If you are interested in helping the programme out and have library experience, but are not sure about being a coach, you will receive training on how to be an effective coach. The coaching can be run in person, video conference or phone. Here are three profiles of coaches that have joined the programme who might inspire you to find out more about being a coach yourself – visit seek.co.nz
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Taitu Lamessa
 
Taitu is the library manager at Eastbourne Library in Lower Hutt. She started out as a librarian at Kisama Africa University College and after a number of years of experience became the head librarian at the Royal University College in Ethiopia. Now part of Hutt City Libraries, Taitu leads the front-line customer service staff and the library’s layout to ensure a high standard is being delivered to their customers. Taitu has previously developed many programmes in the local community; she supports her colleagues in on-going programme design and delivery to ensure there is something of relevance for the community throughout Hutt City, which will provide insight for NZLPP participants working on their initiatives.
 
Taitu says, "It is when we support each other that we grow into our best self throughout our career. The NZLPP provides us with a nest to come together to support, nurture and uplift each other to our best selves. Professionally supporting each other by being part of a programme like this, equips us with great tool to go out and serve the community.  I am excited to be part of this journey, to see the coachees as well as the coaches grow together and leaving the nest feeling a bit taller."

Dyane Hosler
 
Dyane is the Puke Ariki Libraries Manager, based in New Plymouth. She has been involved in a number of significant library projects over the past 10 years including  post the Canterbury earthquakes (when based in Christchurch) and, more recently, the Puke Ariki strategic developments. Through these projects and others, Dyane has been a leader, driving for continuous improvement, with a keen focus on future growth of staff and always bringing the team on the journey.

Dyane says, "We need to develop our staff, so they are resilient to changing community needs and council requirements. Our staff and teams are our greatest taonga."

Hilary Mercer
 
Hilary is a digital librarian at Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand and has previously worked in human resources, information security and libraries. She is passionate about libraries, and the communities they serve. Cognisant of contemporary information and library issues, Hilary is committed to life-long learning in the areas of technology and library services in order to remain current in the profession. Hilary’s previous roles have provided a broad range of transferable skills and knowledge including leading major projects such as creating a specialised digital library and eResources, an annual reading challenge, staff training, STEAM, kidsfest and many more.

Hilary says, "The NZLPP is a fantastic initiative that I am excited to be involved with.  I am looking forward to sharing my skills and expertise to coach and support library staff members to achieve their goals."

​I want to work with you as LIANZA President to advocate for all that we do, lift up your voices, so they can be heard far and wide. I plan to work closely with our friends across the GLAMR sector to tackle some of the big challenges we face such as decolonizing our cultural institutions and meaningfully honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

Collectively we have the people power, expertise, creativity and networks to do just about anything. LIANZA is your professional association, it is us. As President I will work hard to make every member feel valued, to thrive and for LIANZA to flourish as a professional association. 
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On Twitter: @kimtairi

My name is Kim Taunga and my Dad was born in Rarotonga and my Mum has Irish whakapapa. I was born in Auckland, grew up in New Plymouth and live in Grey Lynn. I work at Auckland Council and Auckland Libraries and right now work as the Head of Community Libraries South and East with a team which look after 27 of our community libraries. (I also love sports -ocean swimming, triathlons, anything really and dogs and riding bikes with kids and sometimes a party or two).

Below you can read a little more about my LIANZA and work history, but, anything I may have contributed to over the years has only been achieved with the help and generosity of numerous other people in teams, committees and working groups. It’s been so much fun and I have more to give! I would be grateful for your vote so that as LIANZA President I can work with the Tumuaki and whānau of Te Rōpū Whakahau, the Pasifika Information network, LIANZA Council and our entire sector to contribute to enabling the wellbeing and successes of our communities and the future of our profession and organisation.

My team and I look after half of the 55 community libraries in Tāmaki Makaurau as part of the Connected Communities department. We are amidst a change process right now so my role is about to change to look after libraries, as well as the Council-led community centres and art galleries in one of three areas in Tāmaki Makaurau. I’ve worked mostly in the Auckland region in Manukau, North Shore, Papakura and since all the councils amalgamated in 2010, in Auckland. I also worked for Christchurch City Libraries for a little while which was super fun at New Brighton and Shirley libraries and how I got to know our current LIANZA President-elect Erica Rankin.

I have been a a LIANZA member since I was a library assistant when my first manager took me to a branch meeting back in the 90’s! I have an Associateship and have been chair of the LIANZA Hikuwai chair and Hikuwai regional councillor for a couple of terms as well as holding the social portfolio on several LIANZA conference committees (current president Anahera Morehu was on most of those committees with me too).

I was  around when LIANZA was NZLA, since before Te Rōpū Whakahau existed (there was a Bicultural Special Interest Group which I was on the commitee of) and before the Pasifika (PIMN) Community was formed. So, yep, I’ve seen some things, worked with some awesome people, and had the opportunity to contribute to some stuff. I look at the list of LIANZA presidents and realise I have been lectured by and worked for and with so many people on that list, very humbling to even think about joining it.

I’m proud to be part of an organisation with such a long history and which supports meaningful values and work. If as President I can serve you and help move LIANZA move forward and remain vital and relevant then excellent! Thanks for being a LIANZA member and, President or not I hope to see you or e-see you at a LIANZA gathering soon.

On Twitter:  @kimiidrene ​

“For our community, Wikipedia is often their first port of call for knowledge. As information professionals, it would be great if we were all able to fix mistakes or inaccuracies in Wikipedia, and add references that point readers to works in our collections for more information.” Dr Mike Dickison, Digital Discovery Librarian, Westland District Library.

More information on the #1Lib1Ref campaign can be found here.

A number of drop-in online sessions for librarians between May 18 and June 4 where tutors can guide librarians through the process of adding references to Wikipedia. You can find details of the sessions here.

We encourage all librarians and information 'whisperers'  to get involved !

​The OverDrive Resource Center is your marketing pit stop for everything you need to promote your digital collection to end users. And we’re continuously improving our offerings to provide simple, attractive and easy-to-print options that effectively connect your patrons to your digital library.

Finding the right resource for your needs
You already know how important it is to get the word out about your digital collection. We’ve made it as easy as possible with fresh, new resources posted monthly to the Resource Center. When you need a festive flyer to promote an upcoming holiday, go to the Trending tab. If you want a poster to advertise all those new Marvel Comics you just added to your collection, you go to Print-Ready. 

For custom pieces, our team of in-house graphic designers has worked with libraries across the globe to create one-of-a-kind pieces like these for book clubs, special events, trainings or to promote special collections.
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If you’d like to customize marketing materials for your library, contact your OverDrive Account Manager and our team of marketing professionals and designers would be happy to create a custom design or even brainstorm new ideas with you. Design work is always free of charge and we can help coordinate printing and shipping on your behalf.
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​Does your library’s collection development policy mention freedom of access to information as a principle? Have you referred to or linked to LIANZA’s statement in your policy?
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https://lianza.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/LIANZA-Statement-on-Freedom-of-Information-2020.pdf
 
Referring to national and international standards can strengthen your policies and processes, and help you with conversations about these issues with staff and customers.
 
If this is an area you are really interested in, get in touch and see how you can help. Current LIANZA Standing Committee on Freedom of Information members would love to see some colleagues outside of public libraries join this LIANZA standing committee.

​The LIANZA Cataloguing Special Interest Group (CatSIG) is calling for submissions for their newsletter Catapult. Do you have an idea for a feature piece you would like to contribute for the upcoming issue of Catapult – a project you have worked on or perhaps a current topic in the field you find interesting and wish to share with the community?

Catapult editor, Sara Sladwick says, “We have had some great submissions for previous issues and it has been so nice to hear from cataloguers from institutions all over NZ so please keep the contributions coming.”
 
You can email your contribution to Sara by Wednesday April 28 at sara.sladwick@auckland.ac.nz and find past issues here.

 Catapult is published three times a year in April, August and December. 

I absolutely loved it and was stoked to get a job as a Shelving Assistant at the city branch of Dunedin City Libraries in late 2018. Less than a year later, I added another part-time role as a Collection Services Assistant. Between these roles, I got a fantastic overview of the collection.
 
It quickly became clear that the cataloguing side of things really sparked my interest, so I further built my knowledge by completing the Open Polytechnic’s cataloguing and classification paper and starting a Cataloguing and Technical Services Certificate via Library Juice Academy (which I’m about halfway through now). The more I learned, the more I wanted to know, so when the job of cataloguer came up, I gave it a shot and am delighted to have gotten the role.
 
What special skills, attributes and knowledge do librarians need to be a great cataloguer?
 
The person who had this role before me worked as a cataloguer for 40 years, so I took their advice to hone my detective skills to heart! As a cataloguer, you need to search out records, differentiate between creators, find appropriate MARC codes, and so on. All this boils down to research and the ability to search for information in creative ways. Part of this includes reaching out to colleagues who know more – I’m lucky to be a member of the Kōtui consortium’s Cataloguing Working Group, and it’s already helped me learn so much through answering questions, authorizing provisional authorities, and creating training videos.
 
Technologies and practices are constantly in flux, so it’s important to be flexible. For example, how fictitious entities will be dealt with under new LRM and RDA practices, creating connections between resources using linked data principles, and the potential for BIBFRAME to replace MARC.
 
Having a good memory is useful, especially when it comes to the coding language specific to creating RDA records in MARC. It’s also useful for classification purposes – we use Dewey and being exposed to the collection through my time as a shelver has been incredibly helpful for remembering numbers.
 
Accuracy and caring about the integrity of data are important, and touch typing can be a useful skill, especially when adding in contents notes! Finally, it’s important to know why you’re there – that everything we do as cataloguers is supposed to make it easier for people to find stuff.
 
But as I’ve only been a cataloguer for a month, I’m sure this list will change and develop as I go along!
 
Why do you think it is important that cataloguing skills are retained in libraries and not just outsourced to specialist companies?
 
Having an on-site cataloguer allows our library to deal with any issues or inconsistencies with records quickly, directly, and in a way that works for our users. It also gives us more control over the description of our own material, especially with regards to local practices.
 
What do you hope to achieve in this new role?
 
Currently, my focus is on learning the ropes and getting up to speed with the day-to-day activities and practices. But, in the future, I’m keen to look at specific projects that might improve practices or user experience. For example, using learnings from the LIANZA Impact and Evaluation workshops to look at how staff use our systems to search for series, how this relates to our cataloguing practices, and whether anything can be tweaked to make things easier.
 
I’m also especially keen on improving access for communities and groups that have been more marginalised by the US/Western/Christian-centric cataloguing practices and tools (such as LCSH or Dewey).
 
In this vein, I’ve noticed a few DVD records where female cast members are left off the 511 field cast list… even when they’re main characters and their names are on the front of the case! I think it’s crucial to update things like this to create more representative and complete records.
 
What does a fun working day in the life of a cataloguer include?
 
Variety! So much variety! No day is ever the same. Currently, I’m working with a lot of AV material, and classical CDs are proving the most challenging. I’m not familiar with this kind of music, so am getting a bit of a crash course as I look for appropriate subject headings.
 
I also spend a lot of time on OCLC, searching for records to import into our system or creating records for items without a current record. Often, this involves deriving a record from a different format and then updating it to reflect the item in hand (for example, standard print to large print).
 
Authority work is another big part of the job, and I think this might be one of my favourite things. It gives me a real sense of satisfaction to add an authorised author heading from LC to our system, as that makes it easier for users to search and get complete results.
 
It’s also just really satisfying when you fix or add something, click save, and watch the all caps UNAUTHORIZED disappear from the end of the field.
 
You attended the recent Ngā Upoko Tukutuku Tukua Workshop at Araiteuru Marae, Ōtepoti. Why did you want to attend and what did you learn that will enable you to be more effective in your new role?
 
It just makes sense to me that people would like to use their own language or knowledge framework when searching for information, especially here in Aotearoa New Zealand where Te Reo Māori is an official language and an essential cultural touchstone.
 
As a result, I wanted to learn more about Ngā Upoko Tukutuku and this workshop provided a great opportunity to do so and connect with other keen cataloguers and library staff from across the country.
 
There was some great practical advice about how to determine the best headings to use and how to apply these to bib records using MARC. It was also important to learn that Ngā Upoko Tukutuku aren’t just translations of LC subject headings. Instead of imposing the LC way of thinking on the framework, it was developed from the ground up to reflect Te Ao Māori.
 
This knowledge will help me to add access points to Māori material in our collection, making it easier for mana whenua to find material using their own words and frame of reference.
 
What advice do you have for someone aiming to progress their career in libraries?
 
Take opportunities to try out new areas of library work when they come along. Expect change and don’t be afraid to give new things a go. Stay curious and never stop learning. Recognize your own worth.

Last week I had the opportunity, along with Rachel Esson (in her capacity as DIA official) and LIANZA President, Anahera Morehu, to meet with the Hon. Jan Tinetti, Minister of Internal Affairs, who also holds the ministerial portfolios of Women and Associate Education. The intention of our visit was to make her aware of LIANZA, its purpose and strategic vision, in other words, who we are and what we do, and more importantly, what we can do for her. Of course, while LIANZA represents the whole sector, we work with more specialists associations (Te Rōpū Whakahau, PLNZ and SLANZA)  to achieve the best outcomes for libraries.

While very aware of how lucky I was to have this opportunity, to meet and make a personal connection with the Minister on behalf of our association, I had been just a little nervous at the thought. From the moment that we were ushered into her office, it became obvious that we were among friends. The glass display cabinets lining her walls were full of colourfully displayed children’s picture books and she greeted us with warmth and genuine interest. She is passionate about literacy, equity and social justice and by extension, books, reading and libraries.

Topics discussed were, among others, LIANZA’s role as the lead library professional association, providing professional support to the whole library and information sector, well placed to be her main point of contact for connection, information and support regarding all things library. Of course, she was already aware of the NZ Libraries Partnership Programme and we discussed the way in which LIANZA is a key partner, working with the National Library in the delivery of these initiatives. The importance of schools being able to easily access library services. She was very interested in how libraries contribute to learning and is was keen to learn more about the range of options possible in this space. She was also interested to get an idea of the ratio of male to female staff working in libraries! 

Long story short, the meeting was a great success and it really felt like a positive foundation for the future. We were all so absorbed in the conversation that we totally forgot to ask the Minister if she would indulge us with a photo of LIANZA’s current and Immediate Past President and President-elect, with the Hon. Jan Tinetti, in front of her wonderful picture book-filled shelves in her office in the Beehive.  Luck would have it that Cellia Joe-Olsen was able to take the picture above to mark the occasion!
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Erica  Rankin
​LIANZA President-elect