZ Journal of Surgery and on a variety of other platforms. Her debut novel Going Under, a fictionalised account of her internship, was an Australian best seller. She is passionate about First Nations health and improving health equity to people who live in regional and remote parts of the country. She spends part of the year living and working as a GP in remote Australia.
Rosemary Gattuso is a dedicated professional in the field of alternate dispute resolution, specialising in family mediation and restorative justice practices. In her role as a family dispute resolution practitioner, she has guided numerous families through separation with a focus on respect and the well-being of children. Rosemary actively contributes to various Restorative Justice panels for government agencies.
With a commitment to a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach, Rosemary remains present with her clients as they navigate changes and challenges. Beyond her practice, she extends her impact as a facilitator, sharing valuable insights with mediators and mental health practitioners and promoting a strengths-based lens in their work.
Dr Emma Darragh and Dr Ellie Crookes were named the 2024/2025 recipients of the UOW Liz Hilton Memorial Fellowship and will begin their research project will bring to life the forgotten and long-buried voices of the Illawarra’s women’s rights activists.
In their project, ‘Women’s Mission to Women: Women’s Rights Advocacy in the Illawarra (1970-2025)’, Dr Darragh and Dr Crookes will explore the social and political movements, particularly around domestic violence, helmed by Illawarra’s women over the last five decades.
What should I know?
Free Event. Bookings are essential to secure your seat.
This event will go for 2 hours with a signing post event. Books will be available for purchase.
Who should attend?
Suitable for ages 16+
Enter email below and stay up to date with all things Shellharbour library!
Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with UOW on a range of Paint Shellharbour REaD initiatives. Paint Shellharbour REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD network, dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with The Man Walk to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local, social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library programs space.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Smith Family to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.
Shellharbour City Libraries have worked with QBD Shellharbour as the preferred bookseller at all of our Author Talk events.
Shellharbour City Libraries sponsors Project Bucephalus in their facilitation of the Shellharbour Robo Club. The club teaches youth to form robotics teams and particulate in the FIRST LEGO League tournament.
Shellharbour City Libraries collaborates with Paint the Gong REaD in conjunction with the Paint the Town REaD network. This partnership promotes early childhood literacy across the Illawarra through multiple reading events and activities.
Shellharbour City Libraries has partnered with NSW Health to facilitate Independent Living Skills sessions aimed at teaching foster children health and wellbeing skills, in collaboration with the William Campbell Foundation.
The Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra attends Warilla library to utilise the 2528 community room. This is used for exercise and light physio sessions with senior community members.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Living Connected to offer drop-in Tech Help sessions to our customers at Warilla, Albion Park and City Libraries. These short one-on-one sessions are designed to assist customers in their digital skills development.
Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Legal Aid NSW to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Kiama Community College to deliver Tech Savvy Seniors sessions at our libraries. Tech Savvy Seniors is a NSW Government and Telstra partnership coordinated by the State Library of NSW. The program aims to teach seniors digital skills and knowledge.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Junior Einsteins to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Judi Sandilands-Cincotta to bring Ollie and Shiko the therapy dogs to a range of children’s and youth programs. These programs aim to promote positive mental health and social connection.
Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Illawarra Legal Centre to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with HARS to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library program space.
Shellharbour City Libraries organises Sensory Experiences with Greenacres Disability Services at Warilla Library.
Shellharbour City Libraries and the Youth Services team partnered with Fitness Cartel Albion Park to deliver a Youth Fitness program at Warilla Library. This program engaged local youth and taught them about health, personal fitness, and respect.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Ed U Play to facilitate programs and activities that bring young people together. These programs support social and emotional wellbeing amongst youth. The libraries support the Girls Only Project which aims to provide young women with knowledge of and access to positive activities in their own communities. Ed U Play are funded by the Communities for Children Program.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Bunnings to deliver free monthly Craft Workshops at City Library. In these sessions, experts from Bunnings teach our customers a range of crafting skills. These workshops include, Kokedama Balls, Painting Art Canvas and much more!
For Library Lovers Day, Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Belladonna Book Club to produce a series of Book Review videos.
These reviews were released on the Libraries’ Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the Belladonna Book Club’s social media channels.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Barnardos to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Aruma Disability Services to deliver Library Links. Library Links is a program that aims to invite disability services groups into their local branches to utilise craft and puzzle kits as well as getting to know our collections. Aruma is the first group at the Warilla branch and comes monthly to utilise space, kits and collections with their joined organisation library card.
Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the William Campbell Foundation to deliver the Independent Living Skills Program. This program involves teaching foster children integral health and wellbeing skills and knowledge. Additionally, the City Library hosts WCF’s fortnightly Homework Club.
Every year, Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the Sydney Writers Festival to deliver author panel livestreams and local events as part of the festival’s Live and Local programming.
Shellharbour City Libraries leads Paint Shellharbour REaD, which is part of the Paint the Town REaD network. This initiative aims to promote early childhood literacy by connecting local early childhood education stakeholders and providers and collaborating with them to deliver reading events and activities.
Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Little Zaks Academy to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.
Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Big Fat Smile to deliver Transition to School programs to prepare pre-schoolers for their move into primary school. Big Fat Smile is also a part of the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative, which organises events that promote early childhood literacy.