Sue Bates was born in Birmingham and educated at King's Norton Grammar School and Birmingham Polytechnic, where she qualified as a librarian in 1970. She is the author of several books and pamphlets and in June 2021 was appointed Information Manager at Sandwell Central Library, West Bromwich. Well-known as a local speaker, she has also been heard on local radio and contributed a regular column for Solihull News. She was co-founder of the Local History Circle of Solihull Society of Arts, and was Hon. Sec. of Birmingham Bibliographical Society 1986-91. Now a Fellow of the Library Association, she was awarded the LA Centenary Medal in 1998.