Recent scholarship recipients
Margery C Ramsay Scholarship
The Margery C. Ramsay Scholarship supports emerging leaders to undertake sector-shaping investigations that strengthen public library practice and visibility across Victoria.
2024 recipient: Mia Peardon, Ballarat Libraries
The 2024 scholarship is a strategic collaboration between Mia Peardon, State Library Victoria, and supported by Ballarat Libraries, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting values-led leadership and evidence-based practice across the public library network.
Mia Peardon, 2024 Ramsay Scholar and early career librarian from Ballarat Libraries, is leading a statewide investigation into the current state of local studies collections across Victorian public libraries. Through a coordinated program of surveys, consultations and site visits, her project will examine how these collections are described, preserved, accessed, and interpreted — and where significant gaps or silences may exist.
By generating a sector-wide snapshot and developing practical recommendations, Mia’s work aims to strengthen public libraries’ role in documenting community memory, supporting inclusive storytelling, and improving the visibility and use of heritage collections across the state.
Barrett Reid Scholarship
The Barrett Reid Scholarship enables talented library professionals to gain valuable international accreditations and implement advanced strategies into libraries across Australia.
2023 recipients: Rachel D'Arcy, Brimbank Libraries, and Jessica Anderson, Goulburn Valley Regional Library Corporation
During their scholarship, Rachel D’Arcy (Brimbank Libraries) and Jessica Anderson (Goulburn Valley Regional Library Corporation) undertook research to find best practice principles and methods to implement a sustainability accreditation model for Victorian public libraries.
Their research is timely, strategic and aligns itself with both national and international strategies, as outlined by the ALIA Sustainable Libraries Group and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has the potential to promote responsible practices in libraries and enhance Victorian public library reputation in sustainability.
Their report, Public Libraries and Sustainability in Victoria, was published in March 2025. Read the report below.
