Librarianship did not always call to Dr Alex Byrne, writes Tanya Ryan-Segger.
 
Despite a long and successful career, the state's highest-ranking librarian, Dr Alex Byrne, wasn't always certain about his professional direction.

After dabbling in science at university, then moving into electrical engineering, Byrne turned to librarianship, a decision that proved rewarding last year when he was appointed as the chief executive of the State Library of NSW.

"I enjoyed the intellectual side of engineering but didn't really like the workplace," he says.

"So I went travelling around Australia with my partner and then decided that I needed to use my brain and that librarianship looked attractive."

After gaining a graduate diploma in librarianship - the first of many tertiary qualifications in the field - Byrne never looked back.

"I've loved it [librarianship] since the very first lecture," he says.

In fact, the father of two says, working in another area before settling on a long-term career was a positive experience. "Trying various things helped me to find my way," he says.

Now living in Glebe, the 60-year-old began his career as a librarian outside the capital cities, including a stint at James Cook University in Townsville, an experience he says served him well.

"The advantage of starting a career in a regional location is that you get the chance to take on many aspects of your profession," Byrne says.

He went on to become a deputy librarian at the Australian Defence Force Academy, then the pro-vice-chancellor at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory. More recently, he was the university librarian and pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Not content with just climbing the career ladder, Dr Byrne has held various leadership positions with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, culminating in his election as the president of the peak industry body in 2005. He served as president until 2007.

"All of these experiences, plus my continued study to get a master's and then a PhD, prepared me for my current position," he says.

Reflecting on a distinguished career, the NSW state librarian has no regrets and offers simple professional advice to those starting out.

"Keep your options open," he says. "Don't overspecialise too early because life is long and many opportunities arise."