M25 SpeedMeet
Welcome to M25 SpeedMeet and Spotlight. Every month we meet someone working in an M25 member institution or someone involved with an M25 Consortium Group, Network, or Committee. They tell us a little bit about themselves and how the Consortium has benefited them.
September 2026: Joanne Cawkwell
Who are you, where are you based and what do you do?
My name is Joanne Cawkwell and I am a Library Assistant in Library & Learning Services at Kingston University. My job is to support the librarians in my team, and my duties are varied. I do some book ordering, stock management and also oversee some message boards for enquiries from students and staff. I post on social media for the department and help on pop-up stalls at key times of the year.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I like that the job has some duties that are time sensitive and, in a team, but I am also given a lot of autonomy to work on tasks by myself and develop new things (like the Pause Point project).
What motivates you in your work?
I think reading and critical thinking are more important than ever; university is a great place to develop these skills and learn about yourself. I hope that we provide a comfortable environment for this to happen for our students.
How has the M25 Consortium supported you in your career?
I have enjoyed being able to attend some of the visits over the years (although you must be quick off the mark!). It is a good place to meet people from different institutions and to see how services are delivered elsewhere. I also applied for and was chosen to present a Lightning Talk on the Pause Point Project at the M25 Consortium Annual Conference 2026, which was a great experience.
What would it surprise people to know about you?
I once dressed up as a Roman woman for a segment on local news about Roman cuisine.
If I wasn’t working in a library I would…
…be working for Arts Council England because I have a Masters in Arts Policy and Management.
Want your story to fill in the blanks on this page?
If you’d like to be featured as an M25 SpeedMeet or Spotlight send an email to Jill Howard, m25libadmin@london.ac.uk. You can send in your replies to our questions or alternatively video your answers and we’ll show the video here.
Read more SpeedMeet interviews :
2026
January: Steve Briggs Director of Learning, Teaching, and Libraries, University of Bedfordshire
February: Mary Blomley, Open Research Librarian, University of West London
March: Louise Savage, Collections Coordinator, King’s College London
April: Carly-Ramirez-Herelle, Head of Library and Academy Services at the University of Bedfordshire
May: Callum Tilbury, Library Supervisor, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
July: Jessie McLean, Open Research & Publishing Librarian, Buckinghamshire New University
2025
Lydia Harris, Collections Manager at King’s College London
Alison Mackenzie, Research Support Librarian, RHS Libraries
Natalie Brown, Library Customer Services Team Leader, Anglia Ruskin University
Eloise Carpenter, Collection Services Manager at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Leah Gulley, Academic Liaison Librarian, Buckinghamshire New University
Dr Janice Fernandes former Academic Support Manager, University of West London
Helen Curtis, Director of Learning Resources and University Librarian at Oxford Brookes University
Dan Herbert, Library Buildings Development Manager, Queen Mary, University of London
Polly Mortimer, Library Manager and Learning Support Lead, British Psychotherapy Foundation
Ian Clark, Academic Services Manager, University of East London
2024
Chris Foreman, Associate Director of Library Services at University of the Arts, London
Vicky Robertson, Deputy Librarian, UCL School of Pharmacy Library
Laura Scullion, Administrator (Events & Programmes), M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries
Dave Puplett, Associate Director, Libraries and Academic Enhancement, University of Greenwich
Fiona Ainsworth, Head of Library and Archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Dianne Shepherd, The British Museum, Senior Librarian
Jill Howard, M25 Consortium of Academic Libraries, Operations Manager
Cliff Van Dort, National Archives, Kew, Head of Library
Camilla Churchill, British Medical Association, Library and Archive Lead
Chloe Carson-Ashurst, The National Gallery, Library Assistant
2020-2023
Birgit Fraser, Anglia Ruskin University, Assistant Director – Academic and Content Services
Sarah Pipkin, UCL – Outreach and Exhibitions Coordinator, Special Collections Library
Anna Gillis, Royal Veterinary College – Research Support Librarian
Rachel Geeson, Anglia Ruskin University – Assistant Director, Customer Services
Jennifer Domingo, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine – Library Assistant
Emma Wisher, University of Essex – Assistant Director for User Engagement
Louise Ellis-Barrett, British Museum – Librarian Acquisitions and Projects
Paul Johnson, University of Surrey – Director of Library and Learning Services
Sara Burnett, Kingston University – Information Specialist
Robert Atkinson, Birkbeck, University of London – Director of Library Services
Laura MacCulloch, Royal Holloway, University of London – Curator
Rowan Williamson, UAL – Associate Director of Library Services and Support
Frances Willis, National Art Library at the V&A – Assistant Librarian
Robin Armstrong Viner, Courtauld Institute of Art – Head of Library Services
Adam Edwards, Middlesex University – Library Liaison Manager
Linda Coombs, Buckinghamshire New University – Library and Learning Resources Manager
Liz Pinel, Royal College of Nursing Library and Archive – Customer Services Manager
David Allen, Royal Society of Chemistry – Librarian
Russell Burke, LSHTM – Assistant Librarian
Verity Allison, St George’s, University of London – Journals and E-Resources Librarian