The ALIA Multicultural Group has been a driving force in advocating for diversity and inclusion across Australia’s library and information sector. With its mission to foster equitable access, professional development, and culturally responsive services, the group continues to grow in influence and impact. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce Marie Robineau, recently appointed as Deputy Convenor, and explore her vision for the future.
The Deputy Convenor role is a new role that provides mentoring capacity with the current convenors and allows for training for a year before they become Convenors. All convenors will have spent a year working with the group and gaining a sense of the advocacy focus and the culturally safe collaborative environment
Marie has taken some time to answer some questions for us; Marie brings a wealth of experience as Language Resources Lead at CAVAL, where she has championed multilingual resources and cultural engagement initiatives. Her professional journey reflects a deep commitment to bridging gaps in access and representation across the LIS profession and industry.
Tell us more about yourself and your current role?
I grew up and studied in France, where my curiosity for other cultures was nurtured from a young age. Travelling with my family across Europe and forming lifelong friendships with people from different backgrounds gave me a deep appreciation for diversity. Later, I spent nearly 10 years in Galway, Ireland, working in the book industry among a vibrant, multicultural community passionate about art and culture.
In 2009, I came to Australia for what was meant to be a five-month working holiday—but five months turned into 15 years! Today, I’m the proud mother of two Iranian-French-Australian children.
Before joining CAVAL in 2018, I worked in bookstores and at cultural festivals in Melbourne. My experience in bookselling both in Australia and overseas, combined with my librarianship background, leadership skills, and commitment to promoting access to art and culture, made me a strong candidate for my current role as Language Resources Lead.
At CAVAL, we source books in languages other than English from all over the world and supply them to more than 50 libraries across Australia and New Zealand. We collaborate closely with librarians to establish, curate, and maintain their LOTE (Languages Other Than English) collections. I lead a team of Collection Development Specialists—qualified librarians who are bilingual or multilingual and have expertise in selecting and purchasing language materials. Our team includes native speakers of languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Greek, Vietnamese, and Hindi, among many others.
On a side note, our diverse team celebrates an annual International Lunch Day, where everyone brings a traditional dish from their culture. It’s one of the most anticipated events of the year—no one works from home that day because the food variety is simply amazing!
What inspired you to take on the role of Deputy Convenor for ALIA Multicultural Group?
I joined ALIA Multicultural in May 2023 and was immediately welcomed by a group of dedicated, enthusiastic, and highly experienced library professionals. This is a proactive community where discussions are meaningful and achievements are tangible. The need for advocacy and support for cultural diversity and inclusion is evident at many levels, and working alongside experts from different areas of the library sector aligns perfectly with my personal values and CAVAL’s vision to inspire and drive innovation in the library community.
What I particularly appreciate about this group is the supportive environment that encourages speaking up, the sense that every voice is heard, and the opportunity to benefit from a mentoring program that will be invaluable for my professional growth, with the newly formed Deputy Convenor role.
What challenges do you see in promoting diversity and inclusion within the sector?
I believe that one of the biggest challenges is reaching out to communities who are unaware that libraries offer free access to resources and services. Another is managing shrinking budgets, which makes it harder to maintain diverse collections and programs. On top of that, fearmongering in the media can negatively influence perceptions of cultural diversity, creating additional barriers to inclusion.
How can library professionals get involved and support the group’s mission?
The best way to start is by joining the group and becoming part of the conversation. Reading the newsletter is also a great way to stay informed about initiatives and opportunities. Sharing your ideas and projects—or even presenting them—can inspire others and help strengthen the collective effort toward diversity and inclusion.
What do you hope to learn in the next 12 months?
Over the next year, I hope to gain practical tips and strategies that I can bring back to my workplace and share with other libraries to better support cultural diversity and inclusion. I’m also looking forward to connecting with new ALIA Multicultural members and learning about their initiatives and help drive and support current and new initiatives. On a personal level, I also want to improve my public speaking skills and overcome impostor syndrome—this is a challenge I’m determined to tackle!
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