University Medal: Rachel M Hart BA MArAd FSAScot
Citation by Professor Margaret Connolly, Schools of English and History
Tuesday 3 December 2024
Vice-Chancellor, it is my privilege to present Rachel Hart for the University Medal.
Rachel began her career as an archivist at Cumbria Record Office, having taken degrees at the universities of Durham and Liverpool. She then worked at the University of Aberdeen’s Library before coming to St Andrews in 1997. She has given 26 years’ service to the University through a variety of roles in the Library: as Deputy and then Acting Head of Special Collections, as Senior Archivist and Keeper of Manuscripts and Muniments, and finally as Head of Archives and Rare Books.
She has also served on the Scottish Council of Archives and on the UK Archives Accreditation panel. Her calm leadership in all these positions was characterised by kindness towards colleagues, and by an intuitive understanding of the needs of different users of archives.
The role of archivist involves ensuring the safe-keeping, organisation, and appropriate use of written materials. Rachel has had the responsibility of looking after the University’s most important institutional records, including the records of graduates. She has curated the personal papers of past Principals, Chancellors, and Rectors, politicians, famous authors, and scientists.
She has taken care of the University’s oldest and most precious medieval documents and manuscripts. Through this stewardship she has developed a deep understanding of the University’s history and of the history of St Andrews, and her research expertise in early modern Scottish textual production is widely respected.
Rachel is also a gifted teacher of palaeography – the study of historical writing systems, manuscripts and texts. She has taught hundreds of graduate students how to read early-modern handwriting. There is an archival record of this teaching in the annual module evaluation questionnaires where glowing feedback testifies to a ‘supportive’ ‘helpful’ and ‘wonderful’ teacher. A cornerstone of her classes is their use of original materials.
Even during Covid (except for periods of full lockdown) Rachel’s resourcefulness ensured that in-person classes with original documents were maintained. This teaching, which she continues to offer through the School of History, has helped to launch St Andrews’ graduates into employment in the rare books and archives sector, with our alumni now curating collections at prestigious institutions worldwide.
Rachel has brought the scale and significance of St Andrews’ collections to wider scholarly attention, and her generous assistance is acknowledged in many a footnote. Through countless exhibitions, blog posts, and publications like the Alumnus Chronicle, she has shared knowledge of St Andrews’ rich heritage with school children and local residents, with the University’s most distinguished visitors, and with generations of students.
Vice-Chancellor, in recognition of her major contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the University’s history I invite you to present Rachel Hart with the University Medal.