Board Elections

Kathryn is a candidate for a general Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
I have been motivated to seek election due to my interest in furthering the wonderful work achieved already by ALIA and my desire to assist in guiding the future of the association. I have achieved a lot professionally in my career and morebroadly in the library world (as reviewer for the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge and judge for CBCA Book of the Year Award) and feel it is now time to take this experience further. With over 20 year’s experience as an educator coupled with extensive library experience, I have reached a stage in my career where I believe it is perfect for me to contribute and share in a wider capacity.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
My experience of working in schools (K-12) gives me knowledge of current and future trends in literature and education. I have current experience in digital and remote learning and the operations of remote presentations and meetings. My network of library professionals within the school library world and local booksellers and several authors also makes me knowledgeable on the needs of the library community. I have extensive experience of overseeing budgets, controlling, and tracking expenditure. I also have current leadership experience and professional learnings to guide me as well as a strong spirit of collegiality. I have an ability to focus on desired ‘outcomes’ and work towards those to drive change which is meaningful and lasting. My ability to be responsive and flexible in our world and work towards solutions and positive outcomes is also an asset.

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
Three significant issues facing ALIA and the library world today are: airplay in the wider community, having a relevant and diverse representation from all areas of the library world and finally, tackling a decline in the value of library services. ALIA has a wide reach with its networks and supporters. A challenge is to increase public airplay for its advocacy to reach an even larger and more powerful audience. Leveraging of networks is a vital aspect of this. Secondly, ALIA has a broad membership base which draws from many library sectors. A challenge for ALIA is to draw together these sectors, speak to and accurately represent each sector and be relevant to the members of each sector. ALIA’s challenge is to show inclusivity of all its members and fully represent libraries. Integral to this representation and to reflect 21 century Australia, is diversity and inclusivity. Thirdly, ALIA must continue its focus on tackling the decline in the value of library services. At a local, national, and international level the relevance of libraries, the funding of library services and the staffing of libraries is a great issue, and this is a real challenge which is facing all.

• Master of Education - Teacher Librarianship
• Diploma of Education - Secondary ESL/Japanese
• Bachelor of Arts - Asian Studies - Japanese
• AALIA

Current Position
Head of Library and Coordinator of Overseas Students, Pittwater House

Previous Positions
Library Coordinator - Mater Maria Catholic College - Warriewood NSW
Teacher librarian - North Sydney Girls High, North Sydney NSW

Professional Activities

• Judge CBCA Book of the Year Award Older Readers
• Reviewer Panel NSW Premier's Reading Challenge years 7-9
• Presenter Review Panel- IEU Inaugural Bookclub Review
• Assessor on AIS NESA Accreditation panel for Experience Teacher
• Published Reviewer

What I would like to accomplish?
The need for advocacy in support of the library world is great, as is the need to promote the library links across the different sectors. I'd like to continue the work started by the previous ALIA board members. It is important we leverage the combined knowledge and wealth of experience within the library world and its members. I'd like to represent school libraries within the wider library community to create closer and tighter links to benefit all. ALIA needs to be more inclusive of the sectors it represents. Diversity and Inclusivity of membership and access is vital.

Social Media Connections
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Alan is a candidate for a general Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
I have had a long career as a library manager and have worked in a range of areas and feel that my experience may be helpful in providing guidance in solving problems that might arise in ALIA. I have been known as a creative thinker and may be able to encourage new approaches to issues not just based on what I think but also from what I know has worked for me in the past. It is time I gave something back to both help the Association and to maybe the Association will stimulate me in my thoughts.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
I have been a library manager for over forty years and understand the politics of management, the relationship between government and governed and the management of staff and budgets. I have problem solved many issues not only with staff, logistics and funding but also with politicians. I have experience in making decisions and know how to analyse a problem to come to solutions. I am a team player and a realist and plan ahead to make sure we have solutions not problems.

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
All organisation relies on membership and for members to join and stay, the organisation has to remain relevant to their needs. ALIA needs to gain and keep the attention of government and business to show the relevance of the Association to the future of Australia whether it be public libraries or the National Library and the safeguarding of our historical records. The profession needs to work with educational institutions so that librarianship is not lost in the desire to recreate the information industry. The word “librarian” is very powerful and being one of the oldest professions needs to maintain its position as one of the most trusted professions. Librarianship has to continue to exist as an entity.

• BA in Librarianship
• GRAD DIP in Communication
• Master of Librarianship 

Current Position
Retired

Previous Positions
Institute librarian - Hunter TAFE
Library manager - Gosford City
Library manager - NSW Department of Housing
Library manager - Baulkham Hills
Chief librarian - NSW Department of Health
City librarian - Penrith

Professional Activities

• MPLA Board Member
• CPLA Member
• Two study tours of Europe and America
• President of public libraries section of alia
• Board member of health librarians section ALIA
• Co-ordinated CPLA conference
• Organised and participated in "biblio turismo" a 14 year public relations exercise for public libraries using motorcycle librarians.
• Researching and presenting programs for u3a

What I would like to accomplish?
Encourage a creative way to solve problems using my background as a library manager, provide guidance in financial matters and ensure association remains fiscally healthy, make suggestions as to how the association can raise awareness of libraries in the community through creative public relations.

Social Media Connections
LinkedIn

Phillip is a candidate for a general Director position and Institutional Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
From my earliest time in Librarianship, I have benefitted from the leadership, mentoring and inspiration of senior leaders in the profession. I have served ALIA in many niche or sectoral roles throughout my career for example as President of the Victorian Branch and leading the Advisory Board for JALIA following the merger of the AARL and ALJ journals. I am eager to contribute this experience and learnings from my long and diverse career together with grass-roots involvement in ALIA committees to serve ALIA’s guiding Board at this important time in the profession and the ALIA organisation.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
Senior roles in Australia and the UK have required high level representational, advocacy and policy development skills necessary to tackle thorny issues such as the changing nature of scholarly publishing, copyright, Open Access and the value of libraries. Working with large and diverse library workforces, stakeholders and different sectors has reinforced for me the importance of communication, consultation, respect and listening to different voices. My strategic skills have been honed through development of Library plans, allocating resources to priorities and making difficult structural choices. Experience in governance, compliance and statutory responsibilities obtained through work in Risk and Audit and IT Leadership roles, together with MBA and Company Director studies have been exercised on other Boards (e.g. CAVAL, arXiv).

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
Relevance of Libraries and Librarians in the age of fake news, mis-information and perceived alternative technology options while funding is under threat, particularly in a time of post-COVID debt. The future of the LIS profession itself, what work will be required by Library and information professionals and support staff, plus how do we educate, train and reward workers? What strategic priorities are necessary for ALIA to deliver in a challenging future, what services are most valued by members and how can they be delivered as effectively as possible, engaging the membership and influencing our stakeholders?

• BA GradDipLibSc MBA AALIA

Current Position
University Librarian, University of Sydney

Previous Positions
University Librarian at Bristol (UK)
Melbourne and Victoria Universities
Senior positions in Library, IT, Risk & Audit at CSIRO
Roles in academic and TAFE Libraries, Queensland

Professional Activities

• ALIA Pathways Board. CAUL representative
• JALIA/ALJ Editorial Boards, author and reviewer
• CAUL Senior Leader Development and Networking Project, Co-lead
• CAVAL Mentoring Scheme. Mentor
• arXiv Members Advisory Board
• IFLA Library Buildings & Equipment Section

Previous Leadership Roles

• ALIA/LAA Qld & Victorian Branches + UCRLS, Specials, Acquisitions and EDLIB sections
• CAUL
• Group of Eight Librarians
• CAVAL Ltd Board 
• SCONUL Mentoring + Judging Panel for UK Library Design Awards

What I would like to accomplish?
Shared values unite LIS professionals. What will future work look like? What does that mean for education and learning? Can ALIA support us better? Philip will advance this important work in a spirit of unity. Australia’s Chief Scientist seeks wider access to research outcomes for all. Experienced in research, scholarly communication and Open Access models, Philip will pursue workable options for our libraries, customers and nation. LIS professionals are passionate about sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and First Nations knowledge. Philip will build on ALIA’s track record to embed these concepts in what we do and how we work together.

Social Media Connections
LinkedIn

Hero is a candidate for a general Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
As we navigate an unprecedented level of disruption, rapid technological innovation and increasing inequality across the globe, a thriving library and information profession – and professional association – has never been more important. I am seeking election as an ALIA Director as I am passionate about our profession and ambitious for our future. I want to join the Board with the aim of creating a more vibrant, engaged, diverse and future-focussed professional association (starting with the Board itself!), one that works transparently, effectively and inclusively to deliver more value to existing members as well as purposefully exploring ways to attract, engage and represent our next-generation. I want to see ALIA become an association that doesn’t just contribute to national debate, but actively shapes it. With a strong track record of leading transformational change in libraries, and a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, I believe that I will be an effective advocate for positive change on the ALIA Board, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve my profession in this role.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
Firstly, I bring diverse library experience, having worked across public, government, TAFE and academic libraries as well as in LIS education over the course of my career. This breadth has given me important insights into the unique differences and synergies between our sectors and enabled me to build a strong and diverse professional network that I will be able to leverage for the benefit of the Board. In addition to this, I bring a highly collaborative approach to my work, and come to the position with extensive senior library leadership experience and expertise in strategic planning, program implementation and review, digital innovation, data governance, finance and risk. I believe this combination of experience and expertise will enable me to become a highly effective contributor to the ALIA Board.

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
1. Transformative leadership – building our collective leadership capabilities to:

a. drive digital transformation and uplift of our organisations and services
b. attract, develop and retain talent – particularly focusing on priority areas impacted by expected skills shortages
c. advocate more effectively for both our value and our values (addressing the gender pay gap)
d. critically engaging with emerging technologies and being at the forefront of public debate around development and applications of new technologies

2. Maintaining a strong, thriving and cohesive professional LIS identity, while increasing the diversity of our profession

3. Equity, diversity and inclusion – ensuring that we:

a. continue to provide sustainable, inclusive and equitable access to information, expertise and technologies - including advocacy for Open Access
b. create culturally safe collections and services
c. critically interrogate our own practices and protocols to identify and reduce systemic biases
d. build organisations that mirror the communities we serve

• Graduate Certificate of University Management - University of Melbourne (2016)
• Masters of Information Management Queensland University of Technology (2007)
• Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Education - University of Queensland (2004)

Current Position
University Librarian, Deakin University

Previous Positions
2018-2020 Director, Learning Services, Digital Innovation and Library Experience - UNSW 
2017-2018 Director, Digital Libraries and Repositories - Deakin University
2016-2017 Biomedical Librarian & Program Leader, Scholarly Literacy Programs - University of Melbourne
2013-2016 Arts Librarian - University of Melbourne
2010-2013 Senior Client Services Librarian - University of Melbourne
2010 Sessional Academic - Queensland University of Technology
2008-2009 Learning Centre Manager - City & Islington College, London

Professional Activities

• 2022-2024 - Trove Strategic Advisory Committee
• 2022-2024 - CAUL Content Procurement Committee
• 2019-2022 - CAVAL Products and Services Committee
• 2017-2021 - CAVAL Cross-Institutional Mentoring Program
• 2016-2017 - CAVAL CRIG Committee 

What I would like to accomplish?
As a future ALIA Board member, I look forward to driving the continued strategic transformation of our profession by:

• Working with the Board to leverage synergies across the sectors to amplify our voice within national debates
• Building on Pathways program, and expanding our commitment to diversity with the aim of creating truly diverse, inclusive and culturally safe organisations, collections and services
• Deepening our capabilities and critical engagement with new technologies, and exploring strategic professional alliances, to strengthen the LIS voice within the tech sector
• Building our future leaders’ capabilities to guide the transformation of our organisations, services and profession

Social Media Connections
LinkedIn

Clare is a candidate for a general Director position and Institutional Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
I have enjoyed and been challenged by my first term on the ALIA Board. Since 2020, I have had the privilege of contributing to decisions around securing ALIA’s financial future, steering strategic planning, advocating for and addressing the needs of members, and advising on responses to the pandemic. Through this experience, I discovered a passion for the role of Board governance to empower organisations, like ALIA, to succeed. I believe I have more to give in service to ALIA members through this opportunity at this time.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
During my time on the ALIA Board I have built on my strong skills in corporate governance, finance, strategic planning and risk management. As a Board Director, I use my professional skills as a librarian and leader to ask curious and reflective questions at the Board table, drawing on my knowledge and abilities to provide expert guidance, assess risk and find creative solutions to strategic challenges. I have a broad understanding of library and information management industries. I work hard to keep up-to-date with issues affecting ALIA members across all sectors. In 2021, I completed the Women in Technology Board Readiness program to further develop my skills and knowledge to serve I this role.

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
ALIA’s commitment to progressing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals encompasses a number of important and critical issues for our members, libraries and clients, including mitigating and minimising climate change, addressing indigenous representation and cultural safety in our libraries, and increasing open access to information for the good of all Australians through copyright reform and removing financial barriers to sources such as the Australian Standards. I would also like to see the new Board review and provide better value to ALIA’s members. The current membership model is overdue for review and should be improved to enhance and empower members’ career journeys, as well as to ensure the association’s sustainability.

• Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies, QUT, 2001
• Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, Griffith University, 2004 
• Bachelor of Arts, USQ, 1996

Current Position
Director, Library Services, Southern Cross University

Previous Positions
Acting Director, Library Services, University of Southern Queensland 2020-2021
Associate Director (Library Experience), University of Southern Queensland 2017-2020
Manager (Visitor Experience), State Library of Queensland 2015-2017
Prior to 2015: Various other roles in academic libraries, state libraries and LIS education.

Professional Activities

• ALIA Board Director 2020-2022 (including Finance, Risk and Audit committees)
• ALIA Mentoring program, Mentor, 2019-2021
• CAUL: Council member, Building Sustainable Leadership Networking Project
• QULOC: University Librarians' Committee 2020-; Workforce and Organisational Development group 2017-2020
• Peer reviewer for journals in Australia, UK and India; Conferences run by ALIA, VALA and ASCILITE
• Committee member: APLIC 2018, 8th International EBLIP Conference 2015, Beyond the Hype: Web 2.0 Symposium 2008, 3rd International EBL Conference 2005

What I would like to accomplish?
I am seeking another term on the ALIA Board to serve the membership through my skills in corporate governance, finance, strategic planning and risk management. As a librarian, I connect people to the information, knowledge and people they need to succeed. As a Board Director, I use these skills to ask  curious and reflective questions, drawing on my knowledge and abilities to provide expert guidance, assess risk and suggest creative solutions to strategic challenges. Since 2020, I have had the privilege of contributing to decisions securing ALIA’s financial future, steering strategic direction, and advising on strategic responses the pandemic. As part of my personal commitment to professional development, I recently completed Board Director’s training and I value the opportunity to continue to serve ALIA’s members for a second term.

Social Media Connections
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Janette is a candidate for a general Director position and Institutional Director position.

What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA Director?
Moving back to Australia after a period working internationally, I see that the library sector in Australia is healthy and well-regarded but still has a low profile. I hope to use my experience in a range of sectors and locations to promote the benefits of libraries to the wider community and as part of the scholarly endeavour.

What skills can you bring to the Board?
I am an experienced Board member and senior executive. I understand that policy and strategy must be supported by consultation and consensus. I can bring to the Board an expanse of professional contacts to further the strategic objectives of the Association. I seek to engage more information professionals and their parent organisations in our mission.

What are the three most important issues facing ALIA or the LIS profession?
We need to leverage our extensive networks to support individual and family wellbeing, mental health and social cohesion in a turbulent and uncertain world. Information professionals are skilled at differentiating truth from ’fake news’, so we should join the conversation about the issues of the day, whether these be the challenges of world-wide poverty and disease or the global environment. By engaging in these important conversations, whether they be in the scholarly or public sphere, we can increase the visibility and resourcing for the advancement of knowledge.

• Masters Knowledge Management, University of Melbourne, 2006
• Graduate Diploma Library and Information Science, Curtin University, 1979
• Bachelor of Psychology, University of Western Australia, 1980

Current Position
Director Library, Federation University Australia

Previous Positions
Dean of Libraries, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi.
Founder, Biblio Insights, Melbourne
State Librarian, Queensland, Brisbane
CEO, CAVAL Ltd, Melbourne
Director, RMIT Publishing, Melbourne
Managing Director, Rowecom Australia, Brisbane
Director Library and Community Services, Waverley Council, Sydney
Director, Public Library & Network Services, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney
Lecturer, RMIT University, Melbourne; and Curtin University, Perth
Manager, AWA Computer Services, Melbourne
Manager, Dynix Computers, Adelaide.

Professional Activities

• Conference Committee Chair, ETD 2020 and ETD 2021. 
• Editorial Board, JALIA. 2017 to date. 
• Founder and Continuing Mentor, CAVAL 
• Executive Leadership Program, 2008-2012.
• Founding Member of NSW Public Libraries Association, 1996. 
• LAA/ALIA Board of Education, 1982-88; elected General Councillor, 1989. 
• Council Member, National Film & Sound Archive, 1997-2003. 
• Founding member, LAA Special Interest Group on the Status of Women in Librarianship, 1984.
• Secretary and Conference Committee for EdLib Section, LAA, 1982-1984.

What I would like to accomplish?
As the world changes to become more virtual we need to leverage our networks to improve the visibility of library services in government and the wider community. We need to demonstrate the importance of public libraries as co-working and recreational spaces which support individual and family wellbeing, pathways to employment and local enterprise. In the education sector, we can promote and explain the value of scholarly research and publication to combat the epidemic of 'fake news'. I hope to lead that advocacy on behalf of libraries across all sectors and in all parts of Australia.

Social Media Connections
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