Welcome to Bethan Davies, the Vere Harmsworth Librarian!

I am delighted to announce that Ms Bethan Davies will start as the new Vere Harmsworth Librarian on Tuesday 27 August.

Originally from Shropshire, England, Bethan gained her undergraduate degree in English and American Studies (dual honours) from Keele University, which included a semester abroad at the University of Greensboro, North Carolina. She then studied for her taught master’s degree in Renaissance Literature at the University of York, before entering the field of librarianship as a library graduate trainee at Anglia Ruskin University.

In her current position as a Trainee Liaison Librarian at the University of Reading, she provides library-related support for Philosophy and Classics departments. This includes management of both department’s library budgets and online reading lists, and providing information literacy support for students and researchers, through teaching sessions and individual support. She also works with the Library’s Special Collections in promoting their collections to academics and researchers using social media and other platforms.

She has a postgraduate qualification in Librarianship from the University of Aberystwyth, is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), and is currently working towards Professional Registration with CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals).

Bethan very much looks forward to applying her knowledge of US Studies at the VHL and supporting and getting to know readers of the VHL and RAI fellows. Do come introduce yourselves and say hello! From 27 August, her email address will be bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk and her phone number will be 01865 (2)82701. You can also follow her on Twitter @BethanDavies9.