Joanne Fitton

Joanne is responsible for the Library's cultural and heritage collections. These include rare books, manuscripts, archives, objects, and art. The historical institutional record (University Archive) is also a part of this service, as is the Collections Care unit. The unit conserves these diverse collections to preserve them for future generations. We regularly buy and accept works to enhance our collections.

Joanne leads the University Library Galleries (Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery and the Treasures of the Brotherton) and Public Art on campus. The team runs a vibrant exhibition, event and public engagement programme. This opens up our unique collections to a wide audience through the stories told by our objects and art.

An important part of Joanne's remit is to make our collections accessible for research at any level of study. Our staff collaborate on research projects centred on collections and facilitate teaching and learning opportunities with unique materials. This includes managing a reference only research centre in the Brotherton Library.

Joanne is a member of working groups for the Cultural Institute (Culture on Campus and Fundraising). External to the University Joanne is committee member and secretary of the UK Group on Literary Archives and Manuscripts (GLAM). She is an assessor on the Archives and Records Association (UK and Ireland) CPD scheme. She is a member of the Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Special Collections Leaders Network. Joanne has served on the boards of the National Council on Archives and the Archives and Records Association.

Joanne has been Associate Director: Special Collections and Galleries since 2015. She is an archivist by background and first joined the University Library Leeds in 2011. Before this she was responsible for the Archive Services at Bury Art Museum and started her career as Archivist at the Royal Northern College of Music.