Division / Portfolio / QUT

Wear It Purple

Thanks everyone who got involved with Wear It Purple Day on Friday, 26 April. From morning teas, to self-check machines, to book displays we painted the library…well, purple!

I’m pleased and proud to work at workplace that celebrates and values LGBTIQA+ diversity. Thank you, lovely colleagues.

Education Portfolio  All Staff Meeting

The Library hosted the Education Portfolio All Staff meeting on Monday, 22 August. Around 150 staff from across the Education Portfolio came. Many thanks to everyone involved in planning for the event, especially Sami Dale (and helpers) who organised the logistics and the catering and Michael Hawks (and team) who hosted the totally AMAZING “Amazing (Library) Race.” Colleagues from QUT College took out the inaugural trophy.

Provost Farewell

I attended farewells for the Provost, Professor Nic Smith, on 24 August (QUT-wide) and 25 August (Division-wide). Professor Smith is leaving QUT to take up the role of Vice-Chancellor at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University in Wellington.

Governance and Process

Budget

Along with QUT Divisional colleagues I met with the Chief Financial Officer who gave an update on the 2023-2026 financial outlook. While domestic and international student demand is growing it is clear that challenges will remain over the next three years. The budget for next year is currently being finalised and we are working closely with our Finance Partner. I will update you when this work is finalised.

Integrated Planning

A significant piece of work was completed as part of the University’s Integrated Planning  cycle for 2022-2023.

This involved:

• Identifying two key priorities which we will report to the University about (in addition to our local library priorities). These are outlined below.
• Updating key policies (F1.8 Library Borrowing and F1.3 Open Access including Theses)
• Updating the QUT Risk Management Plans and Risk Assessment Worksheets.

The two priorities chosen for reporting purposes were:

1. Develop a QUT ePress to support, promote and publish QUT-created open access resources such as ejournals, open access textbooks and other Open Education Resources.

2. Collaborate with the Faculty of Health, and other support teams, to pilot a faculty-based Digital Capabilities program and look for opportunities to scale this to other faculties / disciplines

Work is underway for both of these.

These priorities are in addition to our local library strategic priorities for 2022. 

More information about QUT Planning and Performance process is here.

Internal Engagement / Partnerships

Ken Beutel, Executive Director, QUT College started his placement with the Library as part of QUT’s Executive Immersion Program on 31 August. This program provides senior staff with an opportunity to learn more about a business area. Ken met with staff across KG Library including the Learning and Research team, Library Resource Services and the Collection Access team. He will spend two more sessions with the Enquiry Services team where he will learn more about what they do and deliver service to students.

Sector / External Engagement / Partnerships

Murri School Visit

It was wonderful to have a visit from children and teachers from the Murri School on 4 August. The visit was organised by the Oodgeroo Unit and full details are in the KG Library report for this month.

As a follow-up to the visit I met with Uncle Cheg and Aunty Fran McDonald who visited and borrowed books from the Curriculum Collection for Children’s Book Week. With funding from the Registrar’s Office we have also organised some books to be donated by QUT to the Murri School’s library.

QULOC University Librarians Meeting

I attended the QULOC University Librarians Meeting on 5 August. I have agreed to be the interim Chair until the end of the year. The committee is progressing the University Librarians Forum on 10 November. More details to come. Work is also progressing on re-imaging the QULOC Working Groups and Caroline Williams (UQ) and I will be contacting working group convenors over the next few weeks to move this work forward.

ALIA Mentoring Program

I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to record a video for the ALIA Mentoring Program on social media and work. We have several staff involved as mentees and mentors.

Visitor: University of Cincinnati

Along with Cathy Slaven I met with May Chang, Library Chief Technology Officer from the University of Cincinnati. May was very impressed by our service management approach and our library services. She wanted to know more about our technology and digital strategies and projects.

Ideas on the Go

Artwork in a Box: I met colleagues from with Equity Services and the QUT Art Gallery to learn more about the resources that have been created. There is a great possible collaboration afoot.

Maker Activities: Sarah and I met with colleagues from Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, the Art Gallery, Wellness and Education to progress a collaboration around “making” at QUT.

DNASI Use Case Submissions – we submitted a “use-case” to the DNASI Project seeking to integrate statistics for HiQ, Student Success Group and Library. We are awaiting the outcome.

This month I met with:

From QUT:

Ana Deletic, Executive Dean, Engineering

Sam Dryhurst, Principal Planning and Design Consultant

Nat Ryan, Associate Director, Marketing and Comms (16 August)

Leigh Burgess, Sustainability Manager

Nathan Richardson, Director Facilities Management and  and David Guerra , Business Operations Manager, FM

Caroline Rueckert, Director, Student Success Group

Peter Gatbonton, Director Student Engagement

Matthew Bellgard, Director, eResearch

Glen Murphy, Acting Director Entrepreneurship

Stacey Jeffrey-Hannam, Strategic Policy Officer, Office of the Pro Vice – Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy )

Peter Anderson, Carumba Institute

Kevin Ashford-Rowe, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Digital Learning)

External:

Bob Gerrity, University Librarian,  Monash

Anita Brown, University Librarian, CQU

Helen Hooper, University Librarian, JCU

Significant Meetings:

Learning and Teaching Unity Leadership Team Meeting

Education Portfolio Leaders Meeting

Academic Division Meeting

QULOC University Librarians