Dr Spencer Routh is a respected Australian librarian. Born in 1935 in Tambo, he demonstrated his academic talent throughout his schooling, becoming one of only four students to win all three of the Lilley, Byrnes and Ryan medals.
He attended The University of Queensland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1958. Following his graduation, he worked as a lecturer in English, and was appointed UQ’s first reference librarian in 1959. He went on to work for the library for 38 years, and was a driving force behind the growth of the library, both in size and prestige. In 1965, Dr Routh attended Columbia University as a Fulbright scholar, completing a Master in Science.
Dr Routh received the Australian Dictionary of Biography medal in 2003 for his contributions to the series over thirty years. In 2005 he was awarded a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from UQ, and in 2011 he received an Order of Australia Medal.