Reginald Philip Carr is an English librarian, who was Bodley's Librarian from 1997 until his retirement in 2006. He is a member of the Christadelphian church.
Life and writings
Carr was born in Manchester and educated at Manchester Grammar School before studying French and German at the University of Leeds and the University of Manchester. 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 at the University of Surrey, he was Deputy Librarian at the University of Aston and of the University of Cambridge. Between 1986 and 1996, Carr was University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection in the University of Leeds, before being appointed as the 23rd holder of the position of Bodley's Librarian 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 to cover electronic publications, and significant work on buildings and fundraising. During his time as Bodley's Librarian, he was also a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. 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 LibraryVisiting 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 , The Mandrake Press, 1929-30, An Introduction to University Library Administration and The Academic Research Library in a Decade of Change, 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, a collection of essays on Christadelphian faith, life and history, and several tracts about issues of Christian faith.
