Kimmy Victoria Delsuc

Please tell us about your research project.
My research examines the intellectual contributions of pioneering women in academic librarianship in Britain between 1890 and 1930. By analysing their personal and professional correspondence, institutional papers and their numerous publications, my study aims to understand the connection between their position as librarian within British universities and colleges and their broader contributions to scholarship and knowledge. It intends to draw on their family backgrounds and their personal and professional networks in order to highlight the strategies these women used to navigate gendered professional limitations and take advantage of academic environments to further their intellectual ambitions. Two of my primary case studies were librarians at Oxford colleges.

Could you please tell us a bit more about your scholarship/exchange programme?
I am resident at the MFO as part of the Monthly Scholarship which offers transportation, accommodation near Oxford City Centre and access to the Bodleian libraries for the duration of one month. This scholarship is a valuable opportunity for me to advance my research, specifically allowing me to consult a great number of archival materials crucial to my study in several Oxford colleges and at the Bodleian.

First impressions of Oxford/the University?
I have been very fortunate to visit Oxford several times before joining the MFO and it is a great pleasure to return. I look forward to spending the coming month in this historically rich and architecturally beautiful city, taking full advantage of its unique academic community and resources.