Ms. Laura Shanahan

Biography

Mrs Laura Shanahan, MA, is Head of Research Collections at Trinity College Dublin, based within the Old Library. She has responsibility for the departments of Manuscripts and Archives, Early Printed Books and Special Collections, the Map Library and Music. She has previously performed a variety of roles in the National Library of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh Library. Laura completed her Undergraduate Degree in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, with Booker Prize winning novels being the focus of her Masters Dissertation. Laura subsequently completed her Masters in Library and Information Management at Northumbria University, with her Dissertation topic being the binary role the internet can play in women's lives. Laura's predominant focus in Libraries has been working across research and general collections in service delivery and development, and on major collections and estates projects. She has had high level responsibility for collection development and improving mechanisms for use in research and teaching. Significant achievements in previous roles have included service transformation projects such as the implementation of a new library management and resource discovery system in 2015, the implementation of a Resource Lists system and service in 2017, and a masterplan project to redevelop the University of Edinburgh's offsite library store for heritage collections (2014 onwards). Laura has also been heavily involved with exhibitions and digital projects, including the multi-partner European Commission funded Musical Instruments Museums Online project (www.mimo-international.com), and the delivery of the "Darwin's Edinburgh" bi-centenary exhibition at the University of Edinburgh's public gallery. Laura joined Trinity College Dublin in January 2018.