Honour roll

The CAUL Awards recipients are listed on the honour roll after they are announced at the second Council meeting each year.

Indigenous Leader Award

The Indigenous Leader Award recognises Indigenous Australians and New Zealanders' contributions to academic libraries and CAUL's work.

2023 

Recipient: Kim Tairi

Kaitoha Puka (University Librarian), Auckland University of Technology

As the Kaitoha Puka (University Librarian) at Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland University of Technology), Kim is Aotearoa’s first and only Māori University Librarian.

Kim demonstrates a deep and powerful commitment to building libraries, which are all about kaitiakitanga (taking care) of resources, whakawhanautanga (shared experiences) and manaakitanga (kindness, support, respect and care). Kim is a leader of culture-related projects that enable Indigenous staff to develop and thrive. Her Indigenous leadership has been transformational in CONZUL – the Council of New Zealand/Aotearoa University Libraries.

In 2022, CONZUL launched a new strategy; one of the key strands is He Tāngata Rawe (our people). CONZUL is committed to creating culturally safe, inclusive environments that encourage diversity. As an organisation, CONZUL is focused on being Te Tiriti-led, as demonstrated in the strategy. Kim’s leadership and advocacy were instrumental in forming this strategic direction and commitment.

Kim has also made a significant contribution to CAUL’s Indigenisation strategy. As an event organiser of the CAUL Indigenous Knowledges Symposium in 2021, she has supported the growth in understanding of Indigenous knowledge across the Australian and New Zealand tertiary library sector. Kim has championed indigenisation within CONZUL, across Aotearoa, and internationally.

Nominees

• Cheyanne Baker, Indigenous Cadet (Library), Flinders University
• Sarah Groombridge, Lead, Indigenous Engagement, University of Newcastle
• (Rangi)hurihia McDonald, Pou Ārahi, University of Waikato
• Mia Strasek-Barker, Senior Manager, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services & Collections, University of Queensland

Emerging Leader Award

The Emerging Leader Award recognises a leader in the first ten years of their career who models exemplary leadership behaviours and demonstrates significant achievements that contribute to realising the institution's goals or the advancement of the profession more generally.

2023 

Recipient: Kat Cain

Library Partner, Deakin University

Since beginning her career in academic libraries in 2017, Kat has demonstrated an impressive and consistent commitment to cross-sector collaboration. She has led many significant projects in areas such as digital fluency, capability development, inclusive design, accessibility, and sustainable innovation. 

Kat has actively contributed to numerous communities of practice and committees, including the CAUL/CAVAL Digital Dexterity Champions, the Deakin Inclusive Education Community of Practice, and the CAUL Library Learning and Teaching Leaders Community of Practice. Kat is currently the Chair of the CAVAL CRIG Seminar Committee and is a member of the VALA Committee for 2023-2025.

Kat's commitment to promoting academic library work and advancing library practice has also been recognised through numerous awards and funding opportunities. In 2022, she received the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Experience at Deakin University, and in the same year, she received an ADCET Accessibility in Action Award. Kat is also the recipient of a Faculty of Arts & Education Innovation Award at Deakin University.

Kat is committed to providing equitable access, particularly for marginalised communities, she is a champion of sustainable practices in knowledge and access, and is dedicated to ensuring that library services are inclusive to all.

Nominees

• Sara Altmann, Senior Librarian (Collection Strategy), Flinders University
• Ashleigh Barber, Academic Librarian, University of South Australia
• Emilia Bell, Coordinator (Evidence Based Practice), University of Southern Queensland
• Cassie Connor, Manager, Business Services, University of Newcastle
• Miah de Francesch, Learning Success Advisor, Curtin University
• Jessie Donaghey, Digital Services Librarian, Bond University
• Felicity (Flic) French, Outreach Librarian, University of Queensland
• Gabrielle Hayes, Liaison Librarian, Queensland University of Technology
• Jessica Howie, Open Research Manager, University of Waikato
• Amy Kosandiak, Acting Senior Librarian (Education Engagement), Flinders University
• Emma Mckindley, Digital Content and Rights Officer, University of Southern Queensland

Outstanding Library Team Award

The Outstanding Library Team Award recognises a library team or specific project group that has demonstrated excellent leadership in delivering significant service improvement or cultural change aligned with organisational priorities.

2023 

Recipients: University of Sydney Library's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols Team

Comprising:

• Antonia Mocatta, Director Central Services
• Lisa McIntosh, Director Access Services
• Nathan Sentance, Head of Collections First Nations, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences
• Sarah Graham, Associate Director Publishing and Data Services
• Amy Allenspach, Associate Director Quality, Innovation and Planning
• Elizabeth Litting, Associate Director Research Services Development
• Ryan Stoker, Digital Collections Librarian
• Pippa Herden, Indigenous Engagement Officer
• Paul O'Brien, Project Manager
• Chingmy Lam, Manager Metadata Services
• Mark Sanfilippo, Learning Spaces Officer
• Curtis Flood, Events and Engagement Assistant
• Caitlin Erbacher, Project Team Assistant
• Kim Williams
• Digital Curation Specialist
• Christine Tennent, Academic Liaison Librarian
• Gabrielle Russell, Assistant Director and Education Lead, National Centre for Cultural Competence
• Simone Solar, Project Manager, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services).

The University of Sydney Library’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols are founded in sectoral best practice and were informed by extensive consultation with the University’s Indigenous stakeholders. Nathan Sentence, a Wiradjuri cultural collections consultant, led the authorship of the protocols, working in conjunction with a team of Library staff from across divisions and HEO levels.

The Protocols were a first for Australian academic libraries. They articulate the Library’s commitment to providing a culturally safe environment and services for Indigenous clients. Their scope incorporates the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, promoting the voices of Indigenous authors in the collection, improving community engagement to establish trusted and respectful relationships, developing library services to support the success of First Nations students, and ensuring that library spaces are welcoming and incorporate Indigenous design elements.

Since their publication, the implementation team has progressed a significant body of work to enact the commitments made in the Protocols. The Library has approached this continuing work as a holistic, four-year program of 24 interrelated projects mapped to the University’s Indigenous Strategy.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Protocols Team has shared information relating to this body of work with the sector, including through an OCLC Research Library Partnership Webinar (2021), the CAUL Indigenous Knowledges Symposium (2021), ALIA National Conference paper and presentation (2022), and in direct dialogue with several Australian university libraries.

The work undertaken to implement the Protocols has all been done with the intent of being permanently embedded into business-as-usual practice, and the projects have been designed to have lasting, sustainable outcomes.

Nominees

• Your Library on Canvas Team, Auckland University of Technology: Mark Bassett, Learning Advisor; Emma Chapman, Digital Capability Specialist; Craig Wattam, Learning Advisor
• Library Customer Service Team, Bond University: Tania Worthy, Team Leader - Library Customer Services; Sarah Reeder, Library Officer; Emily Hibberd, Library Officer; Sue Green, Library Officer; Amy Leong, Library Officer
• State of Open Access in NZ Team, CONZUL: Current project team - Jessica Howie (Waikato), Richard White (Otago), Lyndell Holstein (Massey), Max Sullivan (Te Herenga Waka), Mandy Phipps-Green (Otago), Dene McDonald (Otago), Barbara Rainier (Massey), Donna Coventry (AUT). Previous members: Luqman Hayes (AUT), Moira Fraser (Canterbury), Bruce White (Massey), Deborah Fitchett (Lincoln), Emma Richardson (Auckland), Amanda Curnow (Massey), Anton Angelo (Canterbury)
• Library Refurbishment Project Team, Curtin University: Colin Sinclair, Manager, Systems & Infrastructure; Chris Wright, Library Facilities Coordinator; Cindy Carbutt, Administrative Assistant
• Experience Design Team, Deakin University: Danielle Johnson, Manager, Experience Design; Rachael Wilson, Experience Librarian; Sarah Fennelly, Visual Design Lead; Anna Edwards, UX Researcher; Matthew Lyons, Senior Officer, Digital Content; Michael Horn, Front-end & Application Developer; Jeshmine Bajracharya, Front-end & Application Developer; Christopher Callil, Visual Design Lead
• Digital Library Strategy Team, Flinders University: Sita Austin, Senior Librarian (Digital Library Strategy); Sarah Barkla, Coordinator; Romana Challans, Senior Librarian; Peter Mason, Senior Librarian; Peter Newman, Senior Librarian; Tony Nicholson, Senior Librarian; Pixie Stardust, Senior Librarian
• Digital Library Infrastructure Transformation Team, Griffith University: Catherine Hay, Senior Project Manager; Kelly Johnson, Manager, Scholarly Resource Services; Sandra Kalms, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Helen Keyes, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Neil Cotter, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Belinda Nicolson-Guest, Senior Librarian (Resources); Paul Jensen, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Anne Fleet, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Ella Tang, Library Resource Officer, Scholarly Resource Services; Grace Fu, Librarian, Scholarly Resource Services; Catherine Hoey, Coordinator, Library Client Experience; Jessie Ristuccia-Best, Librarian (Client Experience); Michelle Postlethwaite, Library Campus Supervisor; Alexandra Cooney, Librarian (Client Experience); Rebecca Heath, Coordinator, Library Campus Experience; Craig Milne, Deputy University Librarian and Head of Scholarly Resource and Library Campus Services; Suzy Bailey, Coordinator, Digital Library; Catie Hodges, Senior Digital Library Analyst; Kysira Fairbairn, Senior Digital Library Analyst; Marie Carter, Digital Library Analyst; Lynette Reville, Digital Library Analyst; Sam Searle, Head of Digital Library Services; Alex Williams, Coordinator, Learning and Teaching Services; Leanne Stockwell, Discipline Librarian; Sara Bannon, Executive Support Officer; Donald Jeffrey, Coordinator Library Service Quality and Planning
• Reading List & Resource Sharing Team – 'Digital and Free', La Trobe University: Elexia Rotundo, Coordinator, Reading Lists & Resource Sharing; Lexy Sierak, Reading Lists Liaison Librarian; Susan Jubber, Reading Lists Librarian; Jamie McDonald, Reading List Specialist; Sally Watt, Reading List Librarian; Fiona Lowe, Reading List Librarian; Linda Marchesani, Reading List Specialist; Karen O'Donoghue, Reading List Librarian
• Information Access Team, Queensland University of Technology: Cathy Slaven, Information Access Coordinator; Kurt Vollmerhause, Information Access Librarian; Jai Parker, Information Access Librarian
• Transition and Leadership Teams, University of Queensland: Loretta Atkinson, Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Lucy Behm, Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Maria Larkin, Outreach Librarian; Rachael Harrison, Acting Senior Manager, Faculty Services; Felicity Berends, Outreach Librarian; Thomas Palmer, Senior Manager, Digital Learning; Jane Moore, Outreach Librarian; Tracey Powell, Librarian, Research Outputs; Michael Whiteway, Research Librarian, State Library of Queensland (formerly UQ); Jackie Devenish, Project Officer, Queensland Health (formerly UQ)

Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding local, regional or national contribution to university libraries or the profession that has benefitted the CAUL community.

2023 

Recipient: Bob Gerrity

University Librarian, Monash University

Throughout Bob Gerrity’s impressive career, he has significantly contributed to the library profession. Bob is widely regarded as a skilful, trusted leader, as evidenced by his engagement with and contribution to countless industry advisory boards and professional communities. His expertise and influence have had significant reach—he has contributed to national and international panels and conferences and participated in numerous board memberships, including the National Library Board. 

As a CAUL Board Director since 2017, Service Director for Content Procurement and Chair of CAUL’s Content Procurement Committee, Bob has been instrumental in advancing CAUL’s open access agenda. Working in close partnership with the National Office team and the CAUL Content Procurement Committee, Bob has spearheaded an incredibly ambitious and transformational program of publisher negotiations that have revolutionised the open access landscape for Australian and New Zealand research.

Bob’s expertise, dedication, and commitment to fostering equitable access to scholarly information have significantly impacted the sector. During his tenure as Service Director for the Content Procurement Service, Bob displayed impressive knowledge and understanding of the open access landscape. His expertise in navigating the complexities of scholarly publishing, pricing models, and emerging trends in open access allowed the consortium to make informed decisions and achieve significant growth in open access capabilities for Australia and New Zealand. 

In addition to his expertise, Bob has demonstrated exceptional leadership and communication skills. He has skillfully engaged with stakeholders within the consortium and with publishers, fostering constructive dialogue and facilitating productive negotiations. 

Bob’s ability to negotiate these new open access agreements and steward these complex agreements through CAUL with almost unanimous community buy-in has enabled progress towards CAUL’s position on the end goal of open access at an unprecedented pace and scale and without disruption. 

Every CAUL Member institution has directly benefited from Bob’s work, as have many thousands of researchers, as well as the broader community that now has access to previously closed knowledge. As a result of Bob’s deep understanding of and expertise in scholarly publishing, combined with his skill, pragmatism and tenacity, Australia and New Zealand have moved significantly up the ranks of open research publications in a very short period, an achievement of which Bob can be very proud. 

We thank Bob for his commitment and dedication, and in recognition of this, we present Bob with the inaugural CAUL Distinguished Service Award.

Nominees

• Margie Jantti, Director Library Services, University of Wollongong
• Tahnee Pearse, formerly Associate Director, Content, University of Southern Queensland