br arian , ▁and ▁Mos es ▁T ys on , ▁ke eper ▁of ▁western ▁manuscript s , ▁afterwards ▁li br arian ▁of ▁Manchester ▁University ▁Library . ▁ ▁St ella ▁Butler , ▁a ▁medical ▁historian , ▁was ▁Head ▁of ▁Special ▁Col lections ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁she ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Le eds ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁as ▁University ▁L ibr arian . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 9 , ▁Rach el ▁Beck ett ▁was ▁Head ▁of ▁Special ▁Col lections ▁and ▁Associ ate ▁Director ▁of ▁The ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Library . ▁Christopher ▁Press ler ▁was ▁appointed ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁University ▁L ibr arian ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Manchester ▁Library ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Research ▁Institute ▁Act ing ▁L ibr arian ▁David ▁Miller ▁founded ▁the ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Research ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁to ▁promote , ▁fund ▁and ▁stim ulate ▁research ▁on ▁the ▁primary ▁material ▁held ▁at ▁De ans gate . ▁ ▁The ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Research ▁Institute ▁was ▁rela unch ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁as ▁a ▁collaboration ▁between ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Manchester ' s ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Human ities ▁and ▁the ▁John ▁Ry lands ▁Library . ▁The ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁Institute ▁is ▁to ▁open ▁up ▁the ▁Library ' s ▁Special ▁Col lections ▁to ▁innov ative ▁and ▁mult id is cipl inary ▁research , ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁research ers