Nita Kibble

Nita Bernice Kibble was born on 8 June 1879 at Denman, New South Wales, the younger daughter of George Augustus Frederick Kibble, Scottish postmaster, and his wife Eliza, née McDermott.{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Arnot|first=Jean|title=Kibble, Nita Bernice (1879–1962)|id2=kibble-nita-bernice-6947|access-date=24 July 2013}} Kibble was educated at Denman Public School and St Vincent's College, Potts Point, Sydney.

The first female librarian{{cite journal|last=Cleary|first=John|title=Women librarians at the Public Library of New South Wales: the first generation.|journal=Australian Library Journal|year=1991|volume=40|issue=1|pages=3–26}} to be appointed to the State Library of New South Wales, Kibble began her career at the library on probation as a junior attendant in the lending branch{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113694294 |title=PUBLIC SERVICE GAZETTE. |newspaper=The Evening News|location=Sydney |date=19 December 1899 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} on 29 November 1899.

In an era when women in Australia did not often receive equal pay for equal work and were excluded from some professional opportunities, the library offered a career path for women. H.C.L. Anderson recruited educated women to work as reading room attendants and from there they could progress into the clerical and professional divisions of the Public Service Board.{{cite journal|last=Biskup|first=Peter|title=Gender and status in Australian librarianship: some issues|journal=Australian Library Journal|year=1994|volume=43|issue=3|pages=165–179|doi=10.1080/00049670.1994.10755685|doi-access=free}} Kibble progressed through the ranks{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12645563 |title=She Devoted 44 Years To Books. |newspaper=The Sun-Herald |location=Sydney |date=17 January 1954 |access-date=25 July 2013 |page=54 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} and passed the Public Service Board examinations, eventually establishing the Library's first research department in 1918. Kibble was described by Mr Ifould, the State Librarian as "a fine example of patience, imagination and wide knowledge combined."{{cite book|last=Fletcher|first=Brian|title=A magnificent obsession, the story of the Mitchell Library, Sydney|year=2007|publisher=Allen & Unwin|location=Sydney|isbn=9781741752915|pages=105–106}}

Kibble studied courses at the University of Sydney in economics, philosophy, psychology and sociology which equipped her for her work in the Research Department. In 1919 she was appointed Principal Research Officer, and retained the position until her retirement in 1943.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48203820 |title=A LIFE Amongst BOOKS. |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=1 July 1933 |access-date=25 July 2013 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} She was a foundation member of the Australian Institute of Librarians and a staunch advocate for the recognition of the profession.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16008909 |title=PUBLIC LIBRARIES. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=22 June 1922 |access-date=25 July 2013 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} Kibble's papers are held in the collection of the State Library of New South Wales.{{cite web|title=Nita Bernice Kibble papers 1899-1959|url=http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=891488|work=SLNSW catalogue|publisher=State Library of New South Wales|access-date=2 August 2013}}

Kibble raised her niece, Nita May Dobbie, from birth. In her will, Dobbie established the Nita B Kibble Literary Awards for Women Writers which recognise the work of Australian female writers in memory of her aunt.{{cite web|title=Kibble Literary Award|url=http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/about/awards/kibble.html|publisher=State Library of New South Wales|access-date=24 July 2013}} "The Awards recognise the works of women writers of fiction or non-fiction classified as 'life writing'. This includes novels, autobiographies, biographies, literature and any writing with a strong personal element."{{cite web|title=Kibble Literary Awards|publisher=Perpetual|url=http://www.perpetual.com.au/kibble/|access-date=24 July 2013}}

There are two components to the awards:

• The Kibble Literary Award recognises the work of an established Australian woman writer
• The Dobbie Literary Award recognises a first published work from an Australian woman writer.

• Ida Leeson
• Jean Arnot
• William Herbert Ifould

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Category:1879 births

Category:1962 deaths

Category:Australian librarians

Category:Australian women librarians