Patti Manolis

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the recognised industry leader Geelong Regional Library, Patti Manolis has dedicated her career to giving communities across Victoria the best library, heritage and community experience.

Patti Manolis realised her passion for public libraries at the young age of 15 at Carringbush Regional Library. With tertiary qualifications in Librarianship and Business Studies, Patti worked in a number of senior public library positions in Victoria before being appointed CEO of the Geelong Regional Library Corporation in 2006.

Since her time as CEO, services offered by Geelong Regional Library have exceeded all national public library standards. Under her leadership the Geelong Regional Library has undergone a transformation that delivers innovative, high quality, contemporary and sustainable library services across four Local Government Authorities—the City of Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast Shire, the Golden Plains Shire and the Borough of Queenscliffe.

Patti has been instrumental in building new libraries in West Footscray, Waurn Ponds, Lara and Bannockburn and most recently the new Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Major redevelopments of libraries also undertaken include Geelong West, Belmont, Drysdale, Torquay and mobile libraries covering 18 townships.

In 2003 Patti was awarded the State Library of Victoria's Margery C Ramsay Scholarship, funding a study tour of the library services in TimorLeste. Following this, Patti established Libraries for Timor-Leste, which for over 10 years has supported the development of libraries and their staff in Timor-Leste.

Recently Patti was selected as the only Australian member of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's inaugural International Network of Emerging Library Innovators. This has provided important opportunities for international partnerships, networking, research and continued learning.