Kia ora koutou

My gratitude for some wonderful food-focussed celebrations this (short) week.  We had the fudge extravaganza on Tuesday – so delicious!!  And then the Matariki shared kai earlier today.  This was a special moment to come together, contemplate the past and look ahead to what the next and new year will bring.

On which note, various initiatives continue at pace!  We’ve had a focus on collection and shelving moves over the last few weeks, in all libraries and all locations (Meremere basement, Henry Field Store and the Annex, PJH Central Library and Archives as part of the Shelving Replacement Project).  Thank you Jenny for a tour of the Dovedale campus yesterday as well – great to see things firsthand!

Our Library Committee has a new confirmed Chair, with Associate Professor Arindam Basu stepping into the role.  Arin’s tenure as Chair commences at the next Library Committee meeting (Friday 21 July) and will provide the opportunity to set the scene for the year/s ahead, particularly in light of opportunities emerging from the review panel’s findings and recommendations.

Just a reminder that there is the ongoing opportunity to provide your thoughts or feedback to the panel, and I know groups of staff are preparing this now – thank you! We also have the project room and Padlet available for anonymous ideas sharing, too.  The panel are working to an end-of-August timeline, to have a first draft of their report ready for us to receive.

You may have picked up that I am currently reporting direct to the VC, with Ian being on medical leave for the next couple of months. I had my first one-on-one with Cheryl earlier this week and found her interested in and engaged with both the Library and the review process.  Great to see!

I hope you all have a safe, happy and very restful day tomorrow, and weekend ahead.
Mānawatia a Matariki!
Kat