Peter Green is a candidate for the 2018 ALIA
Board Election. He currently works at Curtin University and is passionate about libraries and their
contribution to society and culture. Peter created and moderates the WA
Information Network (WAIN) mailing list, which demonstrates his enthusiasm for
peer networking and communication. WAIN has over
2000 subscribers ranging from students and new graduates to experienced
professionals working in all types of libraries, many located in remote
regions.
As well as his
communication skills, Peter will bring his many strengths to the ALIA Board, including his leadership,
management, and team and community-building experience. Very aware of the rapid change impacting on libraries and the
library profession, Peter maintains his
strong belief in lifelong learning and
continuing professional development. He keenly supports solid foundations in
LIS education and mentoring, recognising students and new graduates as the
future of the profession.
As an ALIA member, your vote should go to the
person you think represents your interests. To assist you with this important
decision, Peter’s answers to a number of questions have been provided below. You
can read more about Peter on the ALIA
Board Election 2018 candidates page.
What motivated you to seek election as an ALIA
Director?
When I newly
graduated as a library professional, I was heavily involved in ALIA. I was
editor of the newsletter and sat on different committees. As my career
progressed and my family grew I found less time for such contributions. I am
very aware that ALIA is a member organisation and as such depends on the
voluntary labour of members to survive and thrive over time. I have been
reflecting recently on how I might re-engaged with ALIA and after some prompting
by colleagues decided that the ALIA Board of Directors would be a good avenue
for me to make another contribution.
What skills can you bring to the Board?
I have a strong
academic library background and will bring that knowledge and experience to the
Board. I am an experienced senior manager and will bring financial,
organisational and leadership skills to the Board. I have been in a management
position over a long period of sustained and challenging change and will bring
that experience to the Board. I have always worked collegially in building
strong coherent teams and will bring that experience to the Board. I am also
passionate about libraries and their contribution to society and culture and
will bring that passion to the Board.
What are the three most important issues facing
ALIA or the LIS profession?
We are living in a
period of sustained and rapid change which is having an ongoing impact on
libraries and the library profession. ALIA as an organisation can assist
members respond to and shape that change through advocacy, professional
development and building communities. To do that it is important that ALIA
maintains a strong and diverse membership, is responsive to the needs of the
membership and evolves as an organisation if it is to be part of ensuring the
future role of the library profession.
What is your involvement in peer communications
and networking within the LIS profession and how will your experience
contribute to ALIA?
I realised even as a
library student that the LIS profession depends on connectivity and
communication. I started the WA Information Network (WAIN) in 1994, in the early days of the
internet, to provide a way for the library profession to connect. Since that
time WAIN has grown into a valued and essential part of being a LIS
professional in WA, something of which I am very proud. WAIN uses an old
technology channel (mailing list) but it hasn’t been diminished by social
media, which I have also embraced. The new doesn’t necessarily displace the
old. Communication and connectivity is complex and multi-faceted. I will bring
my experience of building online connectivity to the ALIA Board, and my passion
for communication.
What have been the benefits of undertaking
professional development in your career and how will this experience contribute
to ALIA?
I am a strong
believer in lifelong learning and that a formal education is a platform on
which to build. I don’t say this lightly, as my own experience since graduating
has been one of constant learning in response to change in the workplace and in
society, and as I have taken on different roles and responsibilities I have had
to learn new skills. I don’t expect to ever stop acquiring new skills, and I
expect everything I have mastered is good preparation for what is to come. I
would not have progressed in my career without regular professional
development. I’ve been fortunate to have worked in an academic library where
professional development is expected, encouraged and supported. As a member of
the ALIA Board, I will support the many ways in which ALIA provides
opportunities for ongoing skills development and lifelong learning that I think
is so important especially the ALIA Professional Development Scheme.
What support should be given to students and new
graduates?
The students and new
graduates of today will be the future of the profession. It is important to be
connected to the profession, to have personal contacts with a range of people
working in the industry and to have contact with peers who can share the
experience. As an ALIA Board member, I will be fully behind the decisions taken
by ALIA to help students and new graduates through the accreditation of courses
and the mentoring scheme as well as the Student and New Graduates Group.
ALIA has a very diverse (demographically and
geographically) membership base, from students and new graduates to experienced
professionals. In your opinion, what is the benefit of having a Western
Australian on the ALIA Board?
Directors on the ALIA
Board bring their own views and perspective to the table and it is helpful if
they have a diversity of background and experience. As a member from Western
Australia and with an academic library background I would complement other members
on the Board. Having said that the most important thing is that the Board makes
decisions for the benefit of all members based on the best information
available.
For
more information about the ALIA Board Elections see the ALIA voting page
Voting
opens 5 March 2018
Voting
closes 13 April 2018
New
directors take office 15 May 2018 at the annual AGM in Canberra
