Trans Activism and the National Library of Scotland

I submitted an FoI request to the National Library of Scotland regarding its LGBTQI staff group which played a pivotal role in getting 'The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht' withdrawn from the library's centenary exhibition 

Turns out this is a 'free for all' group which is accountable to no one and that anyone can drop in or out at any time as they choose - see below.

How completely absurd, but there is more to follow as I have the notes of 'conversations' between the NLS and this shady network which I will share on the blog soon.

1) In response to your first question, under section 17 of FOISA, I can confirm that the Library does not hold this information. By way of explanation, we do not have a record of how many members the LGBT+ Network has. The network is open to all staff to drop in and out as they choose. 

2) In response to your second question, under section 17 of FOISA, I can confirm that the Library does not hold this information. As noted above, the LGBT+ Network is open to all staff to drop in and out as they choose, they are not “selected”, so the Library has no recorded information.  

3) We can confirm that the LGBT+ network was informed of the decision to include the book via email after members of the Network enquired about it. Further conversations were then held to discuss the inclusion of the book electronically via email and in-person via meetings. 

Dear Mark,

Reference number: FOI 2025-2026 2022  

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) received by the Library on 25th August 2025 and please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.  

In your request you asked:  

"1) Please confirm the number of NLS employees who are members of the internal LGBTQI+ staff network?  

2) Please confirm the process by which these individuals are selected?  

3) Please confirm how the LGBTQI+ network was consulted over the decision to include and subsequently withdraw 'The Women Who Would't Wheehst' from the NLS centenary exhibition?  

4) Please confirm how the wider body of NLS staff were consulted over centenary exhibition, ie were non-LGBTQI+ staff given the same or a similar opportunity to make their voices heard?"  

Following a request for clarification from the Library on question 4, you responded with the following on 19th September 2025:  

"Did the NLS consult with, or seek opinions from, the wider body of staff and if so, how was this done? "  

We hold some of the information you are looking for. Each of your questions have been responded to separately below to assist with clarification and legibility:   

In response to your first question, under section 17 of FOISA, I can confirm that the Library does not hold this information. By way of explanation, we do not have a record of how many members the LGBT+ Network has. The network is open to all staff to drop in and out as they choose. 

In response to your second question, under section 17 of FOISA, I can confirm that the Library does not hold this information. As noted above, the LGBT+ Network is open to all staff to drop in and out as they choose, they are not “selected”, so the Library has no recorded information.  

In response to your third question, the Library holds information which shows how the Network was consulted. We can confirm that the LGBT+ network was informed of the decision to include the book via email after members of the Network enquired about it. Further conversations were then held to discuss the inclusion of the book electronically via email and in-person via meetings. Although you did not ask to see those emails and meeting notes in your request, redacted versions of them have already been disclosed into the public domain under Freedom of Information, and I have attached them for your information. These are provided in addition to your request, for extra context, even though they go beyond what you asked for in your request. With regards to the attached information provided, some information is personal data, including special category personal data. This information is exempt from disclosure under Section 38(1)(b) as the information is third party personal data and the Library is still able to fulfil your request without including the personal information. Therefore, the personal data has been redacted from this attached document. However, we have not redacted personal information in relation to members of our Library Leadership Team and our Board due to their level of seniority and their personal information being already publicly accessible.  

In response to your fourth question, the Library holds some information which falls within the scope of your request. That information shows that Library staff were given the following specific opportunities to consult and provide their opinions on the ‘Dear Library’ exhibition:  

• In March 2024, staff were invited to share their ideas for the 2025/26 centenary exhibition via a survey.  
• All staff, alongside members of the public, were invited to nominate books and share stories about them.   
• Meetings were held throughout the development of the exhibition with staff from a variety of teams who would or could be involved in its delivery, such as the Library’s Security and Visitor Services teams.   
• Email discussions occurred between members of staff about the exhibition and on their views about elements of the exhibition, including on the inclusion of 'The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht'.  

Furthermore, all staff were made aware that they could contact the staff members who were developing and delivering the exhibition, and that they could be contacted any time to discuss the exhibition with any questions, concerns or opinions they had on any aspect of it. 

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) provides a framework for further assistance to your request. If you are dissatisfied with this response, you may ask the Library to conduct a review of this decision. To begin a review please contact us in writing (including by fax, letter or email) or in some other recorded form (for example, audio or video recording) and describe the original request, explain your dissatisfaction, and provide an address for correspondence. You have 40 working days from receipt of this notice to submit a request for review. We will respond within 20 working days of receipt of your request.  

If you are still dissatisfied after a review you may ask the Scottish Information Commissioner to intervene. You may launch an appeal with the Commissioner online at: www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal. For more information about FOISA please visit: www.itspublicknowledge.info.  

The supply of information through FOISA does not convey any right to distribute, copy, adapt or use material in such a way as to infringe any rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.  

I hope that this response fully satisfies your request, however please don’t hesitate to contact me if you require any further information about the Library.  

My contact details are provided below.  

With kind regards,  

National Library of Scotland  

Information and Records Specialist  

foisa@nls.uk