From reef labs to research libraries
Meet the UQ volunteer who has turned a new page to help give books a second life.
The University of Queensland’s Heron Island Research Station is located on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Surrounded by coral reef and fascinating marine ecosystems, the station is a world-class research hub for students and researchers alike.
The Heron Island Research Station was constructed in 1951. By the 1980s, UQ had officially taken ownership of the facility. Around this same time, Myriam Preker arrived on the island to take up a role as a Scientific Resources Officer.
Image: Myriam Preker
Image: Myriam Preker
For the 15 years or so that she worked there, Ms Preker managed the Island’s library and conducted the daily weather reports.
“I took daily water samples to monitor nutrient levels. I’d have to take the sample on the reef one hour before high tide, which meant that it was never at the same time – and you could be absolutely guaranteed it was right in the middle of dinner,” Ms Preker said.
Image: Myriam Preker
Image: Myriam Preker
“It changed every single day. But no matter if it was raining or pitch dark, you’d have to go out and take your water samples!”
Often Ms Preker would assist visiting researchers in finding locations to conduct their own research, and occasionally she would participate in their studies too.
She recalls one time when she was given mud maps of the island and she was instructed to find specific buttons hidden in the middle of the woods.
"Finding them in the middle of the forest among the leaf litter and Muttonbird (Wedge-tailed shearwater) burrows was a real challenge," she said.
On another occasion, researchers wanted to find out whether the corals in the reef were spawning at the same time as the corals further north, requiring Ms Preker to go underwater to monitor marked corals using scuba gear.
She was underwater for over 6 hours per night over several days to record the exact spawning times of the corals.
“At the time, the Scientific Resources Officer was a ‘dog’s body’ of lots of different things. But one of the things I really liked was the library,” she said.
Ms Preker often worked in the library well into the night, as many of the students would do their projects out on the reef during the day and then head to the library to do their research in the evenings.
“The library had some really, really rare books. We were losing them because people would come in and use them, then forget to bring them back. So, I catalogued them.”
“We had this thing called a running list, and every 3 months I would do an inventory of them. I set up a system of signing out the books, then the students would come and use them. Signing the books out helped us get the books back before the students left the island.”
Images: Heron Island Research Station Slide Collection
Today Ms Preker channels her cataloguing talents in her volunteer role for the UQ Alumni Book Fair.
All books displayed at the Book Fair are individually researched and priced by subject experts. Ms Preker is putting years of scientific experience to good use, and is responsible for a number of science-related ‘sections’.
“I was a subject expert on zoology at first and it’s broadened over the years. Now I cover biology, environment, ecology, entomology, ichthyology and also pets – dogs, cats and all things veterinary. I also cover agriculture, forestry, and occasionally people try to get me to do something like cooking!”
When sorting through the donated materials, Ms Preker said she always gets a thrill when a book written by a Heron Island researcher emerges from the stacks.
“I come across them all the time. It excites me so much. The work in some of the books I come across was carried out while we were there,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s nice to say: ‘Look! This person used to come out to my house and have dinner!’”
As part of the preparations for the annual event, all books on offer are individually researched and priced by volunteer subject experts – like Ms Preker.
Myriam Preker at the 2022 UQ Alumni Book Fair holding a book written by researchers she knew from Heron Island.
Myriam Preker at the 2022 UQ Alumni Book Fair holding a book written by researchers she knew from Heron Island.
Sadly, Ms Preker’s beloved library on Heron Island was one of many buildings devastated by fire in 2007.
Myriam Preker taking water samples. Image: Myriam Preker
Myriam Preker taking water samples. Image: Myriam Preker
But in a stroke of luck, many of the books that she guarded while in charge of the library were not destroyed in the fire. In fact, many have even ended up being donated to the Alumni Book Fair over the years.
“Some books I’ve come across now have already been categorised. That means that somebody bought these books and now – 10 years later, – we’re getting the books again. They’re going round and round,” she said.
“It’s just fantastic to be able to give the books a second chance!”
The 2022 UQ Alumni Book Fair took place from 29 April to 2 May in the UQ Centre, registering more than 4000 attendees and raising almost $130,000 to support students, researchers and educators.
Built with Shorthand