Lydia Dean

Profile

Biography

Since December 2023, I’ve been the Research Services Archivist here at the Borthwick, managing our searchroom team and overseeing our in-person and remote research services, to ensure the provision of in-depth research support to staff, students and our global community.

I started working here in 2012, as an Archives Assistant, and before that I worked in information and records compliance in the NHS and volunteered at York Explore Library and Archives.

In 2016-2017 I was delighted to work as the Project Archivist on the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust collection, a 12 month funded project to catalogue and make available the Trust’s archive. In 2023 I was thrilled to be appointed to the role of Project Archivist on the papers of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York, working for 4.5 months to bring their existing catalogue up to international archival standards and to make it available online for the first time. This project formed part of a longer-term ongoing partnership between the Company and the Borthwick.

In 2016 I completed a Masters in Archives and Records Management, with my dissertation focusing on our researchers’ experiences of using our online catalogue to search for records, and how we can improve access based on their feedback. Alongside my current role, I also have a special interest in our environment and natural history collections and enjoy supporting our volunteer groups and
placement students.

Career