D. R. Muff

Dudley Muff joined the staff of Lincoln University in 1931 as a porter. The University was then known as Canterbury Agricultural College, or popularly "Lincoln College". Dudley had no qualifications in librarianship but, showing Kiwi adaptability and resourcefulness, he was placed in charge of the Library in 1936. He grew into the work and displayed great dedication through the following 30 years. In a quiet, gentle way he became very possessive of the facility under his charge.

Dudley Muff was thus Lincoln University's first Librarian and he held the position until the appointment of John Frampton, who held formal library qualifications, in 1959. Dudley stayed on as Assistant Librarian until retirement in 1966. He lived close to his workplace, in a cottage on the campus road behind what is now the Commerce Building.

Ian Blair, author of Lincoln College's centennial history The Seed They Sowed, records that Dudley was a "self-taught intellectual who was happy to work long hours in the interests of library users".

Vern Clark, a former Senior Lecturer in Animal Husbandry and a Bledisloe Medallist, recalls him as a man who, although quiet by nature, was always most forthcoming and helpful with information and references when asked a question or referred to for material relating to any subject taught at the then College.

Blair writes that at the start of Muff's tenure textbook material was "becoming more readily available but the stock had to be kept in as many as 15 storage places. It was a time when the Librarian's frustration matched that experienced by the Director of the College, Professor Eric Hudson. Both were struggling with problems of inadequate funding. Thus there was an affinity between Muff and Hudson that brought them together for relaxation on the common-room billiards table, where the game afforded mental relief while groups of students admired the encounters."

In addition to his duties as Librarian, Dudley also kept Lincoln College's climatological records, from observations made at the small meteorological station near the central campus.

Helping with this task was Vern Clark, then a Research Assistant. On 2 October 1940 Vern opened the recording book to enter the morning's data and was startled to find a message from Dudley written across the page in large letters - "Gone to war"!

"It was typical of the man I remember," says Clark "He was a person of quiet character, not given to wasting words."

Of his war service Dudley later wrote: "Entered Burnham Military Camp October 1940; entered Germany (POW Greek Campaign) April 1941; left Germany after four years residence, May 1945".

On his return to New Zealand after those four years as a Prisoner of War, Dudley was met personally at Christchurch Railway Station by his old boss and billiards-playing partner Professor Eric Hudson, who took a kindly interest in all those from the College who served
overseas.