Peter Johan Lor

Who is Peter Johan Lor?

Peter Johan Lor was born in the Netherlands and emigrated to South Africa. He did his studies in Librarianship and Library Science at the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Pretoria in South Africa and at the University of Caen in France. He received a B.Bibl. Honors from the University of Stellenbosch as well as a Masters in Library Science from the University of Pretoria. He also was granted his D.Phil. in Library and Information Science from the University of Pretoria in 1990. In 2008, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Pretoria for his extraordinary professional work in different associations and as a professor and researcher in Library Science.

Throughout his varied career as a professor, librarian, manager, and researcher, Peter Lor has been passionate about issues of International Librarianship, specifically the development of libraries around the world. As a practitioner, Lor served in various libraries in South Africa as well as holding the position of senior librarian at the University of Pretoria. He also worked as the director of South Africa's State Library for eight years. In 1999, the National Library of South Africa was created by merging the State Library in Pretoria and the South African Library in Cape Town. Lor became the first National Librarian, responsible for this merger. Peter Lor was also active in the creation of the Library and Information Association of South Africa. This association replaced former library associations that had been segregated along racial lines. Further, he was involved in developing national library policies for post-apartheid South Africa.