Delicious
The Library is governed by the Library Board of Victoria, which is overseen by the Victorian Minister for the Arts.
The Board's functions are set out in the Libraries Act 1988 and include:
- ensuring the maintenance, preservation and development of a state collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Victoria and the people of Victoria
- ensuring that the state collection is available to Victorians, subject to any conditions the Board makes
- ensuring the availability of services and facilities in relation to library matters and library material (including bibliographic services)
- arranging the publication and sale of reproductions of any library material in the state collection
- overseeing the exhibition of material from the state collection for information, education and entertainment
- overseeing cooperation in programs with libraries and information organisations to promote access to library and information services and resources
- exercising leadership and promoting high standards in the provision of library and information services
- providing advice to the minister on any matter concerning libraries and information organisations
- performing any other functions appropriate to the Board that the minister may approve
The Board's functions should also contribute to the cultural, educational, social and economic development of Victorians.
About the Board members
Board members are appointed by the governor in council on the recommendation of the minister for the arts. Members represent interests in academia, business, government, information technology and the humanities.
Up to 11 members serve on the Board for up to three years. Members are eligible for reappointment.
President John Cain
The Hon John Cain was appointed to the Board in August 2005. He was appointed president in May 2006 and reappointed again in 2008.
John graduated with a law degree from the University of Melbourne in 1953 before practising in suburban Melbourne. He was chair and president of the Victorian Law Institute and a member of the Law Council of Australia and the Australian Law Reform Commission.
He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria from 1976 to 1992, including three terms as premier of Victoria. He also served as attorney-general.
In 1991 John became a professorial associate at the Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne. He teaches Australian politics and public policy, has published three books and is a regular political commentator on local radio.
Deputy president Stephen Kerr
Stephen Kerr was appointed to the Board in August 2005. He was reappointed in 2008.
Stephen has been a member of the State Library of Victoria Foundation since its inception and is its immediate past chairman. He has worked in the communications industry for nearly 25 years. He was director of International Public Relations and its successor companies, IPR Shandwick and Shandwick International. He was managing director of Weber Shandwick Worldwide's Australian operations.
Stephen is the founder and chief executive of the Public Relations Exchange and is a governor of the Corps of Commissionaires.
Bruce Akhurst
Bruce Akhurst was appointed to the Board in May 2010 for three years.
He is chief executive officer of Sensis Pty Ltd, a position he has held since January 2005. Bruce is also chairman of the Foxtel board and a number of Telstra-owned businesses in China.
A lawyer by training, Bruce relinquished the position of managing partner with Mallesons Stephen Jaques to join Telstra in 1996 as its general counsel.
Robyn Annear
Robyn Annear was appointed to the Board in September 2006.
Robyn guest-curated the Library's 2006 exhibition Naked democracy. During 2003 and 2004 she was a State Library of Victoria creative fellow, researching A city lost and found: Whelan the Wrecker's Melbourne, which was published in 2005.
She has been a judge in The Age Book of the Year and the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards and is an award-winning nonfiction writer.
Merran Evans
Professor Merran Evans was appointed to the Board in June 2009.
She is pro-vice-chancellor (planning & quality), Monash University, where her previous administrative appointments included director (university planning and statistics), and director, Monash University's London Centre.
Merran is a member of many university academic and management committees, as well as holding external and international memberships.
Her research output includes a book and contributions to econometrics, economic and statistical journals. She is a recipient of the Centenary Medal for services to education.
Sherryl Garbutt
Sherryl Garbutt was appointed to the Board in 2007 for three years.
She served five terms from 1989 to 2006 as the state member for Greensborough, then member for Bundoora. During that time she was variously minister for environment and conservation; women's affairs; community services; and children.
Sherryl is a graduate of the University of Melbourne (BA, Dip Ed) and La Trobe University (B Ed). She has taught history and geography in secondary schools in Melbourne.
Sylvia Geddes
Sylvia Geddes was appointed to the Board in May 2010 for three years.
She was chief executive officer of the RE Ross Trust until her retirement in July 2008. Before joining the trust in 2000, Sylvia was manager, charitable services with ANZ Trustees.
She has extensive experience as a senior policy and program manager in both Commonwealth and state governments in areas of social policy particularly families, youth and homelessness. Sylvia headed the Australian government's Office for the Aged. She is a trustee of Trust for Nature, a member of the Council of the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and a sounding board member of Flinders Quartet.
Petro Georgiou
Petro Georgiou was appointed to the Board in July 2011.
Petro was a member of the House of Representatives in the electorate of Kooyong from 1994 until 2010. He was chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Science and Innovation, state director of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party, and director of the Institute of Multicultural Affairs.
Petro is Vice-Chancellor's professorial fellow at Monash University and the University of Melbourne.
Dennis Goldner
Dennis Goldner was appointed to the Board in May 2010 for three years.
He retired from Deloitte in May 2009, having been the partner leading the firm's government services practice in Victoria. Dennis has had experience at senior levels in both the Australian and Victorian public services, particularly in the areas of public policy economics (specialising in competition policy), and trade and investment promotion.
He chairs The Deloitte Foundation and Regional Arts Victoria, is a director of the Royal Children's Hospital Board and serves on the Board Finance and Audit Committee of Oxfam Australia.
