Responses to election questions:

What are your skills and experience in strategic planning and leadership?

A sense of purpose and direction is a major driver for me throughout my career. A good strategic plan supported by sound leadership is fundamental. My experience in this area has been in facilitating the direction and the plan for the library I worked in or on behalf of other libraries I was working for as a consultant. These libraries varied from public libraries, university libraries, special libraries, law firms, hospital libraries, court libraries and a similar range of information and records management services.

I have been closely involved with the Aurora Leadership Foundation which promotes leadership in libraries. While I am very familiar with the theory of leadership Aurora is an example I am proud to highlight as practical commitment to top quality leadership in libraries.

I have a very broad range of experience in leadership and strategic planning and in the answer to the next question you will see some of my involvement as a company director and leadership positions in organisations.

What are you skills and experience in financial management?

My experience in financial management is demonstrated through my involvement as a director of a number of businesses and not-for-profit organisations. I am currently the director of my own businesses, Solved at McConchie Pty Ltd and Women’s Sport Marketing International Pty Ltd. I am the President of ACTSport, the peak body for sport in the ACT and a Director of the Aurora Leadership Foundation. I have been in all of these positions for a number of years.

For 9 years I was a director of a national sporting organisation which gave me an excellent background in running a very large not-for-profit company under the Corporations Act. I was on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Australian Schools Catalogue Information Service (ASCIS now SCIS) and, Chair for a couple of years. I was the Executive Director of a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee for 7 years.

I am very experienced in the requirements of Boards and the duties and obligations of directors and officers of companies in financial management.

What other skills do you bring as a potential Board Member?

In addition, during my career I have been fortunate enough to have worked in most types of libraries and with staff of all types of libraries. I have also worked outside libraries and been involved with community organisations including sport. I think I can combine these experiences for the benefit of ALIA and its members and bring a very broad perspective.

I have worked as a teacher and educator, as a public servant and in private enterprise. I have worked in or for small organisations and in very large national and multi-national organisations. I pushed trolleys, shelved books and sat in meetings with Government Ministers. I hope these experiences and perspectives will help me bring a benefit to ALIA and its members.

What specific issues interest you, or that you are hoping to address during your time as a Board Member?

While there are many issues that I would like to be involved in on behalf of libraries and the people who work in them I would like to focus on 2 of them:

• a relevant and skilled library workforce.
• a relevant professional association.

A relevant workforce is the key to the future of libraries and information services. To be relevant we must have a range of things going for us including support, finance, technology and a customer base in need of library and information services. But most of all we must have the skills and capability to provide a service that meets the requirements of that customer base. Knowing what is needed and how to deliver it is fundamental.

In recent times, we have seen the own-scaling and even demise of a number of library schools at our universities and TAFE’s. We have also seen the emergence of some exciting courses as a result of some hard thinking and excellent research. This is an ideal time for library staff to be clear about what type of skills they need, articulate them to the education sector and help the sector make the business case for funding – and most of all, be prepared to support education initiatives by participating in them. For my part, I am more than willing to be involved in all aspects of this effort – there has never been a more important time than now to get this right.

ALIA, as our professional association. In my view it is the key to our success in libraries. It is our association and it must work for all of us. I have been an ALIA member for many years and have actively encouraged people to join and participated in discussions between members and non-members about what ALIA should be. The question about ‘What value do I get for my money?’ is the most often asked. At this point in time I am not sure I can give an answer. I belong to ALIA because as a librarian I should belong to my professional association. I read the information about the Association, read the website, attend some activities, conferences etc. but other than saying it is my professional duty to belong, I am not sure what the answer is. So, being a member of the Board will be an excellent way to find out and I will push to make sure the answer is made clear to us all.