Service 1Make it clear to your customers know what you offer as a service.
Sponsors
CIVICA
Proudly sponsoring the Delegates dinner & quiz at The Christchurch Arts Centre
Karina Mirchandani, Jane Leogreen
Civica, we make software that helps deliver critical services for citizens all around the world – over 5,000 public bodies across the globe use our software to help provide critical services to over 100 million citizens.
Our aspiration is to be a GovTech champion, supporting the needs of citizens and those that serve them every day.
As an industry-leading cloud based library management system, Civica Spydus is used extensively in local government and education institutions worldwide. A trusted partner for many years, Civica works closely with customers in New Zealand to empower patrons with access to meaningful resources and services through innovative features.
Wheelers
Proudly sponsoring PLNZ National Forum 2026 Coffee Kiosk
Partnering with libraries to inspire Aotearoa.
Wheelers Books is proud to stand alongside public libraries as a passionate ally in promoting literacy, knowledge, and access for all. As a New Zealand-owned company, we offer public libraries the best of both worlds: an unmatched ability to supply international, New Zealand, Māori and Pasifika titles - helping you curate vibrant, inclusive collections that reflect and uplift your communities.
For over 20 years, we've collaborated with libraries across Aotearoa, tailoring our services to meet the evolving needs of each community. With seamless integration with your library management systems, an extensive global and local title database, sustainability-focused options, and a large experienced local team of professionals, we provide unparalleled service in selection, cataloguing, processing, technical integration, purchasing and logistics. Guided by the values of tautoko, mahitahi, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga, we're committed to partnership, innovation, and a thriving future for New Zealand libraries.
Wheelers is a good friend of PLNZ. Drop by the Wheelers stand to see the team and have a chat; ask any questions, and discover what's new at Wheelers - we'd love to connect.
Bolinda | Borrowbox
Proudly sponsoring keynote speaker: Bariz Shah
BorrowBox - Your library in one app.
Our vision for BorrowBox has always been to create a digital experience for libraries and library members that rivals paid-for consumer brands and to deliver a world-class user experience that’s simple and made to inspire. Exclusive to Bolinda and one of the world’s top three apps for eAudiobooks, eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers. Rated 4.8 on the app store with rave reviews from library borrowers.
Come and see Sarah at STAND 2 to find out more!
James Bennett
Proudly sponsoring National Forum - Pre Arrival Reception and The Librarians screening
Nikki Shaw is the New Zealand Sales Consultant for James Bennett and is based in Napier in the sunny Hawke’s Bay. She joined James Bennett in 2015 after more than 20 years working in libraries across the UK and New Zealand which means she understands the challenges and joys of the sector. Nikki works closely with libraries on acquisitions, collection development, training, and project support, and she enjoys building relationships and helping teams find solutions that make their work easier by making use of the tools and services available to them. She loves libraries and loves being part of a community that’s always evolving.
Kim joined James Bennett in 2009, and as General Manager of James Bennett works closely with all departments and oversees all activities of the organisation – from product, supply, finance and strategy.
Peter Pal
Proudly sponsoring the in person Regional Scholarship
Steve Pal - Managing Director
In 2021 Peter Pal celebrated 40 years of service to Australian and New Zealand public libraries and has been 100% family owned since its inception in 1981. Steve Pal has led the family company since 2001. Over the past 20 years he has seen the company grow to become an industry leader in the supply of library materials, whilst maintaining the integrity of being a family-owned company that continues to support the community and the sustainability for future generations to come.
Ed Brown - Relationship Consultant
Ed has been a familiar face throughout his extensive career in publishing of over two decades. Most known for his work with Bolinda and Wheelers, Ed brings a wealth of expertise to his role within Peter Pal as our on the ground New Zealand consultant.
Deb Woodcock – Purchasing Manager
Deb joins Peter Pal with over 10 years of purchasing experience with Wheelers in NZ , and has recently moved to Australia from Aotearoa. Deb leads a team of skilled selectors and is refining and streamlining our purchasing processes to ensure books reach our warehouse — and you — faster than ever.
Vonessa Shackles – Account Manager
Vonessa joined the team in 2025 bringing 17 years of experience, delivering book services to school partners across NSW and QLD. Vonessa’s experience in client-facing and management roles prior to Peter Pal are a testament to her passion for developing strong client relationships.
SOLUS
Proudly sponsoring National Forum - Pre Arrival Reception and The Librarians screening
The SOLUS Library App is the #1 selling App for Public Libraries globally.
With best in class functionality, a global support network and high levels of patron satisfaction, it is the #1 App choice for your library. We've been busy over the last year and launched our next generation Library App which comes with a brand-new user interface along with several new and exciting features.
Over the last 10 years of being in operation across Australia & New Zealand the Library App boast a 100% retention rate which highlights the impact our Library App has on the overall library service.
In addition to the Library App, we also offer best of breed products which are seamlessly integrated with each other, and the Library App:
eb#1 – Events, Room Bookings, Equipment Bookings & PC Bookings Solution. Specified, designed, and built in partnership with Libraries eb#1 is feature rich with countless features. eb#1 is fully integrated into the library website and the Library App allowing library members (or guest) to seamlessly discover and book library events, rooms, equipment or PC. Once a booking is made users can amend or cancel bookings easily through the Library App and website.
LUCi is our Discovery Platform, a unique discovery experience and the digital front door to your library. Developed in partnership with the libraries, think Netflix or Disney+ style presentation but with the option for the patron to switch to a more "traditional" list view if they desire. Promote any content you want with impactful carousels and/or choose to switch on AI (patrons can opt out) to provide automated and fully personalized content for individual users!
Other SOLUS products include: the Staff App, Signage and PC Bookings.
Please stop by our stand to see several of the new features integrated into the Library App along with the latest eb#1 has to offer.
Exhibitors
bibliotheca
Chris Haines
For over 50 years, Bibliotheca has worked with 30,000 libraries around the globe to make the library experience—physical and digital—seamless, intuitive, and inclusive.
Through integrated technology, we reimagine how libraries function to inspire and delight patrons, wherever they are: at home, on the move, or within the library walls.
As degreed librarians and avid library users, we understand not only the unique management challenges that libraries face but also what the future of library service will demand.
It's time to imagine what a library can do—what a library can be—today and tomorrow.
CAVAL
Marie Robineau
CAVAL provides a wide range of services to Australian and New Zealand libraries. These include but not limited to collaboration opportunities such as professional development services, cataloguing and processing expertise, and access to foreign language resources. At PLNZ come visit us to hear about:
CAVAL's Language Resources department sources and catalogue books in languages other than English from all over the world. We:
• Purchase direct from overseas publishers, while our team of local cataloguers creating records in their native languages.
• Provide libraries with complete shelf-ready material, matched to library profiles and customised to local specification.
Meanwhile our Digital Platforms team provides regional support and access to industry-leading international software. Platforms include:
• Skilltype, a talent platform designed specifically for the libraries. Providing access to a catalogue of over 15,000 library industry-specific training resources and enables libraries to manage staff upskilling and skill gap analysis.
• Project ReShare, a modern, user-centric open-source ILL resource sharing platform. CAVAL is currently working with the National Library of Australia on the launch of the renewed national resource sharing service based entirely on ReShare.
Clarivate
André Stephenson & Katie Dawson
André Stephenson, Product Sales Manager
André has extensive library industry experience with roles at both Civica and now Clarivate, where he enjoys bringing Innovative's class-leading, intuitive and exciting library experiences to libraries across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific in his typical enthusiastic style. With qualifications from Curtin and Columbia Universities, André has lived in Perth and currently resides in 'fabulous' Melbourne, enjoying the coffee, the food and wine, the sport and (surprisingly) the weather.
He is married to Jen, has a young daughter and too many club memberships.
Katie Dawson, Katie brings over 20 years of experience in the public library sector, having worked across multiple library services throughout Australia. Katie’s career has largely focused on systems-based roles.
More recently, Katie has joined Clarivate as a Technical Solutions Consultant. Katie holds qualifications from Victoria University and Charles Sturt University and is passionate about public libraries and the effective use of systems and technologies to enhance the user experience while streamlining staff processes.
FE Tech
Avin Lee Shin Hwa
Avin Lee, Sales and Marketing Manager and Business Analyst, is a commercially astute professional with over 20 years’ experience in sales, business development, and technology-led transformation, including more than a decade with FE Technologies delivering RFID solutions across Australia and New Zealand.
Avin has led major RFID implementations for organisations including Wellington City Council, Auckland City Council, and the University of Sydney—where he oversaw the southern hemisphere’s largest Automatic Sorter deployment—as well as recent projects with City of Canada Bay and Woollahra Libraries. He specialises in stakeholder engagement, business requirements analysis, and aligning technology solutions with operational and customer needs, working closely with technical and project teams to ensure successful delivery.
GALE
Maureen Quinn
Maureen began her career in South Australia at the City of Brighton public library and to this day loves visiting her local library at the City of Marion in SA.
Her most recent role before taking up the Account Manager role with Gale was as the Coordinator, Collection Strategy at Flinders University.
Maureen has worked for multiple vendors in Account Management roles for New Zealand libraries over the last 20 years and enjoys visiting New Zealand immensely, she is very excited about attending her second PLNZ National Forum and visiting beautiful Christchurch again.
Hydestor
Tony Watkins - SI Branch Manager
Shona Mackay - Sales/Project Consultant
Hydestor specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of quality shelving and storage solutions for organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Their team works alongside clients to create practical, compliant and cost-effective systems that make the best use of available space.
From layout planning to installation, Hydestor focuses on usability, safety and long-term functionality, ensuring each storage solution is thoughtfully designed to suit the needs of the people, place and purpose it serves.
Int. workspaces
Kate Baxter & Josh Hill
Kate Baxter is Int Workspaces’ Library Specialist, helping libraries across New Zealand create engaging, functional, and future-ready community spaces. With deep expertise in library design and collection workings, Kate ensures the right balance of shelving, soft seating, and spatial flow to support how people interact with collections. Her honours degree in textile design gives her expert knowledge in specifying fit-for-purpose furniture and finishes.
Kate has collaborated with councils, architects, and library teams nationwide to deliver spaces that enhance community connection and usability. Passionate about creating environments that inspire learning and belonging, Kate brings both technical insight and genuine care to every project she’s involved in.
Josh Hill leads the sales team at Int Workspaces, helping organisations across New Zealand create workplaces and hospitality spaces that are both functional and inspiring. With years of experience in commercial interiors, Josh specialises in workplace furniture specifications, layout and design and hospitality fitouts. He’s known for his practical design approach and commitment to delivering tailored solutions that meet each client’s unique needs.
Josh has worked with a wide range of clients, from national corporates and councils to local cafés and businesses, ensuring every project combines form, function, and value.Driven by a passion for great spaces and customer experience, Josh enjoys collaborating with designers and business owners to bring their vision to life.
Learning Spaces Global (LSG)
Angela Wallis
LSG Group is fast becoming the leading supplier of Natural, biophilic designs into Libraries across Aotearoa.
With a huge focus on bringing the outside indoors, through the use of natural tones, designs and providing calm and inviting spaces to study and learn.
Library furniture and equipment should be fit-for-purpose and durable to withstand the everyday demands which is why LSG uses sustainable, hardwearing materials.
Made in our factory in Nelson, with a passionate team of legends, we offer fully customisable and Bespoke furnishings, which is why LSG is the first choice for making your community Hub or Library the most amazing place to be.
MDM Entertainment | Hoopla Digital
Corey Bancks
Corey Bancks has over 20 years’ experience in the library supply sector, including 18 years with MDM Entertainment.
Since our establishment in July 2008, MDM Entertainment has experienced continuous growth and is now recognised as a preferred solutions provider to hundreds of public library services across Australia and New Zealand
Monitor BM
Chris Luxmoore
MonitorBM produce a range of transactional software solutions that are all modular and connect to a number of LMS systems.
We have produced a range of software and hardware products which, when combined, can create a cash free Transaction Management System. Our philosophy is to offer a broad range of sophisticated and quality products, which are simple to use and affordable.
All MonitorBM products are highly configurable with extensive functionality and have optional features and modules, which may be enabled to suit any site requirements.
We are committed to continuing the process of developing interfaces and associations with products and companies which provide market synergy, and to maintaining our competitive edge. Since our inception, MonitorBM has developed a reputation for manufacturing high quality products with a tradition of being reliable and fully featured transaction management systems.
National Library of New Zealand
Rowan Payne
Manager, Library Sector Services, National Library of New Zealand | Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Rowan leads the fantastic team responsible for Kōtui, APNK, EPIC, and Te Puna Services. We have the service leads for all four services here at the forum - Adam Cath, Shona van Ee, Paula Banks, and Michael Fauchelle. He has been involved in library technology for much of the past 15 years. This has included service management and product ownership on key National Library online services, including the National Library website and DigitalNZ.
NewsBank Inc
Craig Pett
Craig Pett has been National Sales Manager at Bezi Publishing Services since January 2019.
He has acquired over three decades’ experience in the publishing industry in Australia.
For the past seventeen years he has worked in educational publishing with expertise in the Digital Humanities.
In his own time, he is a researcher in eighteenth-century history and other areas.
NZMS
Andy Fenton, Andreas Paxis & Stephen Hardman
Andy Fenton is the Founder and Chairman of NZMS and Recollect. Since co-founding NZMS in 1990 and its sister company Desktop Imaging Ltd in 1997, Andy has become a leading expert in cultural heritage digitisation projects, overseeing more of these projects than any other New Zealander. His expertise in digitisation services for the collections of “memory institutions” is highly valued in the GLAMIR sector both nationally and internationally.
A strong advocate for libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage institutions, Andy was elected to the inaugural National Digital Forum Board and serving 4 terms (2006-2013), and the ARANZ Council (2005-2010). He has also been active in Standards since 1996 and is a member of two Committees; Standards NZ’s International Review Group (2006-present) as well as a technical specialist in digitisation and micrographics for Standards Australia’s Joint Committee IT-021, Records and Document Management Systems (2021-present).
Andreas Paxie is the General Manager of NZMS, bringing over 20 years of executive leadership experience across a diverse range of industries. His career spans roles as CEO and General Manager in various sectors. Andreas is passionate about building on NZMS’s legacy as a trusted partner in digitisation and information management.
Stephen Hardman is the Southern Regional Manager of NZMS. He maintains and builds on existing customer relationships, aiming to make new connections that will enable NZMS’s growth within the Southern region. He brings a wealth of experience in relationship management and external engagement.
OCLC
Kylie Peckham & Brigitte Jambresic
Kylie Peckham is the Business Development Account Manager for Digital Content Solutions at OCLC, a qualified librarian with over 25 years of experience in the library industry.
Brigitte Jambresic is the Account Manager for Digital Content Solutions at OCLC, a qualified librarian with 15 years of experience in the library industry
Sensory Corner
Rachel Cheung
Director- Sensory Corner
Rachel is a Registered Educational Psychologist who practiced in both Auckland and London. Her interest in sensory equipment emerged through her work, where she saw firsthand the impact that well‑designed sensory tools could have on learning, regulation, participation, and wellbeing. In 2006, she founded Sensory Corner to improve access to high‑quality sensory equipment across Aotearoa.
Since then, awareness and understanding of sensory needs have grown significantly within our communities. This has been matched by an increasing demand for safe, reliable sensory environments in schools, health services, workplaces, and public settings. Sensory Corner supports the development of accessible, safe, and effective sensory spaces throughout New Zealand.