From it’s origins as a wholly voluntary organisation, the Library has grown into a thriving 13-woman team, working on our learning programme, with the collection, and keeping the Library running.
The Lifelong Learning Team
Adele Patrick
Lifelong Learning and Creative Development Manager
Adele Patrick was a founding member of Glasgow Women’s Library. She has been involved in women’s and equality projects in Glasgow since the 1980′s. She is enthusiastic about developing innovative and effective ways women can develop their skills, learning and confidence. In her Creative Development role, Adele supports the Library to develop new strands of activity, expertise and income generation and is currently involved in exploring potential social enterprise opportunities.
Email: adele.patrick@womenslibrary.org.uk
Syma Ahmed
BME Women’s Project Development Officer
Syma Ahmed joined the Library in August 2007 as the Development Officer for the Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) women’s project. She is responsible for promoting lifelong learning, arts and creative opportunities for BME women. Syma is keen to celebrate the success and achievements of BME women in Glasgow through capturing and compiling their life stories and preserving them at Glasgow Women’s Library. Syma has worked in the voluntary sector for over 6 years and enjoys developing new projects to support the local community. Her previous job with a unique charity called Ethnic Enable involved supporting disabled people and their carers from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Email: syma.ahmed@womenslibrary.org.uk
Laura Dolan
Lifelong Learning Assistant
Laura joined the Library in August 2007 as the Lifelong Learning Assistant. She is responsible for assisting with the development of the learning programme and organising events in Glasgow. She also handles promotion of the library activities and keeps the mailing lists up to date and informed: She’ll most likely be the one emailing you with information about forthcoming events and handling bookings for these. Laura has worked in the voluntary sector since 1998, mostly with learning organisations, and has a keen interest in promoting learning for all.
Email: laura.dolan@womenslibrary.org.uk
The National Lifelong Learning Team
Morag Smith
National Lifelong Learning Development Worker
Morag joined the Glasgow Women’s Library as National Lifelong Learning Development Worker in August 2009. Morag Smith studied English Literature at Strathclyde University in Glasgow and then lived in Germany for some years where she worked as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and then in the travel industry. She returned to Scotland with her family where she had a career change and started to work in Adult Learning and completed a post-graduate certificate in Adult Guidance. Before joining Glasgow Women’s Library, she worked for Renfrewshire Libraries and Adult Literacies Renfrewshire in learning and reader development.
Email: morag.smith@womenslibrary.org.uk
Eleftheria Lazaridou
NLLL Administrative Assistant
Ele joined Glasgow Women’s Library as Administrative Assistant to the National Lifelong Learning programme in October 2011 after volunteering with the Library. She talks about her experiences with the Library here.
Email: eleftheria.lazaridou@womenslibrary.org.uk
The Adult Literacy & Numeracy Team
Donna Moore
Adult Literacy & Numeracy Development Worker
Donna joined the Library as a volunteer in 2010 and has refused to leave ever since. She was appointed as Outreach and Audience Development Worker in July 2012. Her role is to tell people about the Glasgow Women’s Library and all the exciting and inspiring things we do, and develop new audiences and projects for us to get involved in. She spent 25 years in the soul destroying world of pensions and is happy to have found her soul again doing something she loves. She almost has a Masters Degree in Community Learning and Development.
Email: donna.moore@womenslibrary.org.uk
Pauline Healy
Adult Literacy and Numeracy tutor
Pauline joined the Library team in 2007. “I enjoy the diversity of the work involved and the icing on the cake for me is working with all the learners. As well as being based in the library, we also have held learning sessions in the Red Road Women’s Centre, The Wayside Day Centre and The Kingsway Health and Wellbeing Centre.”
Email: pauline.healy@womenslibrary.org.uk
The Library Collection & Archive Team
Wendy Kirk
Librarian
“I joined the library in 2005, with the exciting and challenging job of being the library’s first ever paid librarian! I’d previously worked in community-based support work and community libraries, but when I started at the library I realised I’d finally found what I wanted to do. I feel very privileged to be involved in so many different things at the library, from taking part in World Book Night, to helping people with intriguing enquiries, to dealing with wonderful new donations. A major part of my job is making our books accessible so people can borrow them. There are literally thousands of books to catalogue, so I’m working my way through them as quickly as I can. I believe that reading can be life-changing, so I want to get as many people as possible reading our amazing books.”
Email: wendy.kirk@womenslibrary.org.uk
Laura Stevens
Archivist
Laura initially joined the Library as a volunteer in October 2010, and has been one of two archivists at GWL since September 2012. Prior to this role, she worked and volunteered in a variety of archives including Glasgow University Archives, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Archives and Falkirk City Archives. Laura’s passion for archives stems from her undergraduate course in History at the University of Strathclyde and a lifelong interest in the past. In November 2010, Laura completed a postgraduate qualification in archives management, and from September 2011, worked at GWL as maternity leave cover for Hannah Little. She is thrilled to be a part of the Library and eager to open up more of the treasures within the archive.
Email: laura.stevens@womenslibrary.org.uk
Lindsey Short
Archivist
Lindsey joined the Library in September 2012 as one of the job-share Archivists. Her role is to care for GWL’s varied and exciting collections of women’s records, make them accessible to as many people as possible, and support readers and enquirers in their research. Lindsey has previously worked in Council and University Archives and is happy to have joined the GWL team. Lindsey thinks the best thing about the collections here is their diversity and likes thinking about all the inspiring women who created and used them before they found their way to GWL. She looks forward to exploring the archive with staff and volunteers.
Email: lindsey.short@womenslibrary.org.uk
Magi Gibson
Reader in Residence
Magi Gibson is a poet and writer. Her best-selling poetry collection, Wild Women of a Certain Age is in its fourth print run. Her Seriously Sassy books (Puffin) recount the trials and tribulations of 13 year old feminist and eco-warrior, Sassy Wilde. Originally from Kilsyth, Magi studied French and German at Glasgow University. In 2009 she was appointed the first Makar of the City of Stirling in 500 years and her poetry has been translated into several languages. She founded and runs Wild Women Writing Workshops in Scotland and Ireland.
Magi’s main role as Scottish Book Trust Reader in Residence is to encourage even more people to read, enjoy and explore the amazing collection of books at GWL. Find out more about what Magi does here.
Email: magi.gibson@womenslibrary.org.uk
Meanwhile, keeping the Library running…
Sue John
Enterprise Development Manager
“I am one of two Senior Managers at Glasgow Women’s Library, with Adele Patrick as my senior colleague in the organisation. My role in the organisation is an exciting one. I take the lead in GWL’s transformational step-change into becoming a successful Social Enterprise. In short, this means embedding services and products that generate income for the organisation with the aim of becoming increasingly less dependent on public sector funding and grants. An example of such products is our audio tour development – this is an area that we will be expanding in the future. I am also charged with ensuring that GWL relocates into long-term, accessible and fit-for-purpose premises where we can fully deliver all our life-changing projects and services as well as expand our Social Enterprise business activities.
“I am also the Company Secretary of Glasgow Women’s Library, so I ensure that all our legal requirements as a Limited Company and as Charity are met and, along with Adele Patrick, advise the Board of Directors so they can provide robust governance and clear strategic direction for the organisation.”
Email: sue.john@womenslibrary.org.uk
Gabrielle Macbeth
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Gabrielle joined the library in July 2011. She is the first point for contact for anyone interested in volunteering and is keen to make sure all volunteers are involved in projects which they find interesting and make good use of their skills and experiences. She organises training for volunteers and liaises with staff to make sure volunteers feel they get as much out of volunteering as they put in. Gabrielle has worked in the voluntary sector for 6 years and is passionate about getting women involved in their local communities.
Find out more about volunteering at GWL here.
Email: gabrielle.macbeth@womenslibrary.org.uk
Alison Gardiner
Admin & Finance Worker
“I came to GWL in September 2003 to teach a ten week T’ai Chi class and somehow never left! I worked for a few months as a volunteer and then hourly paid admin worker at GWL until September 2005 when I started to job-share with Helen in the post of Admin and Finance Worker. I currently do mostly Finance work including reconciling the monthly accounts, claiming back Gift Aid, administering the Friends scheme and sitting on the Fundraising sub-committee.
“I also work for another local charity as a Relationship Officer and continue to teach T’ai Chi.”
Email: alison.gardiner@womenslibrary.org.uk
Helen MacDonald
Admin & Finance Worker
The other half of the Library’s admin team and the Library’s resident geek – Helen looks after the Library’s IT needs as well as more general admin tasks.
Helen is the developer & moderator of the Women of Scotland website, created by GWL in partnership with Women’s History Scotland, and represents GWL on the WHS steering committee
Email: helen.macdonald@womenslibrary.org.uk
Sammy Di Folco
Reception & Information Assistant
“I joined Glasgow Women’s Library in March 2013 as a Receptionist and Information Assistant. It’s the first job I’ve found empowering and inspiring and I’m quickly discovering that this is what I want to do. I’ll most likely be the first person you’ll see when you enter the library sitting with a cup of tea. Everyone at the library is very welcoming and I’m constantly learning something new: one of my favourite things about the library is the variety of things I get to do and learn.”
Email: samantha.difolco@womenslibrary.org.uk
Contacting Staff
All the Library staff can be contacted via email or at the Library.
