Aimee Smith is the LIANZA Award winner for the 2022 Te Pūkenga Open Polytechnic cohort. This award is given to the student from the L5 or L6 library and information studies diploma who is judged by Te Pūkenga Open Polytechnic to have the highest overall academic achievement in either level. Aimee talks about the diploma, her role as a service representative at Hamilton City Libraries, Te Kete Aronui Branch, and her career plans.
Ko Aerana te whakapaparanga mai engari
Ko Sydney te whenua tupu
Ko Oamaru te kāinga
Nō Oamaru au
Kei Morrinsville au e noho ana
He Ringa Hapai au i Te Ohomauri o Kirikiriroa (Te Kete Aronui)
Ko Aimee Smith au
Tēnā tātou katoa.
My ancestry is Irish. However, I grew up in Sydney, and Oamaru is where I call home and where I was born. I now live in Morrinsville and am a service representative (ringa hapai) at Hamilton City Libraries, Te Kete Aronui Branch.
Ko Aerana te whakapaparanga mai engari
Ko Sydney te whenua tupu
Ko Oamaru te kāinga
Nō Oamaru au
Kei Morrinsville au e noho ana
He Ringa Hapai au i Te Ohomauri o Kirikiriroa (Te Kete Aronui)
Ko Aimee Smith au
Tēnā tātou katoa.
My ancestry is Irish. However, I grew up in Sydney, and Oamaru is where I call home and where I was born. I now live in Morrinsville and am a service representative (ringa hapai) at Hamilton City Libraries, Te Kete Aronui Branch.
I have just completed the New Zealand Diploma in Library and Information Studies (Level 5) with Te Pūkenga Open Polytechnic. It delved into the theory of information, Te Ao Māori in the information environment, cataloguing and collection management principles, digital literacy, the digital divide, and many other areas of information and library practice.
Although theory-based, students are also provided with the tools to apply the theory in their professional practice. I am New Zealand-born but Australia-educated and missed out on learning about Māori culture and language and the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Learning about these was enjoyable, challenging, and incredibly valuable.
I plan to continue working as a ringa hapai for at least another year to build my general library practice skills, then move into the heritage and local history area. I would love to work in local history and heritage in the South Island, hopefully in the Otago region where my family is from.
Graduates can be supported in the sector through opportunities to develop their skills in different areas they may not have experience in yet. I completed my studies with no experience in the GLAMMIR sector. I have found it challenging to learn day-to-day skills while also trying to find ways to apply my theoretical learning practically. For example, we have Auaha Makerspace here, which has many resources for the public to use in their creative endeavours. I am regularly rostered on to spend time in this space, assisting users and learning to use the resources and computer programs myself. Spending time in this space is building practical skills and my theoretical learning about makerspaces and how the library uses them to engage with and support our community of users.
Although theory-based, students are also provided with the tools to apply the theory in their professional practice. I am New Zealand-born but Australia-educated and missed out on learning about Māori culture and language and the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Learning about these was enjoyable, challenging, and incredibly valuable.
I plan to continue working as a ringa hapai for at least another year to build my general library practice skills, then move into the heritage and local history area. I would love to work in local history and heritage in the South Island, hopefully in the Otago region where my family is from.
Graduates can be supported in the sector through opportunities to develop their skills in different areas they may not have experience in yet. I completed my studies with no experience in the GLAMMIR sector. I have found it challenging to learn day-to-day skills while also trying to find ways to apply my theoretical learning practically. For example, we have Auaha Makerspace here, which has many resources for the public to use in their creative endeavours. I am regularly rostered on to spend time in this space, assisting users and learning to use the resources and computer programs myself. Spending time in this space is building practical skills and my theoretical learning about makerspaces and how the library uses them to engage with and support our community of users.
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