The Friends are organised via a management Committee and four standing committees: Acquisitions, Membership, Publications, and Program. The management committee members are:
PRESIDENT Rick Sarre is Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the University of South Australia. Rick enjoyed teaching stints in the USA, Hong Kong, and Sweden during his 35 years in the tertiary sector. Rick is also author of his recently published memoir, Life Actually : A Feast of 500-word Memories (Moonglow Publishing).
CO-VICE-PRESIDENT Angela Bannon, Immediate past President. Herfirst job was as a trainee librarian in Luton UK. Her work-life since then has included teaching at primary schools in SA, youth work, Bureau of Statistics and teaching art history at tertiary level. She is a practicing artist who loves history, archives and of course, books.
CO-VICE-PRESIDENT and TREASURER Patricia Michell is a general medical practitioner who has been active in many not-for-profit organizations for over 40 years. With interests in health, restoration, gardens and of course books.
HONORARY SECRETARY Trevor Grant is a retired English teacher of 40 years’ experience in Toronto, London and locally. He spent his last 30 years at Pembroke School with great enjoyment. An avid reader, inveterate theatre-goer, opera buff, and traveller, he has never been as active as now, in the absolute freedom of retirement.
HONORARY ACCOUNTANT Brett Thompson of Brett Thompson & Associates Adelaide (Accountancy) is our Honorary Accountant. His additional contributions apart from the Friends' include as lecturer of the University of Adelaide Dental School, workshop presenter for the Department of Trade and Economic Development, and Board positions with COMIC (Children of Mentally Ill Consumers) and SCOSA.
MEMBERS Roger André has a keen interest in history and heritage and co-edits a local history journal. He joined the Friends while attached to the Mortlock Library of South Australiana where he was Senior Archivist until his retirement in 2001. In an earlier life he worked for nine years in Papua New Guinea.
Vini Ciccarello Vini is a former Labor Party MP for the electoral district of Norwood. A mayor of the City of Kensington and Norwood for seven years, she was a well-known identity in the eastern suburbs electorate. She is a former member of the Libraries Board of South Australia from 2012-2019.
Mark Gilbert is a consulting engineer with a lifelong interest in books and history. He is a keen book collector and, in his spare time, binds and restores books. He was publisher of The Adelaide Review newspaper for 20 years, and owned the Wakefield Press for a period in the 1990s.
Nicholas Josehas published seven novels, including Paper Nautilus, The Custodians, The Red Thread and Original Face, and three collections of short stories. His non-fiction includes Chinese Whispers, Cultural Essays and a memoir, Black Sheep: Journey to Borroloola. He was general editor of the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Australian Literature and served as Cultural Counsellor at the Australian Embassy, Beijing, 1987-90. He is Emeritus Professor of English and Creative Writing at The University of Adelaide.
Pauline McCarthy migrated to Australia as a Ten Pound Pom, growing up in Elizabeth. She began her working life in the Elizabeth Public Libraries. She later retrained as a teacher, and went on to become an advisor, manager and principal, specialising in libraries and publications, including multimedia. She has also exhibited collages and photographic works. Her income has been spent on family and homemaking, artworks, music and theatre, extensive travel to Asia and the Middle East, as well as parts of Europe. Good books, good company and good wine enrich her life.
Emma McEwin Emma has written two books, An Antarctic Affair, published in 2008, and The Many Lives of Douglas Mawson, 2018. Most recently a post-doctoral research essay on bacteriologist Nancy Atkinson, who held a senior position at the University of Adelaide from 1939 to 1975, was published in the December 2018 issue of the Australian Journal of Biography and History. Emma loves research and is especially interested in bringing to light lesser known lives. Emma has a BA and honours degree in English literature, and a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Adelaide.
Mandy Macky Mandy's career in the book trade is unsurpassed. As former Chief of the Girl Guides Australia, she brings her management and people skills to the Friends, as well as her passion for books and reading. Jane Walkley worked as a Public Librarian for 12 years and an Information Officer at Seniors Information Service for 11 years. She is now retired and has many interests, mainly bookish, walking and travelling. Her PhD was a study of language and imagination in the work of Wilson Harris.
Hettie Tinsleyhas had a career in international education in 11 countries. She headed International Baccalaureate schools in both hemispheres and led educational institution assessment teams in numerous countries. She has a love of both English and literature in translation, passions fostered in post-graduate studies at the University of Adelaide. She has dabbled in writing, with some published travel articles for the International Guardian, short stories and poetry. She has previous experience as editor of Bibliofile and vice-president of the Friends.
EX OFFICIO Geoff Strempel is the Director of the State Library of South Australia. Marianne Gration is the Executive Officer of the Friends - Marianne manages our events, membership, marketing, bookkeeping, publications arm, and lots more!
DONATE TO THE FRIENDS For almost 90 years, The Friends has supported the State Library of South Australia by purchasing items that enhance and contribute to the Library’s collections.
The Friends’ financial viability relies solely on memberships, donations and book sales. We no longer receive any funding from the government or the State Library.
Please consider making a donation to assist the Friends in these tough economic times.
For only $60 you can give a Gift Membership to a family member or work colleague.
For $500 you can be a Subscriber to any of our publications.
For $2500 you can become a Sponsor to any of our publications.
A Tax Deductible donation to the Friends.
Or purchase some of our books as gifts or donate to your local Library. We have over thirty to choose from.