Global outreach

The University of Manchester Special Collections are widely considered to be amongst the most important in the world.

Their significance and diversity underpin the Library’s status as one of only five in the UK with National Research Library accreditation. As a centre for the study of textual, material and visual cultures, The John Rylands Research Institute and Library acts as a catalyst and focus for the world-leading research of The University of Manchester.

Toronto skyline

International partnerships

We continue to develop productive relationships with partner institutions in the US, Europe and Australia, in order to promote collaborative research into the collections and to build global scholarly networks.

To advance our global reach, we have created a formal internationalisation programme for researchers with institutions such as the Newberry Library in Chicago, the John W. Kluge Centre at the Library of Congress and the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C and the Huntington Library in California.

We also benefit from the knowledge and expertise of international colleagues through our Advisory Board, who help us to identify opportunities and inform our understanding of global best practice.

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Advisory board

We are grateful to members of our Advisory Board who help us to work towards our strategy and vision.

The board is made up of colleagues and field experts from various research institutions in the UK, Europe and beyond.

  • Colette Fagan (Chair), The University of Manchester, Vice President for Research 
  • Hannah Barker, The University of Manchester, Director of The John Rylands Research Institute and Library
  • Jeffrey Hamburger, Harvard University, Kuno Francke Professor of German Art and Culture 
  • Gerard Hodgkinson, The University of Manchester, Vice-Dean for Research, Faculty of Humanities
  • John Hodgson, The University of Manchester, Associate Director (Curatorial Practices), The University of Manchester Library 
  • Richard Ovenden, the University of Oxford, Bodley’s Librarian at The Bodleian Libraries 
  • Christopher Pressler, The University of Manchester, John Rylands University Librarian and Director of The University of Manchester Library
  • Alessandro Schiesaro, The University of Manchester, Head of School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
  • Emile Schrijver, the University of Amsterdam, Professor of Jewish Book History 
  • Bill Sherman, University of London, Director of the Warburg Institute
  • Stephanie Trigg, University of Melbourne, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of English
  • Pip Willcox, The National Archives, Head of Research