Director

– One of country’s finest public libraries and the largest public research library and resource in South Australia

– Home to one of the top 20 most beautiful libraries of the world and a year-round cultural tourism destination

– A cornerstone senior leadership role for the future direction of the State Library and the strategic support of Australia’s only state-wide public libraries network

For thousands of years the Kaurna people of the Adelaide plains have told their stories and kept their memories of this place alive in their oral tradition. Today, a greeting stone by Uncle Lewis O’Brien of the Kaurna people at the entrance to the State Library of South Australia welcomes visitors to a place that also keeps the memories of the state alive.

Even before settlement, South Australia was being positioned as a knowledge and cultural centre of the new world with the planning for a library for public use well underway. Just two weeks after the passing of the South Australia Act by the British Parliament on 14 August 1834, an enthusiastic group of prospective colonists led by Richard Hanson and Robert Gouger formed the South Australian Literary Association on 29 August 1834.

Today, nearly 200 years later, the State Library of South Australia is a rich source of information for South Australians and for the world: collecting, preserving and making accessible the State’s history for current and future generations to enjoy, experience and learn from.

As custodians of stories, the State Library is home to many powerful and impactful South Australian stories – providing access to a collection for those who visit the library and for those who use it online.

Welcoming over half a million visitors each year to our North Terrace site, the State Library’s extensive catalogue, website and research guides are accessed 5.2 million times a year and over 14,000 times each day. The historic Mortlock Wing is consistently voted among the most beautiful libraries in the world and is one of Adelaide’s most popular destinations with visitors and tourists for social media pics and mentions.

The purpose of the Libraries Board of South Australia is to promote, create and maintain a state-wide public library network for the benefit of the people of South Australia which is supported by the State Library of South Australia. The Board works with local and state government to create libraries that are innovative and creative community hubs, providing opportunities for participation, learning and leisure to all South Australians. There are currently over 130 libraries spanning 68 Councils across the state operating as a single network with an active membership of over half a million South Australians.

The State Library is in a state of transition as we continue our evolution for future generations from a conventional custodian of physical collections to a digital first cultural leader, with ambitious plans to enliven the cultural precinct and draw significant tourism investment through the proposed Experience Adelaide Visitor Centre and Children’s Discovery Centre.

The new Director will further develop the State Library’s engagement, operations, collections, activities and research as we strengthen our ability to engage with and capture the diverse voices in our community, support knowledge sharing, and preserve our state’s stories for the present and for those who come after us.

Please contact the consultant assisting the Board to obtain the Information for Candidates pack that has full details of the role and the application requirements:

Tony Grierson

AEGEUS Executive Search    

P: +61 8 7160 2383

E: slsa@aegeus.asia