About

Since 1994 I have been the Manager of Wellington City Libraries Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui and was co-leader of “Public Libraries of New Zealand: a strategic framework 2006-2016.”

I began my library career with positions in tertiary libraries in Wellington and Sydney, but my main experience has been in the local government arena leading and managing public library services -  and more recently combining this with acting manager of the Wellington City Council’s community services directorate.

As a public library manager, I face a challenge: all 11 branch libraries are much-loved, but some are very small. That means that my staff and I have had to find creative ways of keeping them open, such as linking them with a community centre.

My managerial skills as a librarian have been useful in other areas of local government as well. Since being appointed manager of Wellington City Libraries in 1994, I have also been involved with several other large Council and city projects. Most recently, I was a member of the strategic project group for the new Wellington Hospital, which opened in 2009.

I believe strongly in the role of libraries and information in our NZ society. Both public and tertiary libraries, for example, have an education, learning support and information literacy role. Library and information professionals have an important role to play in the different sectors within which they work.