Get to know: Tania Barry
#WeAreNorthern
Meet Tania Barry, Director, Library and Information Literacy Services, Northern Health.
Q: What is your coffee order?
A: Almond milk flat white – preferably large!
Q: Tell us about your new role at Northern Health?
A: As the Director of Library and Information Literacy Services, my role is to support the growth and development of the library and information literacy services both within Northern Health and the communities within Northern Health catchment areas. This involves identifying and implementing initiatives to promote health literacy for all Northern Health staff, students and community members, and promoting the library as a key health information literacy provider, with my team as subject matter experts in this space. This also involves providing staff with services and resources to practice evidence-based healthcare.
Q: Describe Northern Health in three words?
A: Kind, aMAZEing (I still get lost!!), caring.
Q: What is your biggest achievement till date (both professionally and privately)?
A: Personally, being fortunate enough to have four children (one of whom is a fourth-year medical student!). Professionally, I developed a foundational literacy program for children called 1000 Books Before School, which was the first in Victoria, based on a program running in the US. It became so popular, that the State Library Victoria rolled it out to every public library in Victoria. Several public libraries interstate have now implemented this model 😊
Q: If you could listen to any song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A: I cycle through songs, but my current favourite is Copperhead Road by Steve Earle 😊