Emerging Leader Award
Raelee Lancaster
Principal Advisor, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services and Collections
University of Queensland Library
Raelee Lancaster, a Wiradjuri writer and library professional and descendant of the Biripi Peoples, is transforming how university libraries engage with Indigenous knowledge systems.
As Principal Advisor, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services and Collections at the University of Queensland Library, Raelee has demonstrated remarkable initiative and leadership in making Indigenous knowledges more findable and accessible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Since beginning her library career at Griffith University in 2019, Raelee has shown exceptional professional growth and leadership potential. Upon joining UQ Library in 2022, she quickly established herself as a change agent, developing crucial policies and frameworks that respect Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights. Her work includes authoring best practice guides for describing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges in collections and co-creating the Cultural Access Conditions Framework.
Her leadership in the Library of Congress Name Authority Cooperative project at UQ is improving the accuracy of information about First Nations authors in global bibliographic databases. Her contributions to the “UQ has a Blak History” online learning resource demonstrate her ability to work strategically while maintaining cultural integrity.
Raelee’s scholarly contributions demonstrate her emerging thought leadership, particularly her work on Indigenous knowledge frameworks in cataloguing. Through the QULOC Indigenous Strategy Reference Group, she has organised transformative professional development experiences for colleagues across Queensland. Her receipt of the Edna Maskell Scholarship has enabled her to share her insights internationally at the 2024 IFLA Information Futures Summit.
Despite being early in her career, Raelee has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing culturally respectful practices in university libraries. Her innovative approach to Indigenous knowledge systems, commitment to mentoring others, and scholarly contributions mark her as an outstanding emerging leader in our profession.
Outstanding Library Team Award
Collections on Country Project Working Group, University of Queensland Library
- Lesley Acres
- Sam Searle
- Mia Strasek-Barker
- Rob Bowen
- Dulcie Stewart
- Raelee Lancaster
- Talitha Carter
- Sarah-May Ryan
- Linda Justo
- Christina Steinke
- Caitlin Murphy
- David De Groot
- Anna Lagos
- Amberyn Thomas
The Collections on Country Project Working Group has fundamentally transformed how university libraries engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and their cultural heritage.
Taking an Indigenous-first approach, the team revolutionised how remote communities access and interact with cultural collections. Their pioneering work with the Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council in Cape York established an exemplary model for upholding communities’ rights to know what is held in special collections, providing mechanisms for communities to respond, update, enhance and challenge how these collections are described.
Through consultation and co-design with the Mapoon community, the team developed a sophisticated yet user-friendly system enabling offline access to cultural materials. Their solution ensures cultural knowledge about language, kinship, and ceremonial practices reaches the people to whom it matters most.
The project demonstrates outstanding sustainability and scalability. The team created automated processes, clear workflows, and robust technical solutions that can be replicated across other communities. Their pilot project with Mapoon has laid the groundwork for partnerships with four additional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
This work exemplifies how libraries can partner with communities while respecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights, ensuring cultural heritage materials are actively reconnected with the communities from which they originated.
Indigenous Leader Award – Aotearoa
Abigail McClutchie
Kaiārahi, Senior Māori Leader
Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services, Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland
Of Te Rarawa and Ngāti Porou descent, Abigail McClutchie is a visionary leader whose work embodies tino rangatiratanga – Māori self-determination, independence, and sovereignty.
As the inaugural Kaiārahi at Te Tumu Herenga, Abigail has transformed how the university approaches its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. She created pathways for others across the Council of New Zealand University Libraries through developing comprehensive decolonisation programmes, capability frameworks, and Te Tiriti audits that have fundamentally reshaped institutional culture.
Her vision led to the creation of ReoSpace, an innovative initiative where te reo Māori is the primary language spoken. Through Te Herenga Tauira, her programme has enabled over 200 student-facing staff to connect with Waipapa Marae and deepen their understanding of kaupapa Māori.
Abigail’s leadership embodies kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whakawhanautanga (shared experiences and connection), and manaakitanga (kindness, support, respect and care). Her approach creates safe, mana-enhancing environments that foster belonging for Māori colleagues while guiding non-Indigenous colleagues on their cultural learning journeys.
The transformative impact of her work has been recognised through two Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Awards and continues to create lasting positive change in how university libraries serve and empower Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Leader Award – Australia
Tui Raven
Senior Manager of Indigenous Programs
Deakin University Library
Tui Raven has reshaped how university libraries engage with and preserve Indigenous knowledge. As Senior Manager of Indigenous Programs at Deakin Library, her influence extends from local practice to national and international approaches to Indigenous knowledge systems.
Her landmark contribution, the “Guidelines for First Nations Collection Description”, has transformed culturally respectful cataloguing practices across the sector. These guidelines provide a framework for managing collections while respecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights.
Through engagement with the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), Tui advocates for integrating Indigenous knowledge frameworks into WorldCat, challenging traditional Eurocentric cataloguing practices. Her work with the Attorney General’s Copyright and AI Reference Groups brings crucial Indigenous perspectives to emerging technologies and intellectual property rights.
As co-founder of the Reparative Description Community of Practice, now 150 members strong, she has built a powerful network for ethical engagement with Indigenous materials. Her contributions at Kummargi Yulendji, the AIATSIS Summit, and the World Health Summit have advanced critical discussions about Indigenous knowledge representation and protection.
Tui’s advocacy for Indigenous data sovereignty and digital rights continues to transform how institutions engage with Indigenous knowledge, ensuring Indigenous voices, perspectives, and cultural sovereignty are respected and upheld.
Distinguished Service Award
Margie Jantti
Director Library Services
University of Wollongong
Margie Jantti’s sustained leadership has shaped the future of university libraries in Australia and internationally over more than two decades.
As CAUL President (2015-2019), she led transformative change through Strategic Programs and enhanced board governance, modernising CAUL’s operations and ensuring its continued relevance. Her leadership style combines consultative approaches with courage and tenacity.
Under her direction since 2010, the University of Wollongong Library has consistently demonstrated innovation and excellence. Her pioneering work in library assessment has revolutionised how universities measure and demonstrate library impact on student outcomes and research outputs.
Margie’s influence extends through her leadership development work with the CAUL and CAUDIT Leadership Institutes, shaping hundreds of future library and IT leaders. Her contribution earned the CAUDIT Meritorious Service Award in 2017.
Her advocacy has advanced crucial sector discussions on open access, learning spaces, digital transformation, and copyright. Through engagement with Universities Australia, the National Library of Australia, and major funding bodies, she has elevated the profile and influence of university libraries across the nation.