Suzana Sukovic, LARK’s Convenor
I’ll start this brief review with a present — first, one that LARK received, and then a present for you.
LARK’s work is like a perfume that spreads right across the sector.
That’s the most beautiful sentence sent to LARK this year. It came from an ALIA officer who spoke in their own name, and added:
From my experience as an industry practitioner and PhD researcher, LARK showcases and nurtures the importance of lifelong learning and the practical worth of research based on evidence and rigour.
No one at LARK volunteers for compliments, but it is wonderful to hear that what we do matters. It has been a challenging year for many of us, marked by workplace reviews and job uncertainty, major family events and responsibilities, illness, international travels, and, as always, the ongoing demands of work and life. At the end of the year, it is heartening to think that all the shared passion for research has transformed into a sweet smell for research-sensitive minds across our sector.
Now, a present for you 🎁
Our most popular webinar of the year Tools, Truths and Trust: The Library’s Next Chapter – AI is now available to watch. With around 250 registered participants and well over 100 attendees on the day, it clearly found its audience. You can READ more about it or WATCH the recording when you have some quiet time during the holidays.
A reminder, too, that we have another excellent webinar RECORDING available from earlier this year (see details).
My end-of-year review is really a thank-you list. LARK is a small but strong bird, thanks to many people who have never intended to compete for a Library Oscar. It’s even more reason to say that everything we achieved this year is because of them.
Many thanks
- To ALIA and especially the ALIA Groups, for all their kind support, and to Anita Bacic, who started in her new role as ALIA’s Web Administrator by giving our website some tender loving care
- To all our webinar presenters who generously shared their knowledge
- To our LARK Circle participants who committed to developing their ideas over six months. Marianna Shek, in particular, developed a wonderful project with a research component, aimed at boosting a reading program (see Marianna’s post)
- To everyone who engaged with us through webinars and on social media
- And most of all, to everyone at LARK who contributes in big and small ways:
- To colleagues who joined us earlier this year, stayed with us and got on with the work (a special shoutout to Nicole Faull-Brown)
- To Mary Anne Kennan, who helped as Co-Convenor this year
- To Georgia Stewart, our first Secretary (LARK had people in other roles, but we never had a secretary)
- To Bhuva Narayan, who once again facilitated a LARK Circle, this time with me
- To Katherine Howard and Paul Jewell, our faithful and trusted LARKs.
The aforementioned perfume would not have been sensed without your ideas, effort, mutual support and trust, all with a dash of dry humour (you know who you are).
LARK wishes a safe festive season, and a wonderful New Year to you all ✨
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