Profile: Maeva Masterson

For library lovers month this February ALIA Top End are showing profiles of people working in the library and information industry. This week we hear from Maeva Masterson.

Maeva Masterson has been the Manager Library Services at the City of Palmerston Library since 2009 and will taking on the exciting challenge of Manager of Library Sector Services for the NT at the Northern Territory Library in May 2016 after taking some time off to give birth to her second child.

Maeva has a particular interest in leadership and leading for success principles, presenting at the 2015 ALIA Top End Symposium. Maeva has worked in the private and public library sector as well as spending a few years in London as a law librarian. Maeva has used her entrepreneurial and business leadership skills to improve library services and staff engagement at Palmerston City Library, as well as taking a lead role in the strategic development of the Public Library NT network. 

·         How did you first get involved in working in libraries?

After graduating university with a Bachelor of Arts, I quickly realised I needed something extra if I was ever going to have a career and I discovered Library and Information Management. Luckily for me, it was a brilliant decision and I haven’t looked back.

·         What surprised you most about working within the public library sector?

Public Libraries are the most vibrant, creative and modern spaces to be. Libraries and library staff are continuously reinventing spaces, programs and services. The sector is in such an invigorating space, I absolutely love my job!

·         As you are moving into a new library position what is one thing you will take away from working at Palmerston Public Library?

I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have a library team at the City of Palmerston Library who were just so willing to jump in and be creative, risky and innovative. It really brought home to me just how much our public library sector wants to try new things if given the opportunities to explore push the boundaries of traditional library services.