OUR HISTORY

LIANZA's history is long and full of achoevements. We've put together a time-line illustrating just how important our organisation has been (and still is)
with the help of the research publications of W.J. McEldowney and Julia Millen.

Past LIANZA Presidents

 

1910
    • Library Association of New Zealand (LANZ) officially forms
1932
    • Carnegie Corporation injects funding for libraries
1936
    • NZLA Auckland branch established
1937
    • LANZ Journal, New Zealand libraries established
    • Munn-Barr report creates the foundations for the inter-loan system
    • NZLA Dunedin, Canterbury, and Wellington branches established
1938
    • Country Library Service established
1939
    • LANZA constitution rewritten
    • LANZ formally becomes NZLA to be recognised as an incorporated society, after the New Zealand Library Association Act is passed
1941
    • General library certificate syllabus approved
    • Children's librarians certificate course initiated
1942
    • School library service begins
    • Association's general training course established, later known as the NZLA library certificate
1944
    • Children's librarians certificate course initiated
1945
    • Esther Glen medal first awarded
    • Children's book week established
1946
    • NZ library school for graduates established
    • NZ library school diploma established
1951
    • Professional section of the NZLA set up
1952
    • The NZLA sets up the National Library committee
1955
    • Associateship (ANZLA) and Fellowship (FNZLA) awards established
1962
    • The Maori Library Services Committee (MSLC) is established
    • The Currie Comission on education in New Zealand comments on the low quality of school libraries.  In response to the report NZLA releases a four page pamphlet detailing the importance of school libraries
1963
    • The Library Public Relations Committee established
    • Prime Minister Keith Holyoake announces a decision to establish a national library
    • A one week course is initiated especially for teacher-librarians
    • The MLSC publishes a four page pamphlet encouraging the usage of libraries by Maori
1964
    • Mary Fleming award is established
    • Geoffrey Alley appointed as New Zealand's first national librarian
1965
    • National Library Act passed
    • Geoffrey Alley offers his services to the professional section
1966
    • NZ Libraries journal moves from 11 issues per year to 6
    • A study of professional and non-professional duties in libraries' published
1967
    • Geoffrey Alley retires as national librarian, succeeded by Hector Macaskill
    • NZLA Waikato branch established
    • The MLSC goes into recess
1969
    • Library and book week established
1970
    • James Traue assesses the NZLA and announces the imbalance of power within the organisation.  General consensus of membership is concern that Council is centred on Wellington
    • The International Writers organisation, PEN, discusses the question of whether authors should be compensated for their work being held within libraries
    • Working Party on Education for Librarianship (The Graham Report) is publicised
1971
    • James Traue appointed as convenor for the Committee on Future Organisations
    • The CFO commissions several studies and surveys for insight into members opinions
1972
    • First Maori Language day
1973
    • Election for position of president opposed for the first time
    • Composition of the council altered to accomodate the new chairpersons of specific branches
    • The Authors' Fund is created (Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors)
    • Nelson Public Library, last of the large public libraries to move to the standard 'free and rental' system
1975
    • The executive officer position is formally created. The first individual elected is David H. Bowie
    • The NZLA publishes 'Library Services for Children in New Zealand Schools and Public Libraries
1976
    • Mary Ronnie appointed national librarian
1978
    • Library Life replaces the NZLA newsletter
1980
    • Feminist Librarians founded
    • NZLA branch newsletters begin to adopt titles / subtitles in te reo Maori
    • Council adopts the policies listed within the "Education for librarianship" statement
1983
    • A working party on interloan is established and performs a study on the current system
1984
    • Massey University publishes "Who's Who in Public Libraries"
    • The Joint Standing Committee on Interloan is established
1987
    • The National Library of New Zealand opens to the public
1989
    • The Futures Group is established
    • The Bicultural Committee is established
    • The NZLA rewrites the region boundaries to include more isolated librarians
1990
    • NZ Library School achieves university status whose qualifications are now internationally recognised
    • GT Alley Fellowship established
1991
    • The N-Strategy Steering Group commissions the 'Te Ara Tika - Guiding Voices' project, to investigate progressing biculturalism in the LIS sector
    • Individuals begin gathering to discuss the implementation of a nationally recognised set of Maori catalogue subject headings
1992
    • The NZLA commits to a restructure and is formally renamed The NZ Library and Information Association: Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa Inc
1994
    • The N-Strategy action group alongside the NZLIA publishes 'Ka mahi tonu: biculturalism in New Zealand librarianship 1992 - 1994'
    • Library Life is renamed to 'Library Life: Te Rau Ora: Newsletter of New Zealand Library and Information Association Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa'
1995
    • Te Rōpū Whakahau established
    • The NZLIA and Te Ropu Whakahau agree to a partnership
    • The NZLIA constitution is rewritten to reflect the partnership agreements
1996
    • The then NZLIA accountant signs an affidavit for the Fraud squad
    • The NZLIA gathers for an AGM to decide whether to close down or continue the organisation
    • A former NZLIA accountant is found to be guilty of embezzlement and is charged with paying reparations to the NZLIA
    • The JSCI revises the interloan system
1998
    • The council is recomprised to represent the changes to the region boundaries
    • The NZLIA is renamed to LIANZA: Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa: Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa
2000
    • The Rua Mano award is established
    • School Libraries Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) is established
    • Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand
2003
    • The updated 'Public Library Standards' are released
2004
    • The Iwi Hapu names list is officially released
2006
    • LIANZA realises it is registered twice - once by Act of Parliament and once through the companies office.  This is addressed in a Special General Meeting with membership
2007
    • The LIANZA Professional Registration scheme is launched
2009
    • Constitutional changes increase regional representation on Council
2010
2011
    • Questions submitted on library and information issues to all political parties prior to General Election for first time
2012
    • The "Strengthening the Profession" projects are launched
2013
    • Inaugural issue of Libraries Aotearoa (a state of the sector report) published
    • Collaboration meeting held between various sector associations
2014
    • Libraries Aotearoa launched
2015
    • Future of Libraries Summit held in Wellington
    • Merge of LIANZA Children's Book Awards with the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults
2017
    • Briefing documents sent to incoming Ministers of Parliament
2019
    • Won bid for IFLA WLIC 2022
    • LIANZA 2019 conference 'Our families, our communities, our libraries - Nāu te rourou nāku te rourou' conference held in Manukau City
2020
    • NZ Libraries Partnership Programme 58.8-million-dollar COVID recovery package for the library sector
    • LIANZA Evaluation and Impact initiative
    • LIANZA Children and Youth Services Network
2021
    • New Zealand Libraries Partnership Project
    • LIANZA Older Peoples Services Network
    • LIANZA 2021 'Thriving Together' first fully virtual conference
2022
    • LIANZA SLANZA Tertiary Grants opened
    • First LIANZA annual hui
    • GLAMMIR hui
    • LIANZA Connect platform established
2023
    • LIANZA 2023 Conference in Ōtautahi attracts over 500 people
2024
    • Te Tōtara Workforce Capability Project established

 

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