Ballot Archive

28 Mar 2024

Candidate Details

Candidate Name

Emma Laws

Academic degrees, honours etc.

BA (Durham) English Literature; MA (London) History of the Book; MSc (Aberystwyth) Information and Library Studies

Profession or occupation

Cathedral Librarian

Grounds for election

Emma has over 25 years’ experience across the library, museum and archives sector, starting her career at the Royal Collection Trust. For 16 of her 20 years at the V&A Museum she was Frederick Warne Curator, managing the world’s largest collection of Beatrix Potter’s drawings and manuscripts and c. 100,000 children’s books dating from the 16th century. Currently the Cathedral Librarian at Exeter (a UNESCO City of Literature), she is responsible for a major historic collection that includes the 10th century Exeter Book of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Emma has experience as a mentor/committee member with the Historic Libraries Forum, the Museums Association, CILIP and the Independent Libraries Association. Her research interests lie with the history of the book and the management of historic collections. She co-authored the V&A’s exhibition book, "Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature" (2021). In 2023 she was appointed President of the Beatrix Potter Society.

Signatories

The following Fellows have signed this Blue Paper