Amina Shah FRSE is a Scottish librarian who is National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland. [1] [2]
Shah was born in Pakistan to Patricia and Umeed Ali Shah. Her parents met in Glasgow and moved to Pakistan after their marriage. The family returned to Glasgow after Shah's birth. [3]
Shah studied English literature at the University of Dundee, graduating in 1996 with an MA Hons. In 1997, she gained a postgraduate diploma in librarianship and information science from the University of Strathclyde. [4]
From 2001 to 2014, Shah was Deputy Head of Dundee City Libraries. [4] She was the Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) from 2014 to 2016 where she led on the development of Scotland's first national strategy for public libraries. [5] From 2016 to 2018, she held the position of Director of Programming at the Scottish Book Trust. [4] [6]
Prior to her appointment at the National Library of Scotland Shah was Assistant Director of Libraries and Museums at University of St Andrews from 2018 to 2021. [4] [7]
On 4 October 2021, Shah took up the position of National Librarian and Chief Executive at the National Library of Scotland. She is the first woman and the first person of mixed race to hold the post. [3] Prior to becoming National Librarian Shah was a member of the Board of the National Library of Scotland (2015-2021). [4]
Since 2015 Shah has been a visiting professor at Robert Gordon University.
She was President of CILIPS in 2022.
Shah is a trustee of the StAnza Poetry Festival, Friends of National Libraries, and the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh. [4]
In March 2023, Shah was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [8]
Shah is mother to four children. [9] She lives in Fife, Scotland. [3]
A rector is a senior official in an educational institution, and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world, the rector is often the most senior official in a university, while in the United States, the equivalent is often referred to as the president, and in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, the equivalent is the vice-chancellor. The term and office of a rector can be referred to as a rectorate. The title is used widely in universities in Europe and is very common in Latin American countries. It is also used in Brunei, Macau, Turkey, Russia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Israel and the Middle East. In the ancient universities of Scotland the office is sometimes referred to as Lord Rector, is the third most senior official, and is usually responsible for chairing the University Court.
The University of St Andrews is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, following the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world. St Andrews was founded in 1413 when the Avignon Antipope Benedict XIII issued a papal bull to a small founding group of Augustinian clergy. Along with the universities of Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, St Andrews was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century.
The University of Dundee is a public research university based in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded as a university college in 1881 with a donation from the prominent Baxter family of textile manufacturers. The institution was, for most of its early existence, a constituent college of the University of St Andrews alongside United College and St Mary's College located in the town of St Andrews itself. Following significant expansion, the University of Dundee gained independent university status by royal charter in 1967 while retaining elements of its ancient heritage and governance structure.
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities that continue to exist in the present day. Together, the four universities are the oldest universities in continuous operation in the English-speaking world after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of measures laid down in the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858–1966. The Universities (Scotland) Act 1966 uses the term 'older universities' to refer to St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. The four universities are generally regarded as the country's most selective, eminent and well-ranked universities.
The National Library of Scotland is one of the country's National Collections. It is one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom. As well as a public programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, and tours, the National Library of Scotland has reading rooms where visitors can access the collections. It is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is a member of Research Libraries UK (RLUK) and the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL).
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Now marketed as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league system, known as the Scottish League Championship, and the Scottish National teams. The SRU is headed by the President and Chairman, with Mark Dodson acting as the Chief Executive Officer. Dee Bradbury became the first female president of a Tier 1 rugby nation upon her appointment on 4 August 2018.
The High School of Dundee is a private, co-educational, day school in Dundee, Scotland, which provides nursery, primary and secondary education to just over one thousand pupils. Its foundation has been dated to 1239, and it is the only private school in Dundee.
Brian Andrew Lang is a Scottish social anthropologist who served as deputy chairman of the British Library and Principal of the University of St Andrews 2001–2008. He was Chair of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra 2008–2015. He is a trustee of National Museums Scotland since 2014.
The Littlejohn of Invercharron Challenge Vase, also known as the Littlejohn Vase, is a trophy in university shinty. It is the second most expensive sporting trophy in Scotland, after the Scottish Cup. The Littlejohn Vase is competed for by university shinty teams on an annual basis, in a one-day event traditionally held at a different university every year, although since 2007 it has been held at St Andrews.
Madras College, often referred to as Madras, is a Scottish comprehensive secondary school located in St Andrews, Fife. It educates over 1,400 pupils aged between 11 and 18 and was founded in 1833 by the Rev. Dr Andrew Bell.
Islam in Scotland includes all aspects of the Islamic faith in Scotland. The first Muslim known to have been in Scotland was a medical student who studied at the University of Edinburgh from 1858 to 1859. The production of goods and Glasgow's busy port meant that many lascars were employed there. Most Muslims in Scotland are members of families that immigrated in the later decades of the 20th century. At the 2011 census, Muslims comprised 1.4 per cent of Scotland's population (76,737). In the 2022 census, this grew to 2.2% of the population (119,872).
The ancient university governance structure in Scotland is the organisational system imposed by a series of Acts of Parliament called the Universities (Scotland) Acts 1858 to 1966. The Acts applied to what were termed the 'older universities': the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh. Together these four universities are commonly referred to as the ancient universities of Scotland. Whilst the Acts do not directly apply to the University of Dundee, the same governance structure was ordained for use by that institution in its royal charter.
The Dundee Law School is the law school of the University of Dundee in Scotland. It provides undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Scots and English law, permitting students to qualify into all three United Kingdom legal jurisdictions. The law school traces its roots to the University of St. Andrews, and has placed in the top 15 law schools in the UK on the University League Tables. The school is based in the Scrymgeour Building—named for Henry Scrymgeour, a 16th-century legal philosopher from Dundee—while the Law Library is based in the libraries building, both on the university's main campus. The Law School is part of the wider School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law at Dundee.
Universities Scotland was formed in 1992 as the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals (COSHEP) adopting its current name in 2000, when Universities UK was also formed. It represents 19 autonomous higher education institutions, 16 of them with University status and three other higher education institutions in Scotland. The Convener serves a two-year term of office. As of 2024, this post is held by Professor Iain Gillespie, principal of the University of Dundee, while Alastair Sim has served as the organization's Director since 2009.
Sir Andrew Patrick McEwen Forrest was a Scottish surgeon.
Frances Helen Melville, was a Scottish suffragist, advocate for higher education for women in Scotland, and one of the first women to matriculate at the University of Edinburgh in 1892. She was president of the British Federation of University Women from 1935 to 1942.
Bridget Mary McConnell, Baroness McConnell of Glenscorrodale, is a retired Scottish cultural administrator. Prior to retirement she served as the chief executive officer of Glasgow Life, the charity responsible for delivering culture and sport in Glasgow. McConnell was instrumental in Glasgow’s successful bid for and subsequent hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, serving as a member of the organising committee and as the Director of Ceremonies and Culture, while overseeing infrastructure required for the games. McConnell was responsible for a major overhaul of the city’s sports, leisure, arts and cultural facilities. McConnell is the wife of former First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell. In 2006, she was voted #15 in The Scotsman’s power 100 list.
Louise Yeoman is a historian and broadcaster specialising in the Scottish witch hunts and 17th century Scottish religious beliefs.
Helen Cargill Thompson was a Scottish scientist, librarian, art collector and supporter of educational, artistic and heritage organisations.