Please join with me in congratulating Rachel Doherty on being appointed to the role of Kaitiaki Huawaere Ako | Open Education Librarian. Rachel will be starting in the role on 19 December and will be reporting to me.

This is a new role. It needs someone who can happily collaborate with academic staff and management, and can create a vision for this mahi and then actualise it. We’re confident Rachel is a great fit for the role.

Rachel has general library experience and qualifications, including an MLIS from VUW, and also has the ability to work as a partner with the different people and groups on campus. For example, she partners with the University Librarian and Library managers in her role as administrator, manages the (academic) personalities in the Library committee, and has formed strong collegial relationships with finance staff and her library colleagues. In addition, in previous roles she has wrangled Members of Parliament and their staff, and senior business people. She has shown her ability to deal equally with people from across the hierarchy and is not phased to take on contentious projects. She has shown, in her current role, the ability to take on, lead, and successfully complete tasks in a consultative manner. Rachel has just completed a project management course and is currently studying TREO110.