British Library Advisory Council
The Advisory Council supports the Board and leadership of the British Library.
The role of the Advisory Council is mandated by the British Library Act 1972 ‘to advise the British Library on any aspect of the development and operation of its services, and its relations with libraries, at home and overseas.’
Its members reflect the broad range of the Library's user groups and audiences, with expertise in one or more areas of relevance to the work of the Library such as culture, business, science, technology, education, research, and academic and public libraries.
Members of the Advisory Council
Dr Jonathan Straight (Chair): entrepreneur, founder of Straight plc, UK’s leading waste and recycling containers, NED and Consultant
Suresh Ariaratnam: founder of Sprung Sultan, NED at NHS Somerset, trustee of Bath Festivals, Theatre Royal Bath, and Literature Works South West
Dr Devaki Bhatta: founder and Director Biosenze Consulting Ltd
Alice Black: founder at ArtULTRA, a platform dedicated to supporting emerging artists. Ambassador, Mayor of London’s Cultural Leadership Board and Artistic Advisor to Proposition Studios
Dr Tom Chatfield: author, educationalist, NED, business advisor at a number of not-for profits and philosopher of technology. He writes and broadcasts internationally on technology, ethics and education.
Dr Sandra Collins: University Librarian at University College Dublin, Chairperson of the Irish Government’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories, and formerly the Director of the National Library of Ireland.
Alison Cork MBE: BIPC ambassador and entrepreneur & champion of small business, founder and CEO of online brand slisonathome.com and founder of Make It Your Business
Lucy Crompton-Reid: Chief Executive of Wikimedia UK, she leads the organisation’s work to demystify and drive engagement with open knowledge.
Prof Alexander Evans OBE: Professor of Practice in Public Policy, London School of Economics and a former Strategy Director at the Cabinet Office.
Regina Everitt: Director of Library, Archives and Learning Services at the University of East London
Prof Peter Frankopan: Professor of Global History at Oxford University where he is Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford and best-selling author
Dr Nicola Guy (ex-officio member): Deputy Director Museums Archives and Libraries Division Welsh Government. Job-Share with Helen Pridham
Martha Keith: founder and CEO of Martha Brook, an award-winning personalised stationery brand. Ambassador for the creative industries and start-ups.
Suhair Khan: technology entrepreneur and creative leadership, founder of Open-Ended Design, a platform and incubator for creative technologists working with AI.
Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan (ex-officio member): Chief Executive National Library of Wales
Alison Nolan (ex-officio member): Chief Executive Scottish Library & Information Council, a senior leader with 25 years’ experience delivering cultural, learning and library services across public, education and specialist libraries, both in Ireland and Scotland.
Jelena Sevo: global information and technology leader, Chief Strategy Officer at RELX plc
Amina Shah (ex-officio member): National Librarian and Chief Executive National Library of Scotland.
