Learn more about the staff and board of the Scottish Poetry Library.
Our people
Our Staff
Asif Khan
Director. Contact Asif about strategic partnerships, sector advocacy, events or becoming a patron.
Aly Barr
Deputy Director/Head of Operations. Contact Aly about venue hires, projects or matters related to the running of the Library building.
Jill Mackintosh
Head Librarian. Contact Jill about the collection, both new stock for adding to the library and old stock for withdrawal; enquiries and requests.
Samuel Tongue
Projects & Learning Co-ordinator. Contact Sam about learning resources, National Poetry Day, Tools of the Trade, publications or new project ideas.
Peigi MacVicar
Gaelic Schools Poetry Co-ordinator. Contact me about learning resources and projects related to Scottish Gaelic.
Charles Lang
Customer Services and Events Support Officer. Contact Charles about enquiries, library services and event support.
Kevin Williamson
Marketing Manager. Contact Kevin about social media, communications or marketing.
Our Board
The board, as the charity trustees, have overall responsibility for the organisation. The Board is responsible for setting strategic direction, approving policies, for employing staff and overseeing SPL performance and finances. Aiming for best practice, the Board has formally endorsed the Scottish Governance Code for the Third Sector.
Board members have a range of skills, experience and different perspectives. Board members are elected by members, but the Board can also co-opt individuals for limited periods.
More information is available here.
Gordon Munro (Co-chair)
Re-elected 2020. Councillor, City of Edinburgh Council.Charlie Roy (Co-chair)
Re-elected 2022. Publicist, linguist and former teacher.Dr James Ripley (Company Secretary)
Re-elected 2021. Academic Librarian.Patrick Corbett
Re-elected 2021. Academic.David Forbes Rutherford
Re-elected 2022. Accountant.Laura Fyfe
Appointed 2021. Writer and teacher.Chris Wardhaugh
Appointed 2021. Company Director.Claudia Daventry
Appointed 2021. Writer and teacher.Online Shop
Browse our range of poetry books, cards and gifts in our online shop.Our Honorary Presidents
From time to time, the Board of the SPL asks distinguished poets to become Honorary Presidents of the Library.
Previous Presidents have been George Bruce, Seamus Heaney, Norman MacCaig, Sorley MacLean, Naomi Mitchison, Edwin Morgan, Iain Crichton Smith, Derick Thomson, and Tessa Ransford