This summary for the library and information includes the defunding of the Get Ready program; consolidation of back office functions of collection agencies; enchancing online safety for children; Australian Insitute for Teachng and School Leadership funding; university fees; community heritage program; Medical Research Future fund; industry skills fund; restart programme to encourage the employment of older Australians.
Budget highlights for library and information professionals include: new school resourcing standards will include school libraries; $180m allocated to university research infrastructure; continued emphasis on the NBN, including digital hubs and cybersecurity; copyright reform remains on the agenda; open access policy a priority for the Australian Research Council.
This document summarises how people who work in the library and information field want the new Australian Government to engage with library and information services during its term of office. In the run up to the federal election, we will be lobbying for The Library and Information Agenda – four themes and 10 items which we believe are essential for promoting literacy, enabling citizens to be well informed, supporting socially inclusive communities and contributing to the success of Australia as a knowledgebased economy.
In December 2009, Minister Stephen Conroy announced the details of the government's proposals for mandatory filtering by ISPs of online content in the Refused Classification (RC) category. ALIA welcomeS the Minister's invitation for consultations on the proposed policy. There is some concern that the scope of content to be filtered is too wide. Filtering all RC material could block content with a strong social or educational value.
All of the ALIA members want to know what the future holds for library and information services. Of course, it is impossible to predict in exact terms, but using global trends, early indicators and futurist thinking to develop themes can guide the discussion about where it might be headed. For the purpose of this discussion paper, ALIA has looked at the broad role of library and information services, and specific circumstances relating to school, public, academic and special libraries, and collecting institutions. The starting point was to look at how the sector arrived at this point (timeline) and the current situation. The futurists’ view of the world was described and looked at how this might impact on ALIA members. From this, three themes were devised, which provide quite different scenarios.
In this project, ALIA set out to investigate the big questions. Heading towards 2025: How will libraries remain relevant for users? What changes will institutions and individuals in the sector experience? Will ‘library and information professional’ continue to be a necessary and desirable occupation? We were looking for bold thinking and we received challenging, insightful, inspiring responses to our request for feedback, through submissions from individuals and groups; participants at our Future of the LIS Profession discussions around Australia; senior library leaders, who gathered at our Summit; and the heads of other associations in the sector, who attended our sector roundtable. All these events were held between May and October 2013. Conversations initially focused on the current issues facing library and information professionals, before projecting forward into how we saw the landscape developing by 2025.
In 2013, ALIA set out to investigate the big questions about our future: how will libraries remain relevant for users?; what changes will institutions and individuals in the sector experience?; will ‘library and information professional’ continue to be a necessary and desirable occupation? Challenging, insightful, inspiring responses to our request for feedback at events held all around Australia was received. As a result, ALIA has been able to identify themes and develop actions that will support positive outcomes. The findings from the project have been produced as seven reports.
Every year, some 800 people graduate from an Australian university or TAFE, with a professional qualification in library and information science. Often it is a second career choice, and this contributes to the diversity of age and experience within the sector. Graduates with a degree or Masters qualification are eligible to become an ALIA Associate member, and those with a VET certificate or diploma, an ALIA Library Technician member.
The nation’s nine collecting institutions are the National Library of Australia, the State Libraries of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, the ACT Heritage Library and the Northern Territory Library. The primary role of these libraries is to collect, preserve and provide access to the documentary history of Australia, including books, manuscripts, documents, images, maps and other materials, in print, digital and other formats. The collective body representing these institutions is the National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA).
There were five themes that emerged specific to collecting institutions - National, State and Territory libraries. 1. National treasures direct to your device. 2. Linked data enriches the experience. 3. The need for new legislation. 4. Managing volume. 5. Cultural participation.
Special libraries comprise government, association, health, law, corporate, consulting firm, ICT, engineering, religious, science and technology, art, museum, agriculture, media and other libraries that serve departments, institutions, not-for-profits, charities and businesses. The word library doesn’t always appear in the title, instead some are called information services or research units, terms which also describe their main purpose and function.
Ten themes emerged from our consultation relating specifically to special libraries, including government, law, health, corporate, engineering, science, art and others. 1. Radical transformation. 2. Value proposition. 3. DIY information. 4. Ready to use. 5. A seat at the top table. 6. Centralise and embed. 7. Big data. 8. Digitisation. 9. Subject specialisation. 10. Space.
There are some 1,505 public library service points across Australia, including 1,429 fixed point and 76 mobile libraries. These services are funded by local and state or territory government in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, and by the State Government in Tasmania and the ACT Government in Canberra.
There were 12 themes that emerged from this report specific to the 1,500 public libraries in Australia. 1. 50:50 by 2020. 2. Reading: a national pastime. 3. New media. 4. Support for the creative economy. 5. Community created content. 6. It's not all about the book. 7. Maker spaces. 8. Enterprise hubs. 9. Online learning. 10. Everyone a member. 11. Local services through a national network. 12. The meaning of free.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Schools Australia 2012 report stated the number of Australian government schools (6,697), Catholic schools (1,713) and independent schools (1,017), giving a total of 9,427 primary and secondary schools.
Almost all schools have a library of some description, but they vary enormously in terms of staffing, facilities and resources. At the lower end, there are schools with a few shelves of books and a member of staff whose responsibility it is to look after them, as part of a much wider teaching or administration role. At the high end, there are flagship library and IT hubs, with more than a dozen members of staff. Several of the team will be qualified teacher librarians. They will have a growing collection of print and ebooks and provide a range of services to students, including safer online experiences, group learning and study spaces, and more electronic resources.
There were six themes that emerged, specific to libraries in primary, secondary, K–12, government, Catholic and independent schools. 1. The most important job in the library and information sector. 2. Deepening the divide. 3. Easy and rewarding. 4. Digital skills. 5. Parent power. 6. Competing for attention.
It is a requirement for all universities in Australia to have a university library service, and institutions take pride in their facilities, often seeing them as a symbol of the university’s investment in 21st century learning.
University libraries serve students and faculty on campus, and provide access to resources for the rapidly increasing number who study remotely.
There were ten themes that emerged, specific to libraries in Australia’s 39 universities. 1. Switched to digital. 2. Libraries, MOOCs and online learning. 3. Operating in the global market. 4. The best online experience. 5. Maintaining visibility in an online environment. 6. Subject matter experts. 7. Making space. 8. Patron driven acquisition. 9. Supporting research. 10. Libraries as publishers.
There were five themes that emerged, specific to TAFE and RTO (registered training organisation) libraries. 1. Disruption. 2. A VET future. 3. Level playing field. 4. Professional support. 5. Our vision.
An environmental scan of Australian Library and Information Studies (LIS) research was undertaken focusing on the period 2005–2013.
This was in response to a brief from ALIA that sought such an analysis to inform its decisions in relation to content of a future research agenda, support, advocacy, and future funding.
The investigation was expected to include research priorities of other library and information organisations, topics of research undertaken in Australia, types of research, persons/organisations undertaking research, and how research activities are funded, communicated and applied.
The ALIA Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) is the peak body for public libraries in Australia. Our committee comprises the chair of every state-based public library association, a senior representative from the ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmanian library services, and expert members. We represent 94% of all the 1500 public libraries across Australia through membership subscription.
The purpose of this national early literacy framework and strategy for Australian public libraries is to define the special role of public libraries in early literacy; to raise the profile of the important role that public libraries play in pre-school learning both internally (with library staff) and externally, with the public, government and especially funding bodies; to gain formal recognition from government and other agencies providing early childhood support and services, resulting in the inclusion of public library representatives in high level state, territory and local government planning for pre-school children.
This survey of internet access in public libraries covers 41 per cent of public libraries across Australia. Library services which participated in the survey represent almost 6 million registered users and over 77 000 people access internet services in these libraries each week.
This report is a follow-up to a similar survey in 2002 and provides up-to-date information on how public library internet services are being managed, delivered and used.
Australia's public libraries are key players in addressing the need for equitable community access to online information and services. Public access internet services in libraries are expanding. Public libraries are important sources for internet training, access to online services and providers of valuable online content, including content available only by subscription.
Filtering software selectively controls what content Internet users can view and what activities they can participate in, using a variety of automatic technologies and set parameters.
This survey of Australian public libraries is the third such survey conducted by ALIA. It addresses the use of filtering in public Internet access terminals. The survey instrument was developed to provide feedback to the Department of Communication, IT and the Arts (DCITA) and the general public in relation to the Australian Government’s Protecting Australian Families Online (PAFO) initiative announced in June 2006
The Internet access in public libraries survey 2008, conducted by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), analyses responses from public libraries in all states and territories across Australia. Over 200 public libraries responded to the survey. The library services which participated in the survey represent 6,920,476 registered users and have over 147,000 people accessing internet services in their libraries each week.
Internet access in public libraries has become a core offering, providing equity of access for people without the benefit of a PC at home, and the demand from library users has been on a consistently upward trend for more than a decade.
The responses to the 2011 survey suggested that, while library managers were doing their best to meet this demand within the limits of their resources, these resources were becoming over-stretched and there were concerns about their ability to maintain service levels in the future
Internet access in public libraries has become a core offering, providing equity of access for people without the benefit of a PC at home, and the demand from library users has been on a consistently upward trend for more than a decade.
The responses to the 2013 survey, in common with those of 2011, suggested that libraries will continue to face a tough juggling act to deliver what library users want and need, within the limitations of their current budgets and within the capacity of their existing staff.
Congratulations to all the winners and highly commended finalists in our 2010 ALIA Library Stars competition. Read their stories to discover about the new, exciting and inspirational programs that are taking place in Australian public libraries
The Little Book of Public Libraries is for people who love libraries and want to share their passion with others.If you are already a library champion, this book will give you key messages that you can pass on to friends and colleagues. If not it will open your eyes to the valuable contribution libraries make to families, communities, society, and the economy as a whole.
Developed by the Australian Library & Information Association, in partnership with Public Libraries Australia, Friends of Libraries Australia, State and Territory Libraries, ACT Library and Information Services and the state public library associations
This overview is intended for library professionals, to explain the background to the development of the national vision and framework for public libraries and to provide information that can be used in support of local business cases