Robert Wedgeworth is an American librarian who was the founding President of ProLiteracy Worldwide, an adult literacy organization.

He developed a new Headquarters building in a joint venture that more than doubled the value of its property and produced a windfall profit of more than $10 million by 2003.

Under his leadership, Illinois launched a National Science Foundation sponsored digital library research program, expanded its Mortenson Center training program for foreign librarians and launched the web-based Kolb-Proust Research Archive to international acclaim.

[3] After six years on the Executive Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), he was elected President in 1991 and re-elected in 1995 to serve until 1997.

During his tenure as IFLA President he led the Association to become the dominant international library and information service organization in the world, expanding its membership to over 140 countries.

He led the transformation of IFLA by introducing a global communications system (IFLANET) through the technical support of SilverPlatter and the National Library of Canada.

He has also conducted special studies of librarianship and the book trade in Western Europe, Latin America and South Africa.

His publication, STARVATION OF YOUNG BLACK MINDS: THE EFFECTS OF THE BOOK BOYCOTTS IN SOUTH AFRICA, New York, 1989 written jointly with Lisa Drew raised serious questions about curbing the free flow of information during the struggle to combat apartheid.

More recently, he produced a study of library development in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe for the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1998.

For his achievements Wedgeworth has received many honors and awards including six honorary doctorates, most recently from the Syracuse University in 2008.