Your committee members...

Narelle Bell

Treasurer and Newcastle Regional Co-ordinator

In Narelle's previous life (when she was aimlessly working to live - not fulfilling her life's ambition) she worked in various accounting functions. She then progressed to household management and finally enrolled at CSU in 1999 when her youngest child started school. Narelle is currently a casual relief librarian for the Hunter Institute of Technology as well as a part time teacher to library students.

Daniel Giddens

Regional co-ordinator, Victoria, and Group Website Co-ordinator

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University in 2004, which he thoroughly enjoyed, quenching his thirst for literature and history in a variety of areas, Daniel's desire to pursue a career in librarianship was stronger than ever: it is something that had been bubbling away in him since childhood. Pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Information Management part-time over two years at RMIT in 2005-2006, volunteering at a public library at the time too, he thought this sector would be a good place to start his career. But then he had a great experience on a placement in an academic library, and thought this was worth serious consideration as well. He enjoyed studying at University and saw that it would be great to be among students and academics with passions for their own disciplines, helping them in some small way to achieve their goals, to navigate the information they need.

In July 2007, he was lucky enough to land a part-time job as a Reference Officer at RMIT's Bundoora Campus Library. He works with a great team, and every day he learns something new. He enjoys challenges and the opportunity to join the New Grads Group in Victoria in 2008 was one he couldn't pass up. The chance to provide a valuable outlet for New Grads, organise events, meet other New Grads and people in the profession generally, make connections, are all plusses!

In his leisure time, he enjoys listening to an eclectic mix of music, surfing the Net on topics of interest, reading a good autobiography and socialising with friends.

Noriko Kuchi

Regional co-ordinator, Victoria

After teaching LOTE (Japanese) to VCE students for 8 years, it was 'time to change'. Noriko enrolled in the RMIT Graduate Diploma in Information Management in 2006 and started her first 'library' job at Vision Australia Library in 2007. She gets the most satisfaction whenever she manages to provide the exact information clients are looking for, from ready reference to finding academic papers, to finding information for a friend (scientist) who works in research.

She loves socialising, travelling (though the high cost these days makes it difficult), and playing (or bashing?) Japanese drums known as 'wadaiko'.

Rebecca Parker

Regional co-ordinator, Victoria

Rebecca Parker is the Assistant Content Management Librarian at Swinburne University Library. She helps manage Swinburne Research Bank, an online collection of research produced at Swinburne designed to showcase and increase access to institutional research. Rebecca is passionate about finding new ways for academic libraries to support research within universities, and is currently the consultant on author name variants for the ARROW-funded NicNames Project.

She is interested in changing the prevailing attitudes to librarianship both in the industry and the wider community.

Melanie Chivers

Regional co-ordinator, Victoria

Melanie moved to the bright lights of Melbourne from Otago, New Zealand in 2006 after completing a BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She soon found that all the jobs advertisements she was drawn to had ALIA accreditation requirements and as a result embarked on her childhood dream of becoming a librarian. Melanie studied full time in 2008 and completed the Graduate Diploma in Information Management at RMIT which, despite the workload, she loved. It was exciting to be surrounded by like-minded and stimulating people! In January 2009, Melanie started full time in the underworld of Library, Resources & Access department of the Swanston RMIT Library. A desire to stay surrounded by motivated library folk led her to get involved with the ALIA New Grad group. In her spare time Melanie enjoys getting into nature either on foot, on her bicycle, or just lying in the sun with a good book. She also enjoys all the good food Melbourne has to offer (a work in progress), good company and good wine.

John Geijsman

Regional co-ordinator, W.A.

John finished his Diploma in Information Services from Central TAFE in 2004 after realizing that libraries were a fantastic place to be. While studying, he worked in the Public Library sector for 5 years in many different roles, from the work experience kid, to shelver, to Young People's Services Assistant, to a fully fledged full time staff member. In 2007, he joined the State Library of WA as a Graduate, and was able to work in nearly all areas of the State Library. He finally found his home as the Library Technician for Document Delivery in 2008, has been there since, and thoroughly enjoys every minute of it!

In his very rare spare time, John loves the outdoors, going camping, and is an avid downhill mountain biker. He also spends a lot of time playing with his 4x4, and is a bit of a geek. He is a big supporter of the West Coast Eagles, and always enjoys going home to his wife at the end of the day.

Melaina Schuller-Tate

Regional Co-ordinator, S.A

Melaina is the Librarian, Library Partnerships at the City of Tea Tree Gully Library. As the title infers, Melaina's role is about developing partnerships between the Library Service and people in the community, across local government and sometimes even further a field. Becoming a Librarian is a sea change after working private enterprise in Hospitality Management for 16 years. Completing a Graduate Diploma in Information from UniSA in 2007, Melaina finds every day brings new smiles, extra learning and a constant stream of new people to meet and stories to hear.

Three words to describe Melaina: enthusiastic, passionate and a wee bit quirky at times. Melaina loves information, loves the stories of the world and finding the possibilities of this amazing world around us, quite simply 'amazing'.

Bonnie Dixon

Regional co-ordinator, QLD

Bonnie completed a Bachelor of Arts (Medieval and Early Modern Studies) and a Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science and Neurobiology) and realised that enjoying learning about something doesn't necessarily mean you want to work in that area. She then somehow decided that being a Librarian was the way to go and completed a Master of Information Management. It turns out this was a great decision and inspired her to succeed in the library field. Bonnie now works at Griffith University, providing Library and IT help at the Queensland College of Art and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music

Vanessa Warren

Regional co-ordinator, Tasmania

Vanessa completed her Graduate Diploma in Information Management in 2006, with a considerable degree of relief and a fair few thumb blisters to boot (Why the essay exams? Why?!). She plunged into her first position as a liaison librarian at the University of Tasmania soon after graduating and hasn't looked back since.

Insatiably curious about what other people do and how they work, the chance to be part of this committee was a perfect opportunity for Vanessa to satisfy this particular facet of professional nosiness while also helping other new graduates find their feet in the small but diverse Tasmanian library community. Outside libraries (and sometimes inside them) Vanessa enjoys dancing poorly, laughing loudly and pretending to be as well-read as civilians tend to assume she is when they hear the 'library' word.

Lynette Loone

Regional Co-ordinator, N.T.

Lynette grew up in Tasmania, studied nursing, took off to see the world and landed in Darwin. She completed a diploma in library studies in 2007 and is due to complete a graduate diploma at the end of this year. Lynette works part time at Charles Darwin University Library and Northern Territory Library.

Emily McLeay

Group E-list Manager

Emily studied a Graduate Diploma of Information Management at RMIT, graduating in 2006. Rather than use this diploma, she spent the next year travelling around Europe and working in cafes in Ireland. She did however manage to visit a lot of libraries!

She returned to Melbourne in 2008 and got a job running the library of Parkwood Secondary College. She enjoys working in a secondary school so much she is now, slowly, trying to gain her Bachelor of Teaching from CSU in order to become a Teacher Librarian