Erik Richard Sidney Fifoot (1925-1992)
Erik Richard Sidney Fifoot (known as Dick) was born on 14 June 1925 in Oxfordshire. He attended Berkhamsted School and then the University of Oxford, graduating MA in Jurisprudence. He served as a Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards during WW2.
He began his career at the library of the University of Leeds as Assistant Librarian in 1950. He rose to Sub-Librarian in 1952 and served until 1958 when he took up the post of Deputy Librarian of the University of Nottingham.
In 1960 he became Librarian of the University of Edinburgh, remaining there until 1979. During his tenure, he oversaw the relocation of the University's Library from Old College to its current location in George Square. He was then appointed Bodley's Librarian in Oxford where he served from 1 January 1980 until his retirement in 1981. Richard also held a Professorial Fellowship at Exeter College, Oxford from 1979.
He served as Chair of the Standing Conference of National and University Libraries, 1979-1981, and as a member of the Executive Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 1979-1983.
Richard married Jean Meriel Stuart Thain in Oxford on 2 September 1949. He died on 24 June 1992.