Kym HOLDEN tribute 2017
Kym Holden, our colleague and stalwart of the Canberra library community recently retired. Kym has been a pillar of the library community from many years and often we have genuinely appreciated her contribution. Kym has been one of the quiet achievers who volunteers and is volunteered to work on many activates and does so very competently and quietly. Her strategic insight, sound approach and calm leadership skills have been much appreciated by ALIA colleagues throughout her career in special libraries.
Kym Holden has been an Associate Member of Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) since 1996.
Her notable contributions have been many and varied
- She has been an active participant in ALIA Canberra groups and events over these 21 years and remains on the national ALIA Special Library and Information Services Advisory Committee.
- Kym was also a valued member of the Charles Sturt University ALIA course accreditation panel in 2016.
- Kym by her work for ALIA and AGLIN has encouraged capacity building and knowledge sharing for library staff across the ACT including:
- contribution to Information Awareness month which has effectively raised the profile of libraries within the information professions and supported many professional development activities
- Contributed to the ACTive ALIA committee by organising events
- Providing mentoring and support to many of her professional colleagues.
Kym has been the team leader of a number of government libraries over a span of years.
She has achieved much such as:
- considerable achievements in the workplace including delivery of new online training services, development of library intranets and information skills in the department, reflecting extraordinarily well on the skills and knowledge of the profession
- willingly sharing with colleagues her innovative library practices.
In addition to her work in the ACT, Kym has made a major contribution to Australian government libraries through her leadership in the Australian Libraries Government Information Network (AGLIN).
Kym was a volunteer with AGLIN for over a decade where she led and contributed to both the Executive Committee and the AGLIN Training and Development Committee.
She has been a passionate supporter of Government Libraries both through her ideas and contributions in advancing the learning within Government Libraries and also in mentoring new committee members.
Her contributions to AGLIN include:
- As the longest serving Executive Committee member, Kym developed a wealth of corporate knowledge which was invaluable for assisting with the decision making within the Committee.
- Kym’s dedication in personally supporting the more general tasks of assisting at Forum registrations, being the AGLIN chair of ceremonies at AGLIN Forums and events.
- Kym was a volunteer with AGLIN for over a decade where she led and contributed to both the Executive Committee and the AGLIN Training and Development Committee.
Government librarians and information specialists owe her a debt of gratitude.
ACT ALIA wishes her the very best in her retirement.
