This month AuSAE welcomes Joanna Matthew, Chief Executive Officer, Library and Information Association of New Zealand as our Member in Focus. Joanna recently spoke with AuSAE about her role, changes at the Library and Information Association of New Zealand and exciting projects underway for the organisation. 

How did you first become involved with Library and Information Association of New Zealand?

I was contracting while completing my Master’s thesis, and a recruiter I knew got in touch and sold me on the role. I love the values that underpin the library profession – the focus on equitable access to information – and it seemed like an exciting time to join libraries.

During your time as Chief Executive Officer of Library and Information Association of New Zealand, the organisation has seen much change. What do you personally feel has been the biggest challenge the organisation has overcome?

LIANZA is 110 years old – and our existence was formalised by an Act of Parliament in 1939. We’ve got a lot of history and tradition – I think the challenge that LIANZA has overcome repeatedly in its history – and continues to overcome – is that of relevance. It’s so easy each year to repeat what you did last year with a few tweaks, but if you follow that path you suddenly find that you are no longer meeting the current needs of members.

In response to the pace of change in the sector in the moment LIANZA has evolved as an agile organisation able to respond to new demands and engineer a change in direction in weeks, not months or years. Long-term strategic plans are limited by our inability to see the next “disruption” – by strategizing agility I think we’ve ensured our survival.

I heard about the innovative partnership “Good^e”  - between Library and Information Association of New Zealand, the NZ Book Council and Core Education. Can you share how this partnership came about and the benefits it presents to Library and Information Association of New Zealand members?

We’ve been doing a lot of work around the Future of Libraries - and have come up with an ambitious vision for libraries that we want to realise by 2025. We’re well underway but we also strongly believe that future success will be underpinned by greater collaboration between libraries and other groups working in the community. Goode provides a platform through which to create and support that collaboration.

What exciting projects are underway at Library and Information Association of New Zealand?

Too many? Some days it feels that way…

• We’re putting in a bid for the IFLA World Librarians Congress – if we’re successful this would bring 3,500 librarians to NZ in 2020
  
• We’re beginning to run joint conferences with ALIA – our equivalent Australian body. These will happen every three years with the first kicking off in 2018
  
• We’re into our second year of our Emerging Leaders programme for the sector – this is an 8 month course that is helping us develop future leaders for the profession
  
• We’ve revamped our online and face to face training for members, and are launching new modules on a weekly basis
  
• We’ve just merged the LIANZA children’s book awards with the New Zealand Book Awards and are publishing a history of our awards this year
  
• We’re in the process of developing a workforce development strategy for the sector, and are partnering with other GLAM Associations (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) in delivery
  
• We’ve launched Good^e and are holding our first event – Goode Literacy in April
  

This is going to be an incredible year for our association.

What would you say to someone starting out in the not-for-profit sector with a view to become a future leader?

As we developed our Emerging Leaders programme I talked to a lot of individuals about their leadership journey – and they all had one thing in common. They grabbed opportunities when they arose – they initiated career development – they took risks. They didn’t wait to be asked to step up. And I think that’s key – if you wait for opportunities to come to you they may never arise. You have to go out and find them!

AuSAE thanks member Joanna Matthew for appearing in the February Edition of AuSAE Insider. AuSAE recognises a current member every month, acknowledging their success and ongoing commitment to advancing the not-for-profit sector. If you would like to share your story with other executives, please contact Kerrie Lucas, Events and Communications Manager AuSAE at kerrie@ausae.org.au.