Cathy Johnston (Aalia) Email and Phone Number

Provide professional leadership and effective supervision to the Collection & Information Services team. Manage the Library's collections (both physical and digital) including all aspects of collection development from selection to de-selection, as well as all financial matters relating to the same. Manage the Library's book vote, within a 5% variance and using a range of collection management tools including the LMS and CollectionHQ, and ensure all collection development activities are… Show more Provide professional leadership and effective supervision to the Collection & Information Services team. Manage the Library's collections (both physical and digital) including all aspects of collection development from selection to de-selection, as well as all financial matters relating to the same. Manage the Library's book vote, within a 5% variance and using a range of collection management tools including the LMS and CollectionHQ, and ensure all collection development activities are responsive to customers' needs and changing community demographics. Manage the Library's various electronic applications from the LMS (Spydus), RFID system (Bibliotheca), public computer booking system (Pharos), museum management system (PastPerfect), and wide range of eLending platforms (Bolinda BorrowBox, Bibliotheca cloudLibrary, Wheelers, RB Digital, Beamafilm) and channels including the library website (SharePoint), online catalogue, social media (Facebook, Twitter), and eNewsletter. Continue to contribute to the Marshall Breeding survey and technology report. In 2019 launched a major upgrade of the library management system to Spydus 10.2 involving moving various staff modules from a thick client / PC-based, environment to a web-based one, configuring five new opacs, staff training, testing, and reporting of issues to the developer. During 2016 oversaw the movement of the library website onto a new SharePoint server. Currently project lead for the design and implementation of two new websites for the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery and Coffs Harbour Regional Museum. Show less

Provided leadership for the Library team through a period of substantial upheaval while Coffs Harbour City Council moved through a step-change process: "Transformation to Sustainability"; resulting in the significant restructuring of Council and a converged team of Library, Museum, and Gallery. Project lead for the successful implementation of RFID across the Library's three branches including the retro-tagging of approximately 80,000 items, installation of security gates, self-service… Show more Provided leadership for the Library team through a period of substantial upheaval while Coffs Harbour City Council moved through a step-change process: "Transformation to Sustainability"; resulting in the significant restructuring of Council and a converged team of Library, Museum, and Gallery. Project lead for the successful implementation of RFID across the Library's three branches including the retro-tagging of approximately 80,000 items, installation of security gates, self-service kiosks, automated external chutes, and various new hardware and software components involving key collaborations and negotiations between RFID vendor (Bibliotheca) and LMS provider (Civica). This included staff training and providing public assistance following a successful launch in August 2015. Show less

Supervised and led a small, vibrant team of Acquisitions, Cataloguing, and Systems staff, responsible for monitoring budgets, managing collections, and ongoing systems development and implementation. Involved in exploring outsourcing opportunities, digital collections, and new formats; negotiating with library vendors, establishing strong relationships and key partnerships. In 2012 refreshed cataloguing skills and oversaw the local implementation of RDA by completing a TAFESA short course… Show more Supervised and led a small, vibrant team of Acquisitions, Cataloguing, and Systems staff, responsible for monitoring budgets, managing collections, and ongoing systems development and implementation. Involved in exploring outsourcing opportunities, digital collections, and new formats; negotiating with library vendors, establishing strong relationships and key partnerships. In 2012 refreshed cataloguing skills and oversaw the local implementation of RDA by completing a TAFESA short course in Basic Cataloguing. Regularly working with my team to review current workflows and practices to provide improved services to library members and visitors as well as leverage efficiencies to ensure that access to library resources is enabled rather than hindered. While the bulk of bibliographic records are copy-catalogued from Libraries Australia and then edited to suit the local environment, including required RDA edits and reviewing subjects headings for consistency and language, a small number of local studies items and Council documents are originally catalogued, working to an established criteria and meeting cataloguing and metadata standards.Key member of small project team driving the ongoing development of a joint library–museum project - Picture Coffs Harbour - to digitise, preserve, catalogue, and make publicly available through the local opac as well as regular Trove harvesting the growing collection of museum photographs and donated or loaned images from local photographers and families and featuring key aspects of the local area’s history. Show less

Provided reference and information services as well as collection management services across the regional library network; incorporating Clarence Valley Council, Nambucca Shire Council, and Bellingen Shire Council; and supported the Regional Librarian in developing a strategic framework for library operations. In 2008 completed a Master of Applied Science in Library & Information Management from Charles Sturt University.

Supervised the small team providing reference and information services and readers' advisory services across this broad regional library network.Joined, and continue to maintain an active membership of, the state-wide steering committees for the NSW Readers Advisory group and the NSW Reference & Information Services Group.