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This submission from the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) highlights some of the significant advances under Revive of particular importance to Australia’s library community, and areas where we are looking to build by working further with the Australian Government, creators, the book industry, the cultural heritage sector and the wider community as the plan is iterated.

Summary of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Board of Directors Meeting held on Thursday 23 March 2023 via Zoom.

Submission from the Australian Media Literacy Alliance to the inquiry into international digital platforms operated by Big Tech companies.

Attachment 2 to Australian Media Literacy Alliance submission to the Inquiry into international digital platforms operated by Big Tech companies, March 2023.

10 Sustainable Development Goal stretch targets are proposed for libraries in Australia from 2020-2030. Targets address literacy; access to knowledge; equitable access; culture and heritage; sustainable communities; contribution to health and wellbeing; diversity and gender equality; lifelong learning; and global citizenship. 
 
The report tracks the current status of lead agencies against the SDG stretch targets in March 2023. 

 
Contents: About ALIA -- Our Structure and Governance -- Advisory Committees Appointed by the ALIA Board -- President’s Report -- Acting Chief Executive Officer’s Report -- Chief Executive Officer’s Report -- ALIA’s Performance Against the Strategic Plan 2021-2024 -- Our Membership -- Groups -- Awards -- Financial Statements
 

The ILRS Code has been endorsed by the Australia Library Peak bodies including Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), National and State Libraries Australia (NSLA), the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) and the National Library of Australia.
 
The Interlibrary Resource Sharing (ILRS) Code (together with the Best Practice Guidelines) is designed to support a multi-faceted approach to resource sharing based on reciprocality, cooperation and fairness between libraries, respect for the moral and intellectual rights of creators and publishers and compliance with legal and contractual obligations.
 
This version of the Code has been updated to show the recommended fees (rounded up/down to the nearest 10 cents) for July 1.
 

Notice of the 35th Annual General Meeting of members of the Australian Library and Information Association Limited (ALIA) held on Tuesday 30 May 2023 at the National Library of Australia and online.

The Australian Library and Information Association's statement in response to the IFLA Governing Board on the decision to host the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

There is growing recognition of the need for the general public to be educated and guided to engage critically with news and media and to develop their media literacy skills and knowledge. The proliferation of new digital platforms, mis and disinformation, fake news, deepfakes, sponsored content and the rise of the ‘attention economy’, among other issues, means there is also an urgent need to understand how people access and engage with information and media content, and how they are impacted by it. Libraries play a significant role in supporting the public to develop and upskill their media and digital literacy. Media technology is rapidly evolving, and the skills people learn during formal education need constant updating. Media literacy is among the most important skills for people to engage effectively with media content as online platforms multiply, mis and disinformation proliferates and the ‘attention economy’ vies for our time.
 
This report explores the findings from a national study of LIS practitioners’ perceptions of media literacy education conducted by scholars from the University of Canberra in partnership with ALIA. It also discusses the development of a 7-week course tailored to the needs of those in pedagogical roles, specifically in the LIS sector. Finally, the report reviews the first intakes of the course and feedback received from students. You can read all the details in this full report, or get a quick summary in the associated snapshot report. 
 
Full report all accessible: https://doi.org/10.25916/kahm-zr94

This submission into generative AI in the Australian education system is jointly made by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) including ALIA VET Libraries Australia (ALIA VLA), the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL), National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA), CAVAL, AI4 Libraries Archives Museums (AI4LAM) and Open Access Australasia (OAA).
 
The library and information sector is committed to fundamental principles of equity of access to information, knowledge and culture; respect for the individuality and diversity of people; and the protection of privacy. Fifteen discreet recommendations are made in the submission and in line with these values, and to effectively and safely harness the benefits of generative AI, three overarching priciples are put forward:
1. Priority is given to improving literacy, including AI, information and media literacy, for students and staff.
2. A commitment to upholding human rights, ensuring fairness and centring ethical considerations in the development and use of generative AI tools.
3. Regulations, policy, standards and guidelines should be created in consultation with key stakeholders including library and information professionals, representatives of minority groups and First Nations people.
 

This snapshot report outlines key findings and recommendations from a research project conducted on the impact and management of mis/disinformation in university libraries in Australia. The full results, literature review, research approach and methods can be found in an article ‘The Impact and Management of Mis/Disinformation at University Libraries in Australia’ in the Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2235646. A toolkit of resources to support academic libraries is also included, some of which were provided by interviewees, is provided in both reports. 
 
Key Findings: 
• Library staff believe they have a role in teaching skills such as critical thinking and evaluation, advocating in this space and maintaining credible, balanced and inclusive collections.
• Library staff face a number of barriers to being able to effectively manage mis/disinformation including the constantly evolving ways that mis/disinformation spreads, lack of time to investigate accuracy of content or authority in collections, time and resources to learn more about the topic, and lack of strategic priority for this topic in universities. 
• Universities libraries don’t have collection development/management guidelines or policies in this space and staff deal with complaints on an ad hoc basis.
• The practice of managing acquisitions through large subscriptions means there is less need for subject expertise and a lack of time and resources to assess collection content. 
• The library’s role is not to censor information, and there is a need to maintain historical content, but with warnings and context around controversial or misinformation content.
• Many university libraries are prioritising or planning policies and initiatives related to Indigenous collections and decolonising collections.
• Library staff would like support from national associations such as ALIA/CAUL though guidelines, teaching exemplars, toolkits, advocacy, training, discussions, and communities of practice.
 
The report was comissioned and designed by the Australian Library and Information Association.
 

This submission into safe and responsible AI in Australia is jointly made by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL), National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA), CAVAL, AI4 Libraries Archives Museums (AI4LAM) and Open Access Australasia (OAA).
 
In developing our response to the discussion paper, we are guided as library and information services organisations by our commitment to fundamental principles including equity of access to information, knowledge and culture; respect for the individuality and diversity of people; preservation of the human record; and the protection of privacy. In line with these values, and to effectively and safely harness the benefits of generative AI, the following are recommended:
 
1. Priority is given to improving literacy, including AI, information and media literacy, across the Australian population.
2. A commitment is made to uphold human rights, ensuring fairness and centring ethical considerations2 in the development and use of generative AI tools.
3. Regulations, policy, standards and guidelines should be created in consultation with key stakeholders including library and information professionals, representatives of minority or vulnerable groups and First Nations people.
 
The submission addresses these areas, identifying needs and areas of uncertainty, and then concludes with a discussion on policies and standards. 

This submission from the library and informatoin sector to the Department of Home Affairs Multicultural Framemwork Review is jointly made by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), CAVAL, and the ALIA Multicultural special interest group.
This submission outlines the role that libraries play supporting multicultural communities to ensure that they are visible and understood in further policy development. The submission is structured in the following sections: collections, cultural and language programs, community needs, belonging and outreach, technology and digital citizenship, and workforce and skills. We look forward to opportunities to continue discussions with the Department of Home Affairs on how we can work together to ensure that libraries and information services support, celebrate, and reflect the diversity of voices and experiences in this country.