Career Pathways with Amy Brier - Parliamentary Librarian and Deputy Chief Executive Library and Engagement / Tumu o te Pātaka Rangahau and Tumuaki Tuarua o te Rangahau, te Whakapāpātanga at the New Zealand Parliament
Amy Brier.
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In this column, we interview library and information professionals – finding out how they got to where they are and any advice they have for students or new professionals. In this issue we talk with Amy Brier, who became the Parliamentary Librarian & Deputy Chief Executive Library and Engagement at the New Zealand Parliament in March.
Why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about yourself? Ko Amy Brier tōku ingoa. I was born in Christchurch and grew up in Taranaki. I moved to Wellington to attend Victoria University of Wellington where I studied history, political science and criminology (obtaining honours in criminology). I live in Ngaio, Wellington with my husband Rob, our three primary-school aged children and our dog Obi (named after the Jedi). Apart from a few years overseas, my professional working career in Aotearoa has all been at Parliament. I’m currently in my 11th role at Parliament so it’s fair to say that I love working here! What is your title and where do you currently work? I am the Parliamentary Librarian and Deputy Chief Executive Library and Engagement / Tumu o te Pātaka Rangahau and Tumuaki Tuarua o te Rangahau, te Whakapāpātanga at the New Zealand Parliament, leading the Parliamentary Library and Engagement team / Te Pātaka Rangahau, te Whakapāpātanga. There are around 70 team members in my group and we are responsible for a range of activities which include:
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What does a day look like in your role?
As well as leading Te Pātaka Rangahau, te Whakapāpātanga, I am a member of the executive leadership teams for both the Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk (the parliamentary agencies). A typical day for me involves lots of meetings and then time at my desk catching up on what’s been going on and actioning the mahi from those meetings! My role allows me to do what I really enjoy - working with people, sharing and developing ideas, and troubleshooting any obstacles or risks that arise. No two days are the same at Parliament, which is one of the things I love most about working here, and probably why I have stayed so long! In our roles, we can be close, but not too close, to some of the big news stories of the day, so it’s a real privilege to be able to support our MPs and our democracy.
Can you describe your library journey up until this point? Was this the career you always intended to go into, or was there another one?
I’m very new to the library sector, becoming the Parliamentary Librarian in March this year, but I’ve worked in the GLAM sector having worked in public engagement focused roles over the last eight years. My career is very Parliament-focused. This was predicted by my classmates in my last year of high school (at Sacred Heart Girls College, New Plymouth) however, they were only partly right as they predicted that I would become a member of Parliament. Although becoming the Parliamentary Librarian has not been a long-held ambition of mine, it is a role that I’m honoured to undertake. I think a turning point (or the starting point) in my career was when I finished university and started job hunting. I was very keen on using my criminology degree. However, when I was offered two roles - one with the Office of the Clerk and the other with the Department of Corrections - I went for the role that paid the most (given my reasonably large student loan), and the rest is history.
We all had an idea of what a librarian is or does when we were younger, what was yours? Did you ever think you would become a librarian?
When I was young, my idea of the role of a librarian was based on what I saw in the school library and public library. Those librarians who provided a welcoming space, shared their knowledge, and provided a treasure trove of information and escape through books. I was an avid reader so spent a lot of time at the library.
While my current role is not a role I thought I would do, I have known for some time that I want to continue to support Parliament and how people engage with it. This role allows me to work with people who have a similar motivation, and we focused on sharing information and knowledge – there is probably not too much escapism in what we do though!
Any career highlights you’d like to share with us?
I’ve had numerous highlights and opportunities over the years. One that stands out was in 2018 when I accompanied a delegation of MPs to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Our busy programme included visiting a school in Honiara where the recommended gift was soap so that kids had something to wash their hands with. The facilities overall were humble but the teachers and kids were happy and proud to be there. We met the librarian who, by our standards, had a very small collection but she was very proud of it as those books opened up new worlds and opportunities for the tamariki. Following that visit, one of our MPs arranged for a shipping container full of books to be delivered to that school – even driving a storage truck around New Zealand as she collected the books. To me, it showed the value of these exchanges in ways not always intended and how the work we do can make a difference and hopefully improve people’s lives.
Do you have any advice for those who are currently finishing their library and information qualifications ?
Your experience of studying will open opportunities and give you skills wider than you might realise, so don’t underestimate this or think that there are only particular avenues open to you. Make the most of the opportunity to study, soak up the knowledge and information available to you, and enjoy what you are studying. I think people get their best results when they like, or even better love, what they are doing, and this applies in both an academic and work setting.
Who would you say is one of the most influential librarians or sector people to you or your career?
Someone who was influential to me in the start of my career was David McGee, Clerk of the House of Representatives when I first started at Parliament. Dave epitomised the values of a clerk – calm, considered, knowledgeable, and he had a lot of mana. He was not the loudest in the room (he spent a lot of time in the debating chamber, so he was never going to be) but when he spoke, people listened. Dave was also a leader who was fun, he would play sport with the staff and join us for a Friday night drink, which people noticed and appreciated.
I had a lot of opportunities in my first few years at Parliament which I am very grateful for, such as drafting members bills, hosting delegations from overseas parliaments, writing the Journals of the House, and clerking the Business Committee. When I resigned to go on my big OE, Dave gave me a glowing hardcopy reference (which I proudly showed around many workplaces in London), and he said that he hoped I would come back to Parliament one day. This meant a lot and helped shape my career, as I did come back!
If you could recommend only one book to someone, what would it be?
It’s a big read cover to cover but I would recommend Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand if you are interested in how Parliament works (without getting involved in the politics). It’s the equivalent to Parliament’s “bible” and was first published in 1985 by then clerk, David McGee. The Office of the Clerk is currently preparing the fifth edition for publication in 2023. In this edition, there will be a new chapter on engaging people with the work of Parliament, which I am very excited to be involved as it will showcase our mahi in this area.
In your opinion, why are libraries/ information organizations, archives, museums, galleries important to a country?
Libraries are the heart of our communities. They illustrate who we are, where we come from, and what we are proud of. They inform us and can challenge us. The work of the GLAM sector probably means something different for everyone, and not everyone will realise how it affects their lives, but I do believe that everyone in our communities is touched by the work of these organisations in some way.
Our mantra at Parliament has been “Our House is Your House” and we want everyone to feel an attachment to Parliament, to know that it is part of who we are as a nation, and to know that the work that takes place affects the lives of all New Zealanders. Democracies work best when their citizens have a voice and we regularly work with others in the GLAM sector to achieve this goal. If you haven’t visited us virtually or physically please do. More information can be found at www.parliament.nz. I look forward to meeting more of the LIANZA community in the near future.
Arohanui.
As well as leading Te Pātaka Rangahau, te Whakapāpātanga, I am a member of the executive leadership teams for both the Parliamentary Service and the Office of the Clerk (the parliamentary agencies). A typical day for me involves lots of meetings and then time at my desk catching up on what’s been going on and actioning the mahi from those meetings! My role allows me to do what I really enjoy - working with people, sharing and developing ideas, and troubleshooting any obstacles or risks that arise. No two days are the same at Parliament, which is one of the things I love most about working here, and probably why I have stayed so long! In our roles, we can be close, but not too close, to some of the big news stories of the day, so it’s a real privilege to be able to support our MPs and our democracy.
Can you describe your library journey up until this point? Was this the career you always intended to go into, or was there another one?
I’m very new to the library sector, becoming the Parliamentary Librarian in March this year, but I’ve worked in the GLAM sector having worked in public engagement focused roles over the last eight years. My career is very Parliament-focused. This was predicted by my classmates in my last year of high school (at Sacred Heart Girls College, New Plymouth) however, they were only partly right as they predicted that I would become a member of Parliament. Although becoming the Parliamentary Librarian has not been a long-held ambition of mine, it is a role that I’m honoured to undertake. I think a turning point (or the starting point) in my career was when I finished university and started job hunting. I was very keen on using my criminology degree. However, when I was offered two roles - one with the Office of the Clerk and the other with the Department of Corrections - I went for the role that paid the most (given my reasonably large student loan), and the rest is history.
We all had an idea of what a librarian is or does when we were younger, what was yours? Did you ever think you would become a librarian?
When I was young, my idea of the role of a librarian was based on what I saw in the school library and public library. Those librarians who provided a welcoming space, shared their knowledge, and provided a treasure trove of information and escape through books. I was an avid reader so spent a lot of time at the library.
While my current role is not a role I thought I would do, I have known for some time that I want to continue to support Parliament and how people engage with it. This role allows me to work with people who have a similar motivation, and we focused on sharing information and knowledge – there is probably not too much escapism in what we do though!
Any career highlights you’d like to share with us?
I’ve had numerous highlights and opportunities over the years. One that stands out was in 2018 when I accompanied a delegation of MPs to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Our busy programme included visiting a school in Honiara where the recommended gift was soap so that kids had something to wash their hands with. The facilities overall were humble but the teachers and kids were happy and proud to be there. We met the librarian who, by our standards, had a very small collection but she was very proud of it as those books opened up new worlds and opportunities for the tamariki. Following that visit, one of our MPs arranged for a shipping container full of books to be delivered to that school – even driving a storage truck around New Zealand as she collected the books. To me, it showed the value of these exchanges in ways not always intended and how the work we do can make a difference and hopefully improve people’s lives.
Do you have any advice for those who are currently finishing their library and information qualifications ?
Your experience of studying will open opportunities and give you skills wider than you might realise, so don’t underestimate this or think that there are only particular avenues open to you. Make the most of the opportunity to study, soak up the knowledge and information available to you, and enjoy what you are studying. I think people get their best results when they like, or even better love, what they are doing, and this applies in both an academic and work setting.
Who would you say is one of the most influential librarians or sector people to you or your career?
Someone who was influential to me in the start of my career was David McGee, Clerk of the House of Representatives when I first started at Parliament. Dave epitomised the values of a clerk – calm, considered, knowledgeable, and he had a lot of mana. He was not the loudest in the room (he spent a lot of time in the debating chamber, so he was never going to be) but when he spoke, people listened. Dave was also a leader who was fun, he would play sport with the staff and join us for a Friday night drink, which people noticed and appreciated.
I had a lot of opportunities in my first few years at Parliament which I am very grateful for, such as drafting members bills, hosting delegations from overseas parliaments, writing the Journals of the House, and clerking the Business Committee. When I resigned to go on my big OE, Dave gave me a glowing hardcopy reference (which I proudly showed around many workplaces in London), and he said that he hoped I would come back to Parliament one day. This meant a lot and helped shape my career, as I did come back!
If you could recommend only one book to someone, what would it be?
It’s a big read cover to cover but I would recommend Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand if you are interested in how Parliament works (without getting involved in the politics). It’s the equivalent to Parliament’s “bible” and was first published in 1985 by then clerk, David McGee. The Office of the Clerk is currently preparing the fifth edition for publication in 2023. In this edition, there will be a new chapter on engaging people with the work of Parliament, which I am very excited to be involved as it will showcase our mahi in this area.
In your opinion, why are libraries/ information organizations, archives, museums, galleries important to a country?
Libraries are the heart of our communities. They illustrate who we are, where we come from, and what we are proud of. They inform us and can challenge us. The work of the GLAM sector probably means something different for everyone, and not everyone will realise how it affects their lives, but I do believe that everyone in our communities is touched by the work of these organisations in some way.
Our mantra at Parliament has been “Our House is Your House” and we want everyone to feel an attachment to Parliament, to know that it is part of who we are as a nation, and to know that the work that takes place affects the lives of all New Zealanders. Democracies work best when their citizens have a voice and we regularly work with others in the GLAM sector to achieve this goal. If you haven’t visited us virtually or physically please do. More information can be found at www.parliament.nz. I look forward to meeting more of the LIANZA community in the near future.
Arohanui.