WELCOME TO OPEN BOOK
What We Do
We organise and run over 1200 shared reading and creative writing sessions each year, for a diverse range of community and public participants across Scotland. During our relaxed and informal shared reading sessions, part of a book and poem are read aloud, with an Open Book Lead Reader on hand to help guide the discussion. We also run regular creative writing sessions, using the material the group is reading as inspiration to create new writing.
Every year, we arrange and fund visits by our groups to book festivals and other literary events across Scotland, including Edinburgh International Book Festival, Wigtown Book Festival, Paisley Book Festival, Granite Noir, StAnza, Ullapool Book Festival, and St Magnus Festival. Open Book also regularly offers additional author visits and opportunities to participate in special projects and performances.
Listen to Co-Founder Marjorie talk with Richard Holloway about what we do at Open Book.
The Team
Marjorie Lotfi
Director and Founder
Claire Urquhart
Director and Founder
Jess Orr
Operations Manager
Jess is Operations Manager at Open Book, coordinating the daily running of all our groups and our training programme, as well as organising annual visits for groups to literary events across Scotland. She also runs two groups, at the Grassmarket Community Project and LGBT Health and Wellbeing in Leith. Outside of Open Book, Jess is a freelance Project Manager and Programmer, as well as an English tutor.
Amy Life
Office Administrator
Amy is the Open Book Office Administrator. She has just finished her degree in French and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh where she campaigned against gender-based violence and wrote for The Rattlecap Magazine. Amy enjoys long country walks, getting stuck into a good book, and nights at the Jazz Bar. She also hopes to have her own herb garden one day.
Rachel Gray
Reach Officer
Rachel is Reach Officer at OpenBook. She also works as a coordinator for Scottish Book Trust. She is a keen reader and can be found sharing her thoughts and feelings on books on her social media and for The Scotsman newspaper. When not reading she loves watching sport and crocheting everyone she knows a lopsided gift.
Cameron Ward
Prison Programme Co-ordinator
Cameron is the Open Book Prison Programme Co-ordinator. She works in arts and adult education, supporting learners with high support needs. She is also a musician and is involved in choirs and theatre groups. She is currently trying to finish The Wheel of Time Series – five more books to go!
