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Wanting to get the best of both worlds, Hana Whaanga enrolled with the Open Polytechnic so she could have the freedom to choose where and when she studied while she earned a living doing what she loves, working for the community as a librarian.
Hana, who is of Ngati Kahungunu descent, first tried studying a different field with a local university. But attending classes full-time while working part-time took her too far away from her real love of being immersed in the library profession.
Working in libraries since leaving high school, Hana felt it was her calling, so it made sense for her to switch her studies and enrol in a Diploma in Information and Library Studies through Open Polytechnic.
“Working part time and going to university didn’t work. Rather than fitting work around my studies, I wanted something I could do at my own pace. Because I could keep doing what I wanted during the day, it worked around my hours of work.”
Spending a year in Perth, Hana was able to take her studies with her, and while there decided to put her hand up to present a talk at an Australian Library conference.
“I couldn’t afford to go so I had to cancel. One of my Open Polytechnic lecturers, Alison Fields, was there and saw my name and a few years later asked me if I wanted to write a paper with her.
“She is a lovely lady and really stands out to me because I feel confident to contact her at any time. For lecturers to be accessible to their students, and also approachable and easy going, is really important”.
Hana has since completed both the Level 5 and Level 6 Diplomas in Information and Library Studies and is still as passionate as ever about learning and the library industry.
“I love having good conversations with people and getting to know the community. Working in a public library is about connecting people with information and what they need.
Now intending on studying towards a Bachelor in Applied Science, Hana thrives on sharing her enthusiasm for learning to the rest of the world and subsequently is very active in both online library forums and social media platforms.
“I like writing and from a very young age I have written stories so I thought, ‘why not share these musings and put them on the internet?’ I then started developing my own website after taking a web design course over the summer through the Open Polytechnic which taught me about HTML.
Hana describes herself as a lifelong learner and says studying runs in her family.
“The information you get from studying is gold, even if you don’t get a degree out of it, you gain untold learning and professional development.”
Please note: This version is only available to students who began studying this qualification before 11 September 2012.
If you are a new student and want to enrol in this qualification, please visit the revised qualification page.
If you started studying this qualification before 11 September 2012 you can complete this qualification version, or you may be able to enrol in the new version, depending on the courses you’ve completed. If you have any questions or want to find out more about the new version, please contact us.
If you want to continue studying the version you’re enrolled in, you will need to complete all courses by Trimester 3, 2014 because this version will close at the end of 2014.
Qualification information
This Diploma is an entry-level qualification for librarians and is suitable for people with no prior experience in libraries, as well as those currently working in a library. It must be completed before you can enrol in the Level 6 Diploma, and is also a starting point for a Bachelor of Applied Science or Bachelor of Arts degree.
Please note: This version is only available to students who start studying this qualification in 2012.
If you are a new student and want to enrol in this qualification, please click here to view the revised version of this Diploma.
If you are currently studying, or start studying this qualification in 2012 you can complete this qualification version, or you may be able to enrol in the new version, depending on the courses you’ve completed. If you have any questions or want to find out more about the new version, please contact us.
If you want to continue studying the version you’re enrolled in, you will need to complete all courses by Trimester 3, 2014 because this version will close at the end of 2014.
Qualification information
This Diploma can be a stepping stone from the Level 5 Diploma to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Applied Science degree. You must have successfully completed the Level 5 Diploma before enrolling in this Diploma.
Since he was a child, Vinesh Chand has always been fascinated by electronics. After finishing high school in Fiji, Vinesh moved to New Zealand to complete an engineering diploma.
Michelle Wire wanted a qualification that would kick start her journey towards obtaining a degree, so she chose the Open Polytechnic Certificate in Tertiary Study Skills (Level 4).
