Speakers
Catherine Barnes - University of South Australia
Abstract
This presentation showcases a case study from a university information management program that integrates Koha to teach students original and copy cataloguing, resource management, and database structures. Koha serves as both an instructional tool and a professional development platform, embedded into cataloguing courses to teach Resource Description and Access (RDA) standards, metadata management, and practical applications for managing library collections, acquisitions, and circulation workflows. Additionally, Koha’s architecture introduces students to database design principles, MARC records, and system interoperability. By leveraging Koha’s open-source framework alongside industry-standard practices, students gain hands-on experience that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical application, preparing them with transferable skills for both open-source and proprietary library systems.
Speaker Biography
Catherine Barnes is a Course Coordinator and Lecturer at the University of South Australia (UniSA), where she teaches courses in Information Description & Discovery, Metadata, and Information Management Project Placement. Catherine integrates academic theory with practical applications, with a special focus on cataloguing guinea pigs. She holds a Bachelor in Information Management, a Master’s in Information Technology, and a Graduate Diploma in Education. An active contributor to the library and information science field, Catherine serves on committees with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI), and the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Catherine has published and presented on metadata for diversity, immersive environments, artificial intelligence, and inquiry learning, inspiring lifelong learning and critical engagement with information.