QTU Library – different look, same member service
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 1, 16 February, page no. 12
2023 saw many changes at the QTU’s Lawrence Grulke Library, with a recent renovation resulting in a more open, welcoming, and accessible space for QTU members and employees.
Making such changes in a library involves a lot of forward planning. Parts of the collection were re-positioned in stages, some moved into new positions on the floorplan, and the library painted. The refurbished library, a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the QTU community, also includes a collaborative space for members, QTU officers and staff, which doubles as a quiet, professional reading area for associate members.
Our Library Technician Michelle and I often think of the library as holding the “collective memory” of the Union. We are delighted the new Yarning Circle is within the library, where the history and culture of First Nations members can continue to be shared and told, alongside the collective memories of the whole QTU community.
Library services
The library also provides information and reference services to support the professional and industrial needs of members, officers and staff. Members from all over the state can borrow books from our collection, with material either posted out or available for pick up.
Collections include a unique repository of historically significant Department of Education resources, as well as books, journal articles and electronic resources on topics related to industrial relations and the teaching profession. The library also holds industrial instruments relevant to teachers – both current and historical – and archival material that captures the QTU’s rich organisational culture and history. Our collection supports the work of the Union and provides a history of education and teaching in Queensland.
Thank you, Joan Crump!
Library and Web Manager Joan Crump commenced a period of extended leave last year and has recently announced her intention to retire after an incredible 37 years of service., Joan’s knowledge of the industrial history of teachers’ working conditions and departmental policy has been invaluable, and we wish her all the best for her impending retirement.