Eric John Wainwright

MA DAdmin MIInfSc ALA FALIA

Conferred: 1992

Eric Wainwright has made a distinguished contribution to the profession of librarianship in Australia since he came here as a lecturer in the Department of Library Studies at the Western Australian Institute of Technology in 1972. He had entered the library profession through the Library Association (UK) post-graduate professional examination at the College of Librarianship, Wales in 1968, following his graduation from the University of Cambridge. He became the Reader Services Librarian at Murdoch University in 1975, deputy university librarian at the University of Queensland in 1978, and university librarian at the University of Adelaide in November 1981. His major achievements in Adelaide included initiating, planning and obtaining funding (outside the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Commission's major buildings program) for a complete remodelling of the main library building, almost completed by the time he left; a complete restructure of library staffing; acquisition of the Library's first major computer; and a restructuring of the materials budget on a more logical, quantitative basis.

In March 1988 Eric was appointed deputy director-general of the National Library of Australia and he has made an outstanding contribution to its development since that time. This has included responsibility for the development of the major 1990-1995 Strategic Plan Shaping out future: preserving our past, leadership of the staff team who produced the 1990 Collection Development Policy and responsibility for the major building upgrade in recent years.

He played a major part in the planning for the Australian Libraries Summit meeting of October 1988, especially in the thinking and debates leading to what emerged as the concept of the Distributed National Collection. He subsequently chaired the joint ACLIS/NLA National Taskforce on Conspectus of 1989. He was also the instigator and driving force for the highly successful March 1992 NLA sponsored Towards Federation 2001 conference, with the agreed mission 'to enable Australians to have the maximum possible bibliographical can physical access to their recorded documentary heritage by the year 2001'.

Eric Wainwright has also made a major and sustained impact on broad national professional developments during his career. He had given outstanding service to the Australian LIbrary and Information Association, with a major contribution being his sustained and extensive work as a member of the Board of Education from 1983-1991 including his term as chairman from 1988-1989. He has given considerable service in a wide range of capacities to the Australian Council of Library and Information Services (ACLIS) and its predecessor the Australian Advisory Council on Bibliographical Services (AACOBS). While this contribution is too detailed to list in this citation, mention should be made of his long-term activity in promoting and developing research in Australian librarianship and of the particular importance of the 1976 publication Measures of adequacy for library collections in Australian Colleges of Advanced Education (the Dean-Wainwright Report).

He has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the governance and policies of the Australian Bibliographic Network (ABN). He has, with the exception of one meeting, been an ABN Network Committee member in one capacity or another since its establishment in 1981. He was deputy chairman of the Committee in 1984-85, and chairman in 1986-87. He was a key figure in developing ABN policies in the first few years of the Network, especially those concerning its governance, the basis on which membership categories and the financial structure should be developed, technical standards and the working relationship between the National Library and Network members. The continuity of his membership and policy contribution, albeit from different perspectives, has given stability and long term direction to ABN throughout its life.

Eric Wainwright has published extensively throughout his career, and indeed is among the most prolific of the present senior Australian professionals. His publications concentrate on national and co-operative activities, management issues, the impact of technology and strategic planning. They are always well research, solid in content, provocative and forward looking.

The most important contribution Eric Wainwright has made to the profession in recent years was through his membership of the Higher Education Council Working Party on Library Provision in Higher Education Institutions (the Ross Report). It is public knowledge that his sustained commitment through the life of the project was of central importance to the final report. This is only the latest demonstration of his preparedness to unstintingly devote himself to important national activities on the profession's behalf.

The General Council may confer a Fellowship on a professional member of the Association who 'has made a distinguished and sustained contribution to the theory and/or practice of librarianship'. Erica Wainwright's contribution to the development of the Australian profession has been sustained, of great diversity and of national importance. The General Council believes that he is a worthy recipient of the distinction of Fellow of the Australian Library and Information Association.