LIANZA

Kia Ora Koutou katoa

This weekend I have been in the snow clad hills of South Wairarapa north of Wellington.  I enjoyed a lively discussion last night with non-library  friends about the future of librarians and information professionals. I mentioned to them the planned LIANZA Council conference session "Building a stronger profession" with a pre-Conference forum which will feed into a conference workshop on Monday 31 October. Last month  I posed the question "Is our profession dying or does it remain relevant and worth strengthening?"

In his blog on 18 May 2011, Seth Godin made several comments about librarians of the future  - "the librarian as producer, concierge, connector, teacher and impresario" ...We need librarians more than we ever did. Librarians are too important to be a dwindling voice in our culture. For the right librarian, this is the chance of a lifetime".  What do you think? How are you positioning yourself for the future? What role  has your professional association got? What difference will you make to the future of librarians? Lots of questions!  I look forward to  your views.

We will have joining us at Conference  20 international emerging library innovators (INELI)  - younger librarians - together with  their librarian sponsors, from a national librarian to library directors. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is sponsoring the project led by June Garcia from the USA.  The network has three primary goals - to create an international pool of future library leaders to build and sustain public libraries throughout the world; to explore and address local library issues that have potential to stimulate, expand or improve public library service, and to enhance the leadership skills of new professionals.   I think the project is really exciting and Conference will be a great opportunity to engage with  them .Also we have two conference sessions set aside to hear from them. June has enjoyed several LIANZA Conferences and suggested the Gates Foundation have their first INELI  meeting in Wellington so  participants  could attend the Conference. Why? We are known to try new things and be open, friendly and willing to engage with new ideas and colleagues from around the world. 

Ka kite ano
Jane Hill

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