Bernie Hawke

Bernie Hawke was appointed Library Manager for Dunedin Public Libraries in October 2001, and began work at the Library on 14th January 2002. He was previously Director, Special Collections, at the State Library of Queensland in Australia. He graduated with a BSc from the University of Sydney in 1973, and a Graduate Diploma in Education in 1974. He gained his Graduate Diploma in Librarianship from Melbourne State College in 1977, and later a Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management from Deakin University in Victoria. His career with Australian libraries included a period as City Librarian at Gladstone Library in Queensland. 

During his tenure as Manager, Library Services for Dunedin Public Libraries, Bernie has overseen the redevelopment of the 3rd floor of the City Library to improve housing for the Libraries' special collections, and the construction of the Reed Gallery exhibition space to facilitate regular public exhibitions of content from the special collections. He has been an innovative leader, ensuring Dunedin Public Libraries keep pace with technological advances and efficiencies in collections management and customer services, including the introduction of RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, an automated 'sorter' system for returned books, an expanding digital collection, and a digital community archive, Scattered Seeds, through a partnership with the Dunedin Lebanese Community.