Obituaries P


HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh


rince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died on 9 April 2021 at the age of 99. The Duke of Edinburgh was a President of the Library Association between 1950- 51, a time which coincided with a period of growth and innovation in UK libraries.


Born on the island of Corfu in 1921, he was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg. Follow- ing a coup in Greece in 1922 his father was banished, and Philip and his family escaped to Italy on board a Royal Navy ship.


Philip, the youngest of five children and only boy, began his education in France but eventually settled in the UK after attending Gordonstoun School. In 1939 Philip met King


Agnes (Nance) Maxwell McAulay A


gnes (‘Nance’) Maxwell McAulay was born in Alexandria in Scotland in 1928. She graduated from Manchester University with a BA in History in 1949 and started her career in Manchester public library. She moved to Nottingham University in 1951 for nine years, rising to be Chief Cataloguer. As librarian in charge at Magee University College Londonderry she gained experience in build- ing developments, also being the senior woman on the college staff. She came to Durham University in November 1963 as deputy to the University Librarian, David Ramage whom she succeeded in March 1967. She was thereby the first woman to hold one of the principal offices of the university in her own right. The ‘Main Library’ of the univers- ity was then Palace Green Library,


with separate Science and Oriental Studies Libraries also part of her remit.


She oversaw two major developments in the university’s library service during her 22 years in charge. Firstly, a new central main library was developed, shifting the focus to the Science site, and allowing the Archives and Special Collec- tions to grow more specialist services at Palace Green. There were few times when Nance did not have building plans


on her desk. She began in 1967 with the Palace Green Library Pace Building extension still being settled in and retired in 1989, having opened what is now the Bill Bryson Library in 1983, and having already developed an extension to that in 1988. Secondly, she was instrumental in the advance of auto-


54 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL


mation in the university’s library service, introducing the GEAC online circulation system in 1983 and enabling online cataloguing to be implemented the year after she retired. Central to her vision was the development of a friendly, helpful, well-stocked library, responsive to the needs of staff and students alike. She brought considerable administrative skills to her role, employing a participative management style uncommon in academic libraries at the time. She was a strong supporter of her staff, encouraging them to develop international links for the library and to appreciate the world outside the Durham academic milieu, such as by inviting staff to watch the Miners’ Gala procession from her flat overlooking the route.


She also sought to engage student support for the service, being an ardent advocate especially of enhancing the opening hours, and fought many battles at a time of financial restraint. Her legacy lies in both the building developments of her period in office and the tradition of service she built. She was an assiduous supporter of her profession at national level through such organisations as SCONUL, of which she became chair.


The tribute on the invite to her 1989 retirement party expressed her achievement at Durham: “Under her guidance the library has trebled in size, seen a sixfold increase in use, and thoroughly modernised its methods without sacrificing either scholarship standards or its welcoming, informal atmosphere”.


She died on 27 November 2020 after a lengthy battle with dementia, but having never lost that glint in her eye and hint of a smile.


Obituary compiled by Colleagues and Friends April- May 2021


George VI’s two daughters – Elizabeth and Margaret. The relationship between Philip and Elizabeth developed over the ensuing years and in 1946 he sought permission from the King to ask Elizabeth to marry. The engagement was announced in July 1947, after Elizabeth had turned 21, and the wedding took place in November of that year. The library association and later CILIP has operated under a Royal Charter since 1898, and Her Majesty The Queen has been the organisation’s patron since coming to the throne in 1952. However it was her husband, Prince Philip, who first had an official capacity with the Library Association when he agreed to become President in 1950.


CILIP went on record to say: “We are grateful to him for his service to the library and information profession.” Current CILIP President Paul Corney has written to the Queen to share condolences on behalf of CILIP and the pro- fessional community.


Prince Philip died on 9 April after a lifetime of service as Consort to the Queen. He is also remembered for his support of the World Wildlife Fund and the creation of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.


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