Ensuring The Sustainable Future Of Libraries For All New Zealanders

Twelve kākaho (sustainability champions) will soon be putting library and information skills underpinned by mātauranga Māori into practice following an eight-month programme developed by the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme (NZLPP).

Whiria te Tāngata has built the capability and skills of the kākaho to support the sustainability goals of the library sector in Aotearoa.

Kākaho will embark on their final Whiria te Tāngata noho, held at Piritahi Marae on Waiheke Island on 23 May, beginning with a powhiri at 11.15am.

“Whiria is weaving the people together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the library sector,” said Rā Steer, Manager of Whiria te Tāngata.

“Over a hundred applied to the programme and so we selected from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences within the library sector for greater collective impact.

“We have kākaho from public, tertiary, school, special libraries, and more,” she said.

Whiria kicked-off in September 2022 and since then kākaho have learned collaboratively via online modules, fortnightly ‘check-ins’ and attended face-to-face noho Marae.

“They have developed strategic leadership, networking and data, research, and evidence skills, all underpinned by mātauranga Māori,” Rā said.

Kākaho Simon Whitlock, who works for the Far North District Council Libraries, has enjoyed connecting with others in the wider profession.

“We are the inaugural group of kākaho, and now we are kākano (seeds). As we plant, embed, and nurture what we have learnt into different library organisations, we also have benefited personally through participating in the Whiria te Tāngata programme,” Simon said.

“There has been a whole lot of learning and sharing on this haerenga (journey). The kākaho and our three kaiwhakahaere (organisers) have all worked together.”

With the support of their workplace, kākaho will apply practical skills to highly relevant issues facing the library sector today. Read about this through their blogs, here.

“The strategies and frameworks the kākaho learnt are free and available on the National Library website,” said Rā.

“I urge the wider information and library sector to utilise them as well. They are the Data, research and evidence strategy and Workforce Capability Framework,” she added.

ENDS

DIA Media Team

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