Spicer, Erik John, 1926- : Born in Ottawa (Ontario) April 9, 1926, son of Clifford Spicer and Violet Gundersen, Erik John Spicer (C.M., C.D., M.A.) is the former Librarian of the Parliament of Canada (1960-1994). He studied in Ottawa, graduated from Victoria University (University of Toronto) in 1948 with a pass B.A. and a B.A. from the University of Toronto Library School (1949) and School of Graduate Studies (1949-1950). He was awarded a Library Service fellowship from the Canada Council Fellowship at the University of Michigan where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in Library Science in 1959 for a paper entitled The Graphic Publishers Limited, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 1924-1932 (Ottawa, 1960). Erik J. Spicer worked at the Public Libraries of Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa, at the University Libraries of Victoria and Michigan before becoming assistant Librarian and deputy Librarian at the Library of the City of Ottawa (June 1954 to November 1960). At this time, he was appointed Parliamentary Librarian of Canada. Over the years, he introduced many new and valuable services and made particularly effective use of technological innovations. He also contributed to Canada's political heritage by inaugurating an oral history project about Parliament and parliamentarians.He was involved in numerous associations of librarians, especially the Ontario Library Association, the Institute of Professional Librarians of Ontario and the Canadian Librarian Association (president in 1979-1980). On the international scene, he was correspondant for the International Centre for Parliamentary Documentation (Geneva), Secretary of the International Federation of Librarians Association (The Hague), Director of Special Library Association (1967-1973) and Delegate to the IFLA annual meeting (1966-1992), Delegate to the European Conference on International Exchange of Publication (Vienna April 1972), Delegate to the Intergovernmental Conference on the Planning of National Documentation for UNESCO (Paris, 1974), Correspondent for the Europenan Center for Parliamentary Research and Documentation Council of Europe (1978-1981) and Secretary of the Canadian Study of Parliament Group (1981-1987). He was also Director of the Canadian Writers Foundation (1964-1972). Erik Spicer taught at the Librarian School of the University of Ottawa in 1972. He also participated in the reform of the Ontario Legislative Library and was a member of the National Library of Canada Advisory Council (1960-1969) and the National Library of Canada Advisory Board (1969), etc. He retired in 1994.
Erik spicer is the author of several studies, articles and speeches in the field of library studies.
Eric Spicer was an officer in the Governor General's Foot Guards in Ottawa for 12 years. He was awarded the Canadian Force's decoration for this and his wartime service with the Royal Canadian Air Force and with the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. Erik J. Spicer was designated an Honorary House Officer and Parliamentary Librarian Emeritus on March 23, 1994 and was appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.) in October 19, 1994.
