Breaking down barriers, one book at a time

Some might say that staging a sit-in at the chancelry, the beating heart of the university, is a bold move.

But for Roxanne Missingham, the decision was simple.

When she and her fellow ANU students took over the RC Mills Room in the 70s, they weren’t just clamouring for nebulous change; they were demanding a seat at the table.

“Back then, we were passionate about finding a new approach to education. We wanted to be part of the discussions and decisions to bring a more successful model to the University,” she says. 

Much has changed since those heady days of activism, but Missingham’s fight for accessibility has continued.

With decades of service at some of Australia’s foremost libraries, she has been both a guardian and innovator, having supported these bastions of intellectual freedom through digital revolutions, natural disasters, and global pandemics.

As her retirement draws near, she leaves behind a legacy built on the principle that knowledge—like a good book—should always be within reach.

Rewriting the rules

In her youth, Missingham did not only make waves through her student advocacy—she also made history as the first woman to compete in the ANU Bush Week Ironman triathlon.

“I’ve always loved challenging stereotypes, and this was the perfect opportunity to put feminism into practice,” she says.

That same fire drove her into a career where women were underrepresented: library and information science.

“I was fortunate to be one of three women in the graduate intake to the National Library,” she recalls.

Among towering shelves and quiet stacks, she found her true north.

“I spent time looking after the libraries in the environment sector including supporting staff at Kakadu, Uluru, and remote research stations,” says Missingham.

“Working with them opened my eyes to how crucial information access is for both communities and researchers.”

Her next stop? The Parliamentary Library, where MPs and senators relied on her sage advice to avoid blunders in Question Time.

“That was a fascinating experience—the demands for rapid analytic information were significant, often with an immediate impact of parliamentary discussions,” she says.

In 2012, she came full circle, returning to her alma mater ANU to take on the challenge of a lifetime.

Beyond the bookshelves

A modern-day university librarian must wear many hats.

While you might imagine Missingham roaming through endless aisles of books, her role stretches far beyond that.

“I oversee libraries, maps, archives, academic literacy, the Digi Squad, ANU Press, records, copyright, Freedom of Information, data governance,” she explains.

“Coming back to ANU as the Librarian and Chief Scholarly Information Officer was a very exciting adventure.”

Under Missingham’s leadership, ANU revolutionised access to knowledge by opening the campus libraries 24/7 and modernising the University’s digital infrastructure.

“When I joined, we were ready to take steps to make collections available wherever the student and academics were, even in the most exceptional circumstances – like supporting a student needing to finish an assignment at two in the morning,” she says.

In 2023, the ANU Library celebrated 100 million downloads of information from the University’s open access platforms, ANU Press and the Open Research repository.

Missingham has also worked tirelessly to expand First Nations collections, ensuring that future generations better understand Australia’s complex history.

“I’ve always been passionate about connecting Australians to the voices of the past,” she says.

Closing this chapter

Missingham’s contributions to literacy and knowledge have earned her numerous accolades, including an Order of Australia in 2021.

But when reflecting on her achievements, she prefers to deflect the spotlight onto her team.

“Together we made a difference in access to collections, supporting education, and advancing research,” she says.

As she prepares to step down in 2025, Missingham has advice to impart to the next generation of librarians.

“Keep engaging with the academic and student community, and enjoying every challenge along the way,” she says.