M25 SpeedMeet
Welcome to M25 SpeedMeet and Spotlight. Every month we meet someone working in an M25 member institution or someone involved with an M25 Consortium Group, Network, or Committee. They tell us a little bit about themselves and how the Consortium has benefited them.
November 2025: Alison Mackenzie
Who are you, where are you based and what do you do?
My name is Alison Mackenzie, Research Support Librarian at RHS Libraries (Royal Horticultural Society). I am based at the RHS Library at RHS Garden Wisley but also regularly visit and work with the Lindley Library team in London.
I work with RHS students, including those based at the RHS gardens and those that study remotely, as well as RHS Staff and RHS Research in various Science departments and across the organization. I also work closely with our external researchers.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the fact that I can help people find the information they need – whether it is contemporary scientific or historical information from our collections. I like dealing with a range of people from external researchers, research staff, students and RHS members. I really enjoy delving into the RHS Heritage collection for my own research. I don’t have a horticultural background, so every day is a learning day.
What motivates you in your work?
I am motivated by continual learning, for myself or colleagues or students. I come from a teaching setting and I think that old habits die hard!
How has the M25 Consortium supported you in your career?
It’s fabulous being a part of the M25 Consortium. My favourite benefit is definitely the free CPD visits to other libraries: seeing how other organisations do things and having access to libraries that you never would as a member of the general public. This also allows for networking and getting to know staff from other libraries, often in different fields, which is so valuable.
It was also great to have the opportunity to attend and present a lightning talk at the in-person M25 Consortium Annual Conference in June 2025 which was such a worthwhile event.
What would it surprise people to know about you?
I am a keen footballer and have been involved in the women’s game for many years. My career highlight would be representing Western Australia in the World Masters Competition in New Zealand in 2019. I currently play in the Thames Valley League for a Woking club – a slightly different pace!
If I wasn’t working in a library I would be
… travelling the world because what better way to spend time than seeing the world?
What’s your role?
We’re keen to meet even more members so if you’d like to feature in an upcoming M25 SpeedMeet or Spotlight send an email to Jill Howard, m25libadmin@london.ac.uk. You can send in your replies to our questions or alternatively video your answers and we’ll show the video here.
Read more SpeedMeet interviews :
2025
Natalie Brown, Library Customer Services Team Leader, Anglia Ruskin University
Eloise Carpenter, Collection Services Manager at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Leah Gulley, Academic Liaison Librarian, Buckinghamshire New University
Dr Janice Fernandes former Academic Support Manager, University of West London
Helen Curtis, Director of Learning Resources and University Librarian at Oxford Brookes University
Dan Herbert, Library Buildings Development Manager, Queen Mary, University of London
Polly Mortimer, Library Manager and Learning Support Lead, British Psychotherapy Foundation
Ian Clark, Academic Services Manager, University of East London
2024
Chris Foreman, Associate Director of Library Services at University of the Arts, London
Vicky Robertson, Deputy Librarian, UCL School of Pharmacy Library
Laura Scullion, Administrator (Events & Programmes), M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries
Dave Puplett, Associate Director, Libraries and Academic Enhancement, University of Greenwich
Fiona Ainsworth, Head of Library and Archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Dianne Shepherd, The British Museum, Senior Librarian
Jill Howard, M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries, Operations Manager
Cliff Van Dort, National Archives, Kew, Head of Library
Camilla Churchill, British Medical Association, Library and Archive Lead
Chloe Carson-Ashurst, The National Gallery, Library Assistant
2020-2023
Birgit Fraser, Anglia Ruskin University, Assistant Director – Academic and Content Services
Sarah Pipkin, UCL – Outreach and Exhibitions Coordinator, Special Collections Library
Anna Gillis, Royal Veterinary College – Research Support Librarian
Rachel Geeson, Anglia Ruskin University – Assistant Director, Customer Services
Jennifer Domingo, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine – Library Assistant
Emma Wisher, University of Essex – Assistant Director for User Engagement
Louise Ellis-Barrett, British Museum – Librarian Acquisitions and Projects
Paul Johnson, University of Surrey – Director of Library and Learning Services
Sara Burnett, Kingston University – Information Specialist
Robert Atkinson, Birkbeck, University of London – Director of Library Services
Laura MacCulloch, Royal Holloway, University of London – Curator
Rowan Williamson, UAL – Associate Director of Library Services and Support
Frances Willis, National Art Library at the V&A – Assistant Librarian
Robin Armstrong Viner, Courtauld Institute of Art – Head of Library Services
Adam Edwards, Middlesex University – Library Liaison Manager
Linda Coombs, Buckinghamshire New University – Library and Learning Resources Manager
Liz Pinel, Royal College of Nursing Library and Archive – Customer Services Manager
David Allen, Royal Society of Chemistry – Librarian
Russell Burke, LSHTM – Assistant Librarian
Verity Allison, St George’s, University of London – Journals and E-Resources Librarian