ALIA SNGG Q&A - ALIA CEO, Cathie Warburton (September, 2024)
This month we continue ALIA SNGG’s Q&A series talking to ALIA CEO Cathie Warburton (she/her).
We thank Cathie for taking the time to answer our questions.
-ALIA SNGG Team
1. Can you let us know about yourself and your role with ALIA?
I have been the CEO at ALIA since May 2022. Prior to that I worked in various government organisations as a lawyer and manager. I grew up in Sydney. I have been in Canberra for 10 years. Before moving here I spent 10 years living on a few acres outside Orange in NSW. I am married to Rose who I have been with for 24 years.
2. What ideas are ALIA working on to promote inclusion and diversity? How do these ideas reflect supporting ALIA Groups, ALIA Special Interest Groups and members?
ALIA’s strategic plan has beliefs around inclusion and diversity as its foundation.
We believe:
📌 we have a responsibility to elevate the voices of First Nations peoples and of diverse and multicultural communities, all too often unheard.
📌 collecting, sharing, and preserving diverse voices is important for an inclusive society.
A focus for the ALIA National 2024 conference was inclusion and diversity. This was reflected in the program and in the provision of bursaries which enabled a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues to attend an ALIA conference for the first time. The diversity in attendees and the program made the whole event richer for everyone.
ALIA has developed an Australian Code of Ethics which is soon to be launched. It has a number of provisions which promote inclusion and diversity including:
📌Clause 2 Human rights, equality, diversity and identity
📌 Clause 4 Respect, integrity and active professionalism
📌 Clause 5 Open access, intellectual property and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property.
ALIA supports Special Interest Groups that actively promote inclusion and diversity including ALIA Disability, ALIA Rainbow and ALIA Multicultural. We are making sure that every group has a terms of reference which includes a process for new people to serve on the committee and contribute. This is important to make sure groups have succession planning and are open to new members who are appointed through a transparent process.
ALIA supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and has committed to stretch targets for 2030. Baseline report at March 2023.
3. What ideas are ALIA working on to promote sustainability at ALIA and across the sector to make it more sustainable?
ALIA commissioned a research project into Greening Libraries in 2022. Had its inaugural Greening Libraries Conference in 2023 and it is holding it again as part
Info Online in March 2025.
The ALIA Green special interest group has been involved in these initiatives and we are working to attract more members to the group. In 2021 the Board issued a Climate Change Statement where it set a target for ALIA to be ‘carbon neutral by 2030’. We plan to review this statement with our current board members to determine interim targets to reach this goal.
ALIA supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and has committed to stretch targets for 2030. Baseline report at March 2023.
Since 2005 ALIA has been a founding member of Blue Shield Australia to protect cultural heritage at risk from conflict and disaster.
We consider issues of sustainability when planning conferences, meetings and publications. The ALIA Board only holds two out of four meetings face to face to
reduce carbon emissions from travelling and we no longer have the printing, mailing and transport costs for INCITE magazine which is now digital only.
We review energy efficiency, food waste practices, and transportation when making event planning decisions, and have decreased the number of national face-to-face events to further reduce our carbon footprint.
4. How do you see the new Code of Ethics changing the sector? How is the code progressing?
I don’t think the sector necessarily needs to change, rather an Australian Code of Ethics was seen as important for Australia to claim the space and set out the expectations of ethical practice in the Australian LIS context. The Code of Ethics has been approved by the ALIA Board and will be launched shortly.
5. What do you see as the challenges faced by students and graduates in GLAMR? How does ALIA see LIS mentoring as an option to assist?
The current economic environment in Australia is tough for all students and graduates with costs of living increasing and the job market being highly competitive. To get an entry level job and to progress in their career students and new graduates may be required to relocate or consider working in a different LIS sector to gain skills. There may also be competition from people from other
sectors who are having a career change. These people may not be GLAMR graduates but they bring other skills and experience.
ALIA’s mentoring scheme can assist students and new graduates by connecting them not only with a mentor but with a whole cohort of mentees who may be facing similar challenges. The mentoring scheme introduces a range of topics with expert speakers and advice. The match with a person for one on one mentoring can open up many new possibilities and provide a new perspective on ways to approach the job market and career development.
6. Where do you see the future of libraries heading?
I see the fundamental role of libraries as places for learning, access to information and community connection as staying largely constant. The quickly evolving landscape of technological change, user needs and societal shifts means the waylibraries perform this role and respond may look different but the role itself remains largely the same.
7. What are the benefits of ALIA resources as an ALIA Member? What ALIA Member resources do you recommend to students/graduates?
📌 ALIA Mentoring – join as a mentee for twelve months of focused learning
and growth
📌 INCITE magazine – read it and write for it.
📌 ALIA News – read it to keep up with everything happening at ALIA and in libraries.
📌 CPD Digest – read it to find a never ending source of free CPD.
📌 Regional Groups and Special Interest Groups – join a committee or attend an event
📌 Catch up on the latest submissions written by ALIA on current policy or advocacy issues.
8. How is ALIA supporting the future of library education and skill training for students /graduates? What skills and capabilities are needed to deliver on ALIA’s educational priorities? How is ALIA advocating Librarianship at the Federal and State government level?
ALIA accredits the LIS courses at university and at TAFE.
ALIA also develops foundational knowledge courses for those working in libraries who do not have LIS qualifications eg Ethics 101, Copyrght 101, Public Library Proficiency course and currently under development is an Indigenous Knowledge Foundations course.
The LIS Framework brings students, employees, employers, educators, training providers, organisations and the professional association together for a common purpose by articulating the knowledge, skills and ethical behaviour that underpin the workforce and the sector.
ALIA advocates for librarianship and its critical role for a thriving democracy via numerous avenues with government around issues including media literacy, AI literacy, school libraries, digital literacy, copyright, intellectual freedom, preservation and diverse collections.
9. What are your thoughts on volunteering with ALIA Special Interest Groups?
ALIA would not be ALIA without its volunteers. I have real admiration for people who are prepared to volunteer in any capacity whether it be with ALIA or for other causes or organisations. When I have volunteered in the past I usually found that I got more out of it than I gave. I hope that ALIA volunteers feel the same.
10. Do you have a favourite library subsector – School, Academic, Public, Special?
Of course not! They are all fabulous and interesting in their own way.
11. What are you currently reading?
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
12. Are you a pet person?
Sure am! I currently have a cocker spaniel called Joey. Soon after I started at ALIA I introduced a policy where people could bring their dog to work. We have a number of staff dogs that regularly come to work including Roley, Maisie, Winston and Millie. They bring a lot of joy.
References:
Australian Library and Association Ltd. (2024). Groups & Communities.
ALIA. (2024). ALIA Students and New Graduates Group
ALIA (2023). ALIA Disability
ALIA. (2024). ALIA Rainbow
ALIA. (2023). ALIA Multicultral Group
Australian Library and Association Ltd. (2024). INCITE Magazine.
Australian Library and Association Ltd. (2024). Strategic Plan 2024 – 2026.
Australian Library and Association Ltd. (2024). Greening Libraries.
Australian Library and Association Ltd. (2024). LIS Workforce Framework: ALIA Skills, Knowledge and Ethics Framework for the Library and Information Service Workforce.
United Nations. (n.d). The 17 Goals Suatainable Development Goals.
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