William Barker

William Barker is the Inglis Professor at Dalhousie University, specializing in Early Modern literature, textual studies, and folklore. His research focuses on Renaissance humanism, book history, and early educational practices. He holds degrees from Dartmouth College (AB), and the University of Toronto (MA, BEd, PhD).

His notable works include editions of Erasmus' Adages (2001) and Richard Mulcaster's Positions Concerning the Training up of Children (1994). He has contributed to Humanistica Lovaniensia, Cambridge History of Libraries, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. Current projects involve Gabriel Harvey's marginalia, Erasmus scholarship, and the fairy tale tradition in English.

He served as Research Editor for The Spenser Encyclopedia (1990) and contributed to major reference works like the Oxford Companion to the English Language. His recent work on Newfoundland's book history and 16th-century school libraries bridges archival research with cultural analysis.

Barker's career includes leadership roles such as Former President (2003-2011) and active involvement in editorial projects. His interdisciplinary approach spans textual criticism, historical methodology, and the intersection of education and literary production.