Michelle Anderson

Team Leader, Library Services Delivery, Tauranga Library (New Zealand)

Kia ora! I work in Tauranga, which is one of the fastest growing cities in NZ. My job title (from June 2018) is Team Leader: Library Service Delivery, which involves supporting the community libraries, Mobile Library and the Central Library circulation department.

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Before this job I was Team Leader: Children’s and Teenagers’ Services for many years.

I am passionate about public libraries and the role we play within the community, and hope to contribute to Tauranga City Libraries becoming an inclusive, bicultural library service.

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The INELI programme was a wonderful experience. It was a chance to learn and reflect on change and innovation with a group of thoughtful, curious people. As Tauranga City Libraries undergoes a significant staffing restructure and we prepare to build new libraries I’ve appreciated the advice and experience of INELI colleagues and mentors, and love the sharing nature of our profession.

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Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

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With your basket and my basket, the people will live

Heather Davis

Manager, Libraries Network, City of Sydney (Australia)

My name is Heather Davis and I work for the City of Sydney as Manager, Libraries Network. I am currently managing nine library branch teams as we build two brand new libraries in emerging precincts throughout the city. Along with the building projects comes work to transition existing library services into the new buildings, and a restructure for the library team.

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In my spare time, I am also completing my Masters in Local Government this year, with a capstone project underway that explores how the relationship between public libraries and local government impacts the capacity of the library to deliver on library and council objectives

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Baruk Jacob

Service Coach, Community Libraries – North & West, Auckland Libraries (New Zealand)

Baruk Jacob has worked on the fringes of the telco and IT industries, with horses+special needs children, and with public libraries. He frequently goes to Mao Tse Tung and Masanobu Fukuoka for insights on learning facilitation, service design, and project management.

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He is currently employed as Poutuitui Ahunganui Service Coach at Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Libraries

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Rosie Levi

Team Leader, Programmes, Design and Delivery. Christchurch City Libraries (New Zealand)

Talofa lava my name is Rosie Levi. I am the Team leader of Programmes Design and Delivery at Christchurch City Libraries. I have been with the organization for 8 years and have loved my time in the libraries. Our team creates innovative programming with a focus on accessibility to technologies not otherwise available to everyone and engaging people with fun inspiring experiences with the latest technologies. I have loved helping people with lifelong learning opportunities of all ages and all different backgrounds. I am married to Doug and we have a 19-month-old girl who is a beautiful blessing to us and is the 16th grandchild of my parents.

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Hugh Rundle

Library Systems & Resource Coordinator, Community Learning & Participation, Brimbank Libraries. Melbourne (Australia)

Hugh works as Systems and Resources Coordinator for Brimbank Libraries in Melbourne's outer-western suburbs.

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Hugh is on the Committee of VALA: Libraries, Technology and the Future. Hugh  founded and helps run newCardigan (a professional social/learning organisation for GLAM workers), and also occasionally blog at hughrundle.net. newCardigan has been a really fun way to do some professional development whilst also drinking beer. Hugh has been learning JavaScript for the last three years and recently started studying up on Python. When Hugh’s not busy apologising for taking so long to reply to emails, I’m still not sure what I want to do when I grow up.

Rātangahia Steer

Team Leader, Customer Services, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand)

Kia ora! My name is Rātangihia, I am of Māori decent and my iwi are Ngāi Tahu and Ngai Porou. I currently work for the University of Canterbury as Team Leader, Customer Services at Central Library - Poutoko Ratonga Kiritaki o Te Puna Matāuraka o te Whare Wananga o Waitaha. I previously worked at Christchurch City Libraries and looked after the newly built (at the time) Aranui Community Library.

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Rātangihia is currently doing a Post Graduate studies in Strategic Leadership and was honoured to be the Bicultural Convenor for the LIANZA 2017 Conference.

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Being part of the INELI program has made me think about how libraries in different countries operate. What does it mean to be that ‘3rd space’ and what is the role that we play in people’s lives.INELI has given me the skills and confidence to take the time to be reflective of current practices, being ok to ask the hard questions and continually seek answers.

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My biggest inspiration for the work that I do is my sons, Phoenix and Pouākai, and 10 month old daughter Tilly, who continue to show me why I love learning, innovation and challenges every single day.

Kirsten Thorpe

Researcher, Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education & Research, UTS, Sydney (and PhD student) (Australia)

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In 2018 I joined the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education & Research, University of Technology, Sydney in a research role. I also started a PhD fulltime in 2018 at Monash University to investigate the return of Aboriginal community archives in the records continuum and archival multiverse.

Prior to this I worked at the State Library of NSW as Manager, Indigenous Services (2014 to 2017). I have worked across libraries and archives for the past two decades. My professional and research interests relate to the return of archival sources of material to communities, as well as the opportunities that the digital domain present for Indigenous Australian communities to be actively involved in managing their cultural heritage resources.  

I am an Indigenous Australian woman, my family are Worimi people from Port Stephens NSW. I am a partner to Andrew and mother to our 16-year old son, Sam.

Wakanisi Vaciloa (Salu)

International School Suva (Fiji)

My name is Wakanisi Vaciloa. I have worked as a librarian for the past 11 years and am currently working as the teacher librarian at International School Suva, which is an independent co-educational day school offering pre-school, primary and secondary education.

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I've always been interested in contributing to my local community and have done so in numerous ways despite working in an academic and school library. I have been so happy to be part of this innovative team and have greatly enjoyed sharing best work practices and ideas with everyone.