Library Staff

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

Dawn Fyfe

Adult Literacy and Numercy Development Worker

Dawn is responsible for promoting, managing and delivering Adult Literacy and Numeracy support for women. Women often get in touch asking for help with reading, writing and number skills and Dawn meets with them – sometimes matching them up with a ALN volunteer support worker to work one-to-one. She also runs groups for women wanting to improve their reading, writing and numeracy.

Email: dawn.fyfe@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

Hannah Little

Archivist

Hannah joined the Glasgow Women’s Library as archivist in August 2009. A graduate of History of Art and English Literature, she worked as an archivist at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and at the Glasgow University Archive Services before completing a postgraduate masters in archival management. Hannah is passionate about archives and enjoyed going back to study so much that she decided to undertake a PhD in genealogy, archives and identity at the University of Glasgow, which she completed just before taking up her post. Her new role is to catalogue, manage, and promote the library’s rich and diverse archival collections. Hannah is looking forward to making the first women’s archive in Scotland available to all in the library’s future premises at the Mitchell Library.

Hannah is currently on maternity leave – all enquiries about the archive should be directed to Laura Stevens

Laura Stevens

Archivist
Laura initially joined the Library as a volunteer in October 2010. Prior to this role, she has 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. She is thrilled to be a part of the Library and eager to open up more of the treasures within the archive. From September 2011 she will be providing maternity cover for Hannah.

Email: laura.stevens@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 podcast 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 supports volunteers to ensure they get the most out of their experience with the library. She also spends a day a week in 3 other organisations (Move On, Amina-the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, and Diversity Films) doing similar work. She is constantly looking for opportunities for the 4 organisations to work together and share knowledge, expertise and resources.

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