Mel Phillips is a librarian at Immanuel College in South Australia and a former ALIA SNGG Regional Coordinator, South Australia.

Can you tell us how you made your way to the library world? 

I started out wanting to work in a library because I lived in the country and I was home-schooled (from year 2 to halfway through year 8). I could only visit the local library in the neighbouring town, called Clare, located in South Australia, once a week. I would spend the whole afternoon there once I turned 11. A staff member noticed my regular presence as well as my tendency to find missing resources in the library (I often overhear queries about books that couldn’t be found. I search for them myself!). The librarian asked me if I’d like to volunteer. As a pre-teen volunteering in the library, it was amazing. I even got to work on the circulation desk! I got other teenagers in town interested in volunteering, soon there was a group of us.

I moved to Adelaide when I was, halfway through Year 8. I started going to an actual high school. I still visited libraries but I couldn’t get a foot in volunteering. Over the years, the dream was locked away and I focused on other possibilities.

The dream came back to me when I was working in a school (as I enjoy working with children), and I met the School Librarian. Not having ever had a school library when I was in primary school, I had never considered this as a potential job, but now that I was introduced to it, it became my driving passion.

I was completing an event management degree (Bachelor of Tourism and Event Management through UniSA) and I knew I had to finish it before moving on to my Post Graduate degree in Information Management. Several years later I am completing my final unit in the Graduate Diploma in Information Management and this year I began my new job as a High School Librarian. I cannot even begin to describe my delight and shock at being hired for the role, as I still haven’t finished my degree, the school liked something about my uncontrollable enthusiasm for school libraries and my passion for reading and accessing resources.

What motivated you to volunteer with the ALIA Students and New Graduates Group?

In late 2017; I was approached by the former ALIA SA State Manager, Emily Wilson. I hadn’t commenced my postgraduate studies yet. I was attending ALIA events and as a UniSA student, I attended the Research Application in Information and Library Studies (RAILS) event which was held at UniSA in 2017, where I met Emily and several ALIA SA members. In 2018, Emily contacted me via Twitter (now X) about an opening to become an ALIA SNGG Regional Coordinator, in South Australia.

I was thrilled to have been contacted. I asked a lot of questions of the Regional Coordinator at the time and determined that it would be, right up my alley. So I applied to join the team. This is my third year as Regional Coordinator for SA – I am currently the only person on the team, which has happened before (life changes so much for everyone!), but I still really enjoy the role and can’t wait, for the chance to plan and run events, again.

What have you gained or learned by volunteering with ALIA SNGG? 

It has been fantastic – I’ve improved my event planning and networking skills. I’ve had access to more opportunities than I thought would be possible for someone new to the industry, and an overall feeling of engagement. I’ve built a great network with people who work in a variety of libraries and support businesses, which is cool as I learn more all the time.

What do you love about working in school libraries?

Pretty much everything! The students are one of the best aspects of the role – I have now worked at several school libraries (through volunteering or contract roles) I cannot explain how fun it is to interact with students, by getting to know them, having them come in and ask for my recommendations for books (or Manga!!), or having them come in and loudly (or in a whisper) tell me that I’m their favourite librarian. Or that they like my Harry Potter earrings =). I’m all about getting to know them and helping them find their next great read, and I love when they knock on the window when I’m in the workroom to wave and say hi or stop for a chat when I’m at the circulation desk.

I love recommending books and my reading over the last few years has been focused on YA and Manga, so my knowledge in these areas is quite extensive. I love cataloguing. In school libraries, we use the Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS) to simplify the process. I also have to be able to catalogue manually from scratch and enjoy it. I love being able to contribute to the collection; with recommendations for purchases, and weeding library items where necessary. I’m still new to the role so there’s still more to learn and get my head around, but I feel comfortable with the great team I work with and I feel settled in the role.

I also enjoy introducing new concepts and different ideas that might benefit the library. One of the best things is introducing manga and graphic novels that the library didn’t have in the collection, and seeing them being borrowed and enjoyed by students. I have run a Manga club at my previous school and am looking at doing something similar at my new school. I have already had numerous conversations with students who would be interested.

What advice do you have for students? 

Start volunteering, in a variety of places if possible! Take every opportunity that you can. I started out volunteering at a primary school library, then with ALIA SNGG, then with the School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA) and I honestly believe these volunteering roles are high up there for reasons why I’m now working in the field I was aiming for, as well as having wonderful referees for my work in libraries even before gaining employment in the field. I also credit my volunteering with the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) at both Australian Public Library Information Congress (APLIC) and ALIA Info Online conferences for increasing my understanding of industry partners and getting to know interstate ALIA Managers and fellow SNGG members! It’s a great group to join!