6. Diane

Diane

For Diane, having access to public libraries was life-changing, not only as a child, but as an adult pursuing a PhD in International Criminal Law.

Home was not a safe place for Diane growing up. With nowhere to call home a lot of the time, libraries provided her a safe place to go, relax and spend hours devouring books. The librarians even taught her how to use the computer to search the internet, which would become a crucial skill for her university studies.

“Libraries were so critical for me to even get the most basic education and I don’t think that I would be where I am today without them.”

After finishing her undergraduate degree, Diane felt directionless and purposeless. She began to think about how she wanted her life to look, focussing on what was important to her now and in the past. She kept coming back to the first experiences where she felt safe, happy and like she could achieve anything – and that was in the library.

She began her graduate diploma in Library Studies and secured a position at the Tea Tree Gully Library within a week of starting.

With her graduate diploma now complete, Diane has been successful in securing a scholarship for her PhD studies in International Criminal Law in Post-Conflict Environments and looks forward to teaching, researching and even working in peace-building in post-conflict situations.

Hear more of Diane's story: