July 20, 2026
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Richard James Cox, who was a professor of library and information science at the University of Pittsburgh.
In 1988, Dr. Cox joined the University of Pittsburgh as lecturer in the School of Library and Information Sciences, where he developed and taught courses in Archives and Information Sciences. He became Assistant Professor in 1992, Associate Professor in 1996 and was promoted to full Professor in 2000.
Dr. Cox was a teacher and scholar, inspiring and mentoring many students. Over the years, he made significant impacts on the archival profession and exceptional contributions to the advancement of our School. During his long and distinguished career at Pitt, he served as chair of the Library and Information Science Program, on the LIS Doctoral Studies committee, and participated in the formation of the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship (ICDS).
“Dr. Richard Cox was a consummate scholar and a prolific contributor to the body of library and archival studies,” Dr. Mary Kay Biagini, Chair of the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship, said. “He was also an educator of the next generation of scholars. His doctoral graduates continue his scholarship by mentoring the next generation of students at UCLA, Simmons University, University of Alabama, Kent State University, SUNY Buffalo, University of Pittsburgh, University of Michigan, University of Toronto, and the University of Puerto Rico.”
In 2020, Dr. Cox's colleagues Jeannette A. Bastian and Elizabeth Yakel published a book in his honor titled “Defining a Discipline,” which includes chapters by his former doctoral students and colleagues on themes he explored in his scholarship.
“It's hard to overstate the impact that Dr. Cox had on the archival field,” Dr. Eleanor Mattern, a teaching associate professor in ICDS, said. “He was a prolific scholar and was deeply convicted about the importance of records for evidence and memory. He was also a devoted mentor and could always spare some time for his students to discuss their writing or something they'd read. His commitment to reading, his dedication to his role as an educator, and his curiosity about the ethical dimensions of archival work are all things I will remember and carry forward in my work.”
Outside of Pitt, Dr. Cox was a painter, movie buff, baseball fan and golfer with a keen sense of humor, a loving husband and father, as well as a loyal and generous friend and mentor.
Family and friends will gather for a memorial service at 2 p.m. on August 8 in the Sherwood Oaks auditorium. Burial will be private at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the charity of your choice or to the Sherwood Oaks employee scholarship fund are encouraged. More information is available on his official obituary.