Robert Harold Blackburn (3 February 1919 – 18 September 2019) was a Canadian academic librarian.

Blackburn served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, then worked at the Calgary Public Library before being hired as an associate librarian at the University of Toronto in 1947.

Blackburn was promoted to chief librarian for the University of Toronto, succeeding Dr. Wallace, in 1954.

[2] Blackburn served as the first president of CACUL, the former Canadian Association of College & University Libraries, in 1963 and 1964.

[5][6] The Robert H. Blackburn Distinguished Paper Award, presented annually by the Canadian Library Association, was named in his honour.