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On a rare sunny day in August, two members of our metro Library team, Claire Murphy and Leonard Hughes, headed to Curtin University’s Kalgoorlie campus in the heart of WA’s Goldfields.
They began the day in the Library with Jill Kadota, Coordinator of Curtin Connect and Library, to discuss how services are supporting students on campus. The Kalgoorlie Campus Library has long been a natural meeting and study space, but recent service improvements include a Makerspace, where students can prototype on 3D printers and laser cutters or unwind with jigsaws or knitting. Jill is committed to making the Library a welcoming place for Kalgoorlie-based students – with weekly jokes (that are as likely to elicit a groan as a laugh!). From there, they met with Tanya Chambers, Campus Director, to explore how the library can help drive deeper engagement with the broader Kalgoorlie community.
The next conversation was with Yvette Hanks, whose student wellbeing role aligns closely with Jill’s academic support work. Together they’ve built an effective referral pathway for students facing personal or wellbeing challenges or needing academic skills guidance.
The highlight of the visit was meeting students at a CHAtS session (Conversation, Help and Tips for Students), hosted by Michelle Richards, Jill, and Father Errol. CHAtS help’s international students navigate Australian slang and workplace expressions while building everyday English fluency. Hearing students share a laugh as they practised terms like “arvo” brought home how valuable this program is in helping students settle in and succeed.
They wrapped up the day with a visit to the Western Australian School of Mines Minerals Museum, recently reopened after roof repairs. Leaving with more than just a layer of red dust on their shoes, they also had fresh ideas for how the Library can further student support and engagement on campus.
Written by Deputy Director of Learning and Engagement, Claire Murphy and Client Engagement Manager, Leonard Hughes
