PEOPLE


the European Commission on matters relating to informa- tion policy. He authored numerous books, book chapters, research reports, and journal articles. Furthermore, he presented papers at over 60 conferences. In 1995 Dr Hopkins was appointed as the first post holder to the newly established role of Director of Information Services at Aberystwyth University. Information Services was created to respond to the many changes taking place in the increasingly convergent worlds of information, commu- nication, and technology. The new department consisted of the Library, Computer Unit and Audio-Visual services. Dr Hopkins successfully led the department through a period of tremendous change and growth from 1995 to his retire- ment in 2009.


While in his Director role at Aberystwyth University, Dr Hopkins was very active with the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF), improving critical collaboration between Welsh HE library and National Library of Wales colleagues and working towards a shared systems approach.


Peter Vickers P


eter Vickers, a leading influence in the develop- ment of the information science discipline has died aged 96. From school, he began work in the Drawing Office of the de Havilland Aircraft company and whilst there spent time on the production line of the legendary de Havilland Mosquito. After spending two and a half years in Paris and Rome, he rejoined de Havilland for the second time and was engaged to set up an infor- mation service attached to their materials testing laboratory. This led to employment with the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) as an information officer. He then


moved to Aslib, the Association of Special Libraries and Infor- mation Bureaux, where he spent much of his career. As Director of Research and Consultancy he applied the con-


cept of information management in Aslib’s consultancy practice and helped to shape the discipline in his paper Promoting the concept of information management within organizations. His experience of practical information management issues faced by organisations informed Aslib’s research activity, which was funded by the British Library.


In 1986 together with two former Aslib colleagues, David Haynes and Peter Gillman, he formed a specialist consultancy firm, The Information Partnership, which undertook a wide range of information projects for the British Library, the phar- maceutical industry, as well as overseas work. He was co-editor with Mary Feeney and John Martyn of the 1990 British Library study ‘Information UK 2000’ which looked a decade ahead into the information landscape at the start of the new millennium. He made an immense contribution to the development of the


Institute of Information Scientists (IIS) notably as Editor of The Information Scientist (which subsequently became the Journal of Information Science) from 1968 to 1974. Over this period Peter’s development of the title led in due course to the acquisition of the title by Bowker Saur. Peter was active on the IIS Publications Committee and served as Chairman of Council from 1973 to 1975. As a member of Council his com- mitment to the IIS and his invariably wise contributions to Council Meetings were of considerable benefit to the Institute as it significantly expanded its membership. Peter was one of the founders (with Alan Gilchrist, Derek Barlow and Doug Veal) of the Tony Kent Strix Award. Peter showed early talent as a musician and, aged 11, he won a three-year scholarship to study composition on Saturdays at Trinity College of Music. Although his studies were inter- rupted by the Second World War, he maintained his musical interests and was an accomplished pianist. He also enjoyed singing the ‘Messiah from scratch’ and other choral works in the Royal Albert Hall. In later life one of his great pleasures was attending concerts at the Wigmore Hall and Kings Place, as well as visiting art exhibitions, both of which he continued to do well into his 90s. It was characteristic of Peter’s positive outlook that long after he retired, he continued to be interested in the latest developments in the information profession, when it would have been easy for him to look back and reminisce about his own considerable achievements and contribution to the field. Peter will be missed by colleagues, friends and family. He took great pride in his sons, Martin and Colin, and in seeing his grand-children and great grand-children. His wife Phyl died in 2013.


David Haynes, Sandra Ward and Martin White


For obituary submissions and guidance please email rob.green@cilip.org.uk with subject “obituary”, or write to us at Obituaries, CILIP, Room 150, c/o British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB.


March 2024 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 55


He was a leading force in the Wales-wide Gathering the Jewels Project which pooled digitised versions of items from Museums, Archives, Libraries and private collections in Wales. This collection is now known as the People’s Col- lection Wales. Furthermore, Mike was Project Director of the Higher Education Libraires Partnership (HELP) Project for WHELF, developing further collaborative and cooper- ative working, including resource sharing, between Welsh libraries.


Dr Hopkins was an active walker, and enthusiastic golfer and squash player, and testament to the positive relationship he developed with coworkers within Information Services and across libraries in Wales, after his retirement, Dr Hopkins continued to meet with colleagues for social days out and hiking trips.


Our sincere condolences to his family. Tim Davies and Elizabeth Kensler


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