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National Poetry Library staff member Emily Wood holds the sleeve of Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass by Lana Del Ray, in front of the National Poetry Library shelves

Emily Wood

‘I first discovered the NPL totally by chance in 2013, before going to a performance in the Royal Festival Hall. I immediately felt like I’d stumbled across a hidden gem, getting so absorbed in the magazines that I almost totally missed the start of the gig! Later, whilst working at the Hayward Gallery and by this time playing around writing my own poetry, I used to squeeze in visits between breaks to listen to recordings on CD of The Black Mountain Poets.

‘Since working here I have made so many incredible discoveries, from poetic objects like Nancy Campbell’s After Light, to exciting new presses like Prototype and Earthbound. It’s such a unique collection and as I’m shelving William Blake alongside Contemporary Cowboy Love Poetry, I chuckle and think “I’m so happy this place exists”.’