Patricia Gallaher
Patricia Evelyn Gallaher | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 England |
| Died | 11 December 2014 Perth, Western Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation(s) | Librarian, Councilor |
| Years active | 1950s–2014 |
| Employer(s) | Geraldton Library, Geraldton City Council |
| Organization(s) | Library Board of Western Australia, Australian Library and Information Association |
| Known for | Establishing the Randolph Stow Young Writers Award |
| Awards |
|
Patricia Evelyn Gallaher OAM (1937 – 11 December 2014) was an Australian librarian who established the Randolph Stow Young Writers award and promoted the arts in regional parts of Western Australia.
Early life
[edit]Gallaher was born in England in 1937.[1]
Career
[edit]Gallaher began her working life as a laboratory technician in Sheffield.[1] She emigrated to Australia and worked at the Defence Standards Laboratories in Alexandria, Sydney.[1]
Her first library job was at Mosman Public Library in Sydney.[1] Moving a few years later to Western Australia, Gallaher worked in public libraries in regional areas[2] for almost 30 years. She held positions in Paraburdoo and Karratha, and then for 20 years as the regional librarian for the City of Geraldton (1981-2001).[3] While at Geraldton Library, Gallaher introduced many new services and developments, including a service to house-bound residents, the internet, and an automated library management system. She also oversaw extensions to the Library and established the local studies collection.[3]
Recognizing a need to foster young writers, Gallaher initiated the Randolph Stow Young Writers Award in 1989 to encourage school students in the Geraldton region of Western Australia to write.[3][4] Gallaher served on many committees promoting regional arts, including the Geraldton Arts Council and as a board member of Country Arts WA.[3] In 1987 Gallaher formed the Mid West regional chapter of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).[3]
Gallaher joined the Library Board of Western Australia in 2002[3][5] as the representative for the Western Australian Local Government Association and served a four-year term to 2006. She was named as a Fellow of the Library Board in 2011, in recognition for her commitment to libraries and the arts in regional Western Australia.[3] She was interviewed on 28 October 2013 as part of the Library Board of Western Australia 60th anniversary project.[1]
Gallaher remained involved with the library profession in her retirement, helping to establish[6] the Retirees section of the Australian Library and Information Association.[7]
Political life
[edit]Following her retirement from the Geraldton Library, Gallaher was elected to the Geraldton City Council, serving on the municipal council from 2001 to 2003.[3]
Awards
[edit]- 2003 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the arts and to the community, particularly as a regional librarian.[8]
- 2011 Fellow of the Library Board of Western Australia
Personal life
[edit]Gallaher died in Perth, Western Australia on 11 December 2014.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Gallaher, Patricia E; Bannister, John (William John Egerton), 1967- (2013), Interview with Patricia Gallaher, retrieved 2 January 2015
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Gallaher, Patricia E (1991), "Libraries in Western Australia: the north", Libraries Alone, 3 (1): 19–24, retrieved 2 January 2015
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Patricia Gallaher OAM". State Library of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "Randolph Stow Young Writers Award". City of Greater Geraldton Regional Library. Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ Gallaher, Patricia (2007). "Serving on Boards in Retirement". Incite. 28 (10): 29.
- ^ Gallaher, Patricia (2007). "Volunteering…for a holiday". Incite. 28 (10): 32.
- ^ Gallaher, Patricia (2011). "Connected for life: retired professionals stay in touch" (PDF). Incite. 32 (1): 6. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Australia Day honours list: OAM, CSC, NSC". The Age. 26 January 2003. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ "Pat Gallaher, Obituary". The West Australian. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
Further reading
[edit]- O'Connor AC, Hamlyn C, Allen M, Gallaher P. (2012) State Library Board celebrates anniversary: The WA State Library Board turns 60 this year and is transforming in a bid to stay relevant. 730 WA (ABC1 Perth) interview. p. 7 min., 4 sec.