Russell Doust

Russell Fletcher Doust was born on 19 September 1927 in Lindfield. The son of Harold Stephen Doust and Dorothy Annie Doust (nee Fletcher).^[2] Doust attended Sydney Boys High School and was an organ scholar at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1948. He achieved registration as a librarian in 1953.^[3][4][5] In 1969 he was awarded a Master of Librarianship by the University of New South Wales for his thesis, "The administration of official archives in N.S.W. 1870–1960".^[6]

Russell Doust held a number of positions throughout his library career commencing at the Public Library of New South Wales as a junior library assistant (1944-1949) before moving on to the Newcastle Teachers College (1950-1951), Balmain Teachers College (1952-1958), Alexander Mackie Teachers College (1958-1960) and returning to the Public Library of New South Wales in 1960, Doust was the senior archivist (1962-1970), deputy principal librarian (1970-1973) and Principal Librarian, later known as State Librarian of New South Wales, from 1973 until his retirement in 1987.^{[2][7][8][9][10]} An active member of the professional association, Doust was made a foundation Fellow of the Library Association of Australia in 1963, recognising his contribution to library services.^[11][3]

In 1973 when he became Principal Librarian, Doust re-established the Mitchell Librarian role as a separate position reversing the decision of the previous Principal Librarian who had absorbed both the Deputy Principal Librarian and Mitchell Librarian roles into the Principal Librarian position.^[12] Doust led the amalgamation of the two statutory bodies previously responsible for the State Library and free public libraries into a single Library Council of New South Wales in 1975.^[3][13]

Russell Doust wrote to Neville Wran, Premier of New South Wales, in June 1978 suggesting that a new wing for the State Library would be an appropriate way to commemorate the Bicentenary of European settlement in Australia.^[14][4] On 19 September 1980, Jill Hickson Wran, opened Australian Library Week in the State Library announcing the Government’s intention to “build a new Library, as part of the commemoration of Australia’s Bicentenary in 1988”.^[14][15] This heralded the construction of the Macquarie Street wing of the State Library of NSW.^[16] Work began on the Macquarie Street wing in 1983. Doust retired in 1987 and the Macquarie Street wing was officially opened in 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.^[17]