BORGARBÓKASAFNIÐ
To mark Women’s Year 2025, Reykjavík City Library and the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association created a literary walk. Auður Anna Magnúsdóttir, Executive Director of the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association, and Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir, Specialist at Reykjavík City Library, developed a flexible literary walk that can be undertaken almost anywhere.
The walk is based on selecting a number of key locations commonly found in most towns or neighbourhoods, such as a preschool, swimming pool, library, public artwork, or a beautiful natural setting, and connecting them with texts by women writers that evoke particular perspectives and experiences. The text excerpts were printed on handy cards that are easy to carry and use during a guided literary walk. The walking cards are available to borrow from libraries throughout Iceland.
The first walk took place on 19 October 2025 and received an enthusiastic response. A group of participants walked together from Reykjavík City Library in Kringlan on a beautiful autumn day. They stopped at 11 of the 13 possible locations, and the walk took approximately 1.5 hours. This walk served as a perfect example of how literary walks can begin in the most unexpected places, helping participants discover beauty, explore side streets, and gain a deeper appreciation of their surroundings, whether in a group or on their own.
The walking cards have already been used for literary walks organised by other libraries. Arndís Þórarinsdóttir led a walk from Garðabær Public Library on 24 April 2026, Margrét Guðjónsdóttir did the same from the Rangárþing Regional Library on 8 March 2026, International Women’s Day, and Vigdís Hafliðadóttir guided a walk from Reykjavík City Library at Grófin on 13 August 2026. The latter was part of the Evening Walks 2026 programme.
All of the walks have been well attended, but Vigdís’s walk set a new attendance record for Reykjavík City Library’s Evening Walks series that summer. Around 250 people made their way downtown and walked together around Tjörnin (The Pond), with several engaging detours along the route. Among the highlights were stops at the Women’s College (Kvennaskólinn), Theodóra Thoroddsen’s house, and the Perlufestin Sculpture Garden in Hljómskálagarður Park, which was created in memory of the pioneering women of Icelandic sculpture.
The beauty of the walking cards is that they do not require a designated guide, although it is certainly helpful if one person takes responsibility for carrying the cards and organizing the readings. Reading aloud is at the heart of the experience, and participants are encouraged to take turns sharing the texts. This allows people to engage more actively and experience the texts differently than if they were simply listening to someone else read them.
The walk is designed both as a social activity and as a creative experience. The walking cards make it possible to set off on a small literary walk with friends, a sewing circle, family members, or even alone. Participants shape the journey themselves, choosing the route, deciding where to stop, and even adding texts of their own choosing that they feel suit a particular walk.
For those who would prefer a ready-made route with detailed directions, several suggested walks can be found on the project website, with more potentially to be added in the future. We hope that this literary walk will inspire people to get outdoors, explore their surroundings, and bring enjoyment for years to come.
