Norman Horrocks, n.d.

b. Oct. 18, 1927, Manchester, England; d. Oct. 14, 2010, Halifax, NS

1950 FLA, Manchester Library School
1961 BA (University of Western Australia)
1963 ALAA (Associate of the Library Association of Australia)
1964 MLS (University of Pittsburgh)
1972 PhD (University of Pittsburgh)

1943-1945 and 1950-1954 Libraries of Manchester, England (interrupted by three years in the British Army`s Intelligence Corp, 1945-1948)
1954-1956 Librarian of the British Council, Cyprus
1956-1963 Technical Librarian, State Library of Western Australia
1963-1971 Instructor and Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Pittsburgh
1972-1986 Director, School of Library and Information Studies, Dalhousie University
1983-1986 Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, Dalhousie University
1986-1995 Editorial Vice President, Scarecrow Press, Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University
1995-2010 Professor Emeritus, School of Information Management, Dalhousie University

Doma, Keith and Norman Horrocks (1965). Public library service in Beaver County: a financial and organizational body. Prepared for the Health and Welfare Council of Beaver County. Rochester, Pa.

Horrocks, Norman (1986). Self study document: an instrument for the evaluation of library technician programmes in Canada. Prepared by Dr. Norman Horrocks for the Committee on Technicians (Role and Education), Canadian Library Association. Ottawa: CLA.

Horrocks, Norman (2004). “Dalhousie School of Library and Information Studies.” Toronto: ELAN.

Horrocks, Norman (2005). Perspectives, insights & priorities: 17 leaders speak freely of librarianship. Edited by Norman Horrocks, with a foreword by ED Krudla. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

ALA, ALISE, CLA, United Kingdom Library Association
Special committees: Publishing, library education, international and comparative librarianship

2006 Officer of the Order of Canada
1979 Atlantic Provinces Library Association Merit Award
1982 Distinguished Alumnus, University of Pittsburgh
1995 Lippincott Award
2003 Nova Scotia Library Association established an Annual Norman Horrocks Award for Excellence in Library Leadership
2004 International Kaula Gold Award
2005 Honorary member of the Dalhousie School of Associated Alumni
2008 Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals of the UK
2011 Norman Horrocks-Scarecrow Press Annual Conference Award established by the ALA Retired Members Round Table (RMRT) to honour his accomplishments and his contributions to the Ad Hoc Committee that worked to establish the RMRT. The first award was made in 2012.
Only librarian to receive honorary membership in three national library associations – American, British and Canadian.

He was a librarian on three continents and four countries – Australia, England, United States and Canada. ‘Norman was a mentor and gentle nudge.” Comments from Michael Colborne, a graduate of the College of Librarianship, University of Wales, Aberystwyth: “He always had time to share a moment with others, and he did it with grace and class… Norman’s table was never full – there was always room to pull up another chair … Through his work as regional representative for Ex Libris, Norman kept in touch with people even after they had left the profession, It was not uncommon for him to see an obituary and then get on the phone to track down some library connection.” He was the most conscientious contributor of material to the Ex Libris Biography database. In bestowing the prestigious Lippincott Award on him in 1995, the ALA committee cited “his caring committed dedication to librarianship and … his unfailing wit and humor.”

“Norman Horrocks has made outstanding contributions to library science nationally and internationally. Professor emeritus at the School of Information Management at Dalhousie University, he has inspired students and colleagues with his passion for books and librarianship. His expert advice has been sought by organizations in the fields of education, publishing and the humanities, and his broad knowledge and wise counsel have helped to build library associations worldwide. Moreover, he is highly regarded for creating and fostering professional networks that allow librarians, from rural Canada to urban Australia, to exchange ideas and advance the field of library science.” — citation from Officer of the Order of Canada, awarded April 6, 2006

Directory of Library and Information Professionals, v.1
Colborne, Michael (2011). “Memories of Norman Horrocks.” ELAN 29 (Spring): 8.
Norman Horrocks biography at HLWIKI Canada. Accessed August 8, 2013.
Norman Horrocks biography at Wikipedia. Accessed August 8, 2013.
Norman Horrocks, legendary librarian dies, Tribute from Library Journal. Accessed August 8, 2013.
Obituary: Dignity: A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home. Accessed August 8, 2013.
University of Toronto catalogue.