Reginald Philip Carr (born 20 February 1946) is an English librarian, who was
Bodley's Librarian
The head of the Bodleian Library, the main library at the University of Oxford, is known as Bodley's Librarian: Sir Thomas Bodley, as founder, gave his name to both the institution and the position. Although there had been a university library a ...
(head of the
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford, and is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. It derives its name from its founder, Sir Thomas Bodley. With over 13 million printed items, it is the sec ...
at the
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...
) from 1997 until his retirement in 2006. He is a member of the
Christadelphian
The Christadelphians () or Christadelphianism are a restorationist and millenarian Christian group who hold a view of biblical unitarianism. There are approximately 50,000 Christadelphians in around 120 countries. The movement developed in th ...
church.
Life and writings
Carr was born in Manchester and educated at
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a free grammar school next to Manchester Parish Church, it moved in 1931 to its present site at ...
before studying French and German at the
University of Leeds
, mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased
, established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds
, ...
(obtaining a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
degree in 1968 with first class honours) and the
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The university owns and operates majo ...
(obtaining a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. ...
degree in 1971). He worked as an Assistant Librarian in the
John Rylands University Library of Manchester between 1970 and 1976, and was also Librarian-in-Charge of the School of Education Library at Manchester from 1972 to 1976. After two years as Sub-Librarian (Reader Services) at the
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its royal charter in 1966, along with a number of other institutions following recommendations in the Robbins Report. The institu ...
, he was Deputy Librarian at the
University of Aston
Aston University (abbreviated as ''Aston''. for post-nominals) is a public research university situated in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK's firs ...
(1978 to 1980) and of the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
(1980 to 1986). Between 1986 and 1996, Carr was University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection in the
University of Leeds
, mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased
, established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds
, ...
, before being appointed as the 23rd holder of the position of
Bodley's Librarian
The head of the Bodleian Library, the main library at the University of Oxford, is known as Bodley's Librarian: Sir Thomas Bodley, as founder, gave his name to both the institution and the position. Although there had been a university library a ...
in Oxford from January 1997.
[ In 2000 he established Oxford University Library Services, a new organisation that formally integrated Oxford's centrally-funded libraries, and he was its first Director. Other work during his time as Director of Oxford University Library Services and Bodley's Librarian included setting up the Oxford Digital Library, extending the scope of ]legal deposit
Legal deposit is a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of their publications to a repository, usually a library. The number of copies required varies from country to country. Typically, the national library is the primary reposit ...
to cover electronic publications, and significant work on buildings and fundraising. During his time as Bodley's Librarian, he was also a Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the ...
. He retired in December 2006, and was given the title of Bodley's Librarian Emeritus.[ A book of essays in his honour was published in 2008.
In retirement Carr continued until 2010 as a Member of the Harvard University Library Visiting Committee, and until 2012 as a Trustee of the Chawton House Library and as a Member of the Council of Management of the Friends of the Bodleian Library. Since 2007 he has served as the Book Editor for ''The Testimony'' magazine, and in 2011 he edited a special issue of the magazine to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the publication of the Authorised Version of the Bible.
Carr's academic and professional publications include ''Anarchism in France: the case of ]Octave Mirbeau
Octave Mirbeau (16 February 1848 – 16 February 1917) was a French novelist, art critic, travel writer, pamphleteer, journalist and playwright, who achieved celebrity in Europe and great success among the public, whilst still appealing to the ...
'' (1977) (based on his M.A. thesis), ''The Mandrake Press, 1929-30'' (Cambridge University Library, 1985), ''An Introduction to University Library Administration'' (Clive Bingley, 1987, joint publication) and ''The Academic Research Library in a Decade of Change'' (Chandos, 2007), as well as numerous articles in both professional and academic journals. He has co-authored a comprehensive analysis of the use of the word 'Spirit' in the New Testament, and has written a study guide to the Biblical book of Micah
Micah (; ) is a given name.
Micah is the name of several people in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and means "Who is like God?" The name is sometimes found with theophoric extensions. Suffix theophory in ''Yah'' and in ''Yahweh'' results in Mi ...
, a collection of essays on Christadelphian
The Christadelphians () or Christadelphianism are a restorationist and millenarian Christian group who hold a view of biblical unitarianism. There are approximately 50,000 Christadelphians in around 120 countries. The movement developed in th ...
faith, life and history, and several tracts about issues of Christian faith (''The Miracle of the Bible: The word of God in print'' and ''The Christian and Politics'').
References
External links
* Archival Material a
Leeds University Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carr, Reginald Philip
Living people
1946 births
English librarians
Bodley's Librarians
People educated at Manchester Grammar School
Alumni of the University of Leeds
Alumni of the University of Manchester
Christadelphians
English Christians
People associated with the University of Surrey
People associated with Aston University