VALE Denis Richardson
Obituary - University Librarian 1975-1991
WD (Denis) Richardson BA, FLAA, former University Librarian of the University of Melbourne, died on Sunday 1 May.
Born in England in 1927 and educated at the University of Sheffield, Richardson began his career in librarianship in public libraries in England (Leeds and Bradfield 1951-54) and regional Australia (Claremont, Glenelg and Toowoomba) before taking up an appointment as Chief Extension Librarian at the National Library of Australia in 1963. In this position, Richardson oversaw not only the growing Canberra Public Library Service, but also library services in New Guinea, Nauru and the Northern Territory.
In 1970, he moved to the National Library proper, as Deputy National Librarian. This appointment came at a critical time in the Library’s history, as the foundation National Librarian, Sir Harold White had retired after more than two decades at the helm. His replacement, moreover, was not a professionally qualified librarian, and as Director-General Allan Fleming, while bringing enormous talent and flair to the position, relied heavily on the professional knowledge and experience of his Deputy and senior staff. During his time as Deputy, the National Library of Australia, which had moved into its new building only two years earlier, expanded its staff, its embrace of new technologies and its collections.
In 1974, Richardson was invited to apply for the position of University Librarian at the University of Melbourne, and began a career of both local and national significance. The University of Melbourne Library was chronically under-funded, decentralised and cramped. The library system consisted of over a dozen branch libraries not all of whose librarians actually reported to the University Librarian. Many Departments held large collections of material in varying states of insecurity, only some of which duplicated material held in the University Library. Denis Richardson embarked on a long and arduous effort to bring material purchased with University funds under the control of the University Library, to reduce unnecessary duplication of materials and to have all the collections appropriately housed.
This required a total reorganisation of the staff structure and personnel, almost constant shuffling of the book-stock in an effort to make the best possible use of inadequate accommodation, and an enthusiastic embrace of new technology. It also required regional and national co-operation and Richardson was a moving force behind the establishment of CAVAL (Cooperative Action by Victorian Academic Libraries) in 1978, which saw the provision of shared storage, ownership of material, cataloguing and reciprocal borrowing rights. In 1980, he was elected President of the Library Association of Australia. From 1986-89 he chaired the Committee of Australian University Librarians. He was also a Victorian Committee member and National President of the National Book Council, a non-profit organisation representing Australian book publishers, book sellers, libraries, authors and readers. In 1989, the University of Melbourne Library amalgamated with the Melbourne College of Advanced Education, a marriage that brought enormous problems as well as advantages. Twenty years on, the University is only just approaching a solution to the disposition of book-stock and use of space provided in the Eastern Resource Centre. When Denis Richardson assumed responsibility for the College Library and its staff challenges were posed by material, buildings and personnel.
Denis Richardson perhaps was unusual among Australian librarians in being equally fascinated by the old and new information technologies. Just as he embraced and promoted what was at the time cutting edge technology (CD-roms, manuscripts reproduced in microform), he authorised the acquisition of book materials as varied as the 1472 Schoeffer Bible or private libraries of books in Yiddish and Russian as well as other European languages. He greatly expanded the University’s Chinese holdings and took a personal and informed interest in the development of the Music Library. His appointment of a senior Collection Development Librarian in 1978 was evidence of his determination to increase and improve the capacity of the University of Melbourne Library to support research in all areas. The Library’s first comprehensive Collection Development Plan was prepared as a result. Many scholars in all fields of academic endeavour owe Denis Richardson a debt of gratitude for his steadfast determination to see that Australians were not substantially disadvantaged by their distance from the vast resources of European, Asian and North American libraries. He persuaded University authorities to vote the funds to achieve this.
Denis Richardson is survived by Barbara, his wife of 58 years, their four children and six grandchildren.
Dr Juliet Flesch
Foundation Collection Development Librarian and currently Fellow of the School of Historical Studies, at the University of Melbourne.
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