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Asia-Pacific Library and Information Conference 2018, 30 July - 2 August 2018 Gold Coast: Roar Leap Dare
 
[Peer reviewed] This conference paper discusses Singapore Management University Libraries' Talent Management Strategy which was developed to focus on workforce planning, capacity building, succession planning, career paths and leadership development.
 
With almost no natural resources, the roar of Singapore’s knowledge-based economy is dependent on its talent. The government has been advocating the critical importance of on-going upskilling of its citizens to become a smart nation in an increasingly Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world. The Singapore government’s recent ‘Skills Future’ agenda was launched in 2016 to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life. Universities are expected to support this initiative and provide industry specific education to build a competitive workforce that is based on a tripartite collaboration between government, industry and universities. Singapore Management University (SMU) too, has responded and developed Vision 2025, a roadmap for a transformative education. Within this changing learning ecosystem, how has SMU Libraries been responding? SMU Libraries have been exploring a variety of strategies and creating opportunities to ROAR, LEAP and DARE to realign its strategic direction and contribute to the overall success of the university. How has SMU Libraries’ Talent Management (TM) strategy become a catalyst to add and demonstrate value to all its stakeholders, including its staff?

Asia-Pacific Library and Information Conference 2018, 30 July - 2 August 2018 Gold Coast: Roar Leap Dare
 
This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) accompanies the keynote address 'The heart of librarianship: finding the balance in challenging times'.
 
Constant adaptation to change based on thoughtful planning and grounded in the mission of libraries is a goal for every librarian. Facilitating connections. Providing access. Finding balance. These tenets of “hyperlinked librarianship” stress the importance of accessible, welcoming, and responsive library environments that invite open and equitable participation in even the most challenging times. How do we plan for obstacles, new developments, and emerging opportunities in the field? How we find new ways to reach users and harness curiosity? What factors are preventing many libraries from ramping up community engagement and user-focused services? The result of thoughtful, balanced practice, for those in leadership positions as well as those working on the front lines, is flexible librarianship that’s able to stay closely aligned with the needs and wants of library users.The heart of librarianship is learning and supporting our users’ curiosity through every means possible. It’s a cyclical process of support, engagement, and discovery with deep roots in the concepts of service, access, and freedom to pursue interests of all kinds. No matter what type of institution, someone is gaining knowledge, finding information, or creating something new based on our facilitation. This role of facilitator and guide is best delivered with humanity and heart.
 

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger
The focus of this conference presentation is on the main lessons and outcomes of the  independent evaluation of customer satisfaction with Trove commssioned by the National Library of Australia. This first rigorous evaluation of Trove’s audiences and impact includes the consideration of the Australian public not yet benefiting from the Trove opportunity, and the ways in which the evaluation is shaping future development plans for Trove. 

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger
This conference presentation explains how the National Library launched the Australian Government Web Archive, an online service allowing a search of Commonwealth government websites dating back to 2011. Allowing users to compare versions of the same website over time, to find material long-removed from the current web, and to explore the changing space of government, the AGWA is a proof-of-concept service for the Library. Alison Dellit, Director of Australian Collections Management, discusses the background to developing the service, show off some of the service’s new features, and discuss where to in the future for the National Library’s web archiving activities. 

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger
This conference presentation explains how the Dual Sector Partnership (DSP) Project was set up to deliver HE programs to regional students through their own local TAFE Institutes. The model of blended delivery allowed the students to study online but keep a  local connection with lecturers and support staff based at their home institutes. Many students articulated into the degree programs from TAFE diplomas.
For the smaller regional TAFEs having to provide Information Literacy to HE students is a new thing, but not only are they HE, this cohort is mature age, not based on campus and come into the program with significant gaps in their academic literacies and technological skills. As a result each TAFE Institute library has responded locally in customising their delivery to suit the DSP cohort.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger
This conference papeer explains how the Dual Sector Partnership (DSP) Project was set up to deliver HE programs to regional students through their own local TAFE Institutes. The model of blended delivery allowed the students to study online but keep a  local connection with lecturers and support staff based at their home institutes. Many students articulated into the degree programs from TAFE diplomas.
For the smaller regional TAFEs having to provide Information Literacy to HE students is a new thing, but not only are they HE, this cohort is mature age, not based on campus and come into the program with significant gaps in their academic literacies and technological skills. As a result each TAFE Institute library has responded locally in customising their delivery to suit the DSP cohort.

ALIA Information Online 2019 Conference, 11-15 February 2019 Sydney: Infinite Possibilities
 
This conference paper discusses advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and the rise of chatbots in the delivery of library information services.

ALIA Information Online 2019 Conference, 11-15 February 2019 Sydney: Infinite Possibilities
 
This presentation (PowerPoint slides) supported the talk on a digital transformation project which aimed to improve library collection access and discovery systems.

ALIA Information Online 2017 Conference, 13-17 February 2017 Sydney: Data Information Knowledge
 
This presentation (PowerPoint slides) accompanied the keynote address by the University Librarian Emeritus of Columbia University on the opening day of the conference.
 
Abstract: Information organisations, and in particular libraries, require new expertise, experience and entrepreneurial energy to be successful in the 21st century. What trends are provoking new thinking and new strategies? What new attitudes and skills are needed to be responsive to changing expectations, roles and opportunities. What happens when redundant and inefficient operations and ageing service paradigms are destroyed in favour of collective innovation, scale through aggregation, and a spirit of mutability? How do we achieve phyletic and not terminal extinction? How do we transform the field: in composition and structure, what we are and what we do; in outward form and appearance, how we are viewed and understood; and in structure and condition, how we do it? We must be virtual, engaged with our users and in our communities in ever more rigorous and effective ways; virtuoso, smart by always ready to learn; and virtuous, radically collaborative and always working in the public interest.

ALIA Information Online 2017 Conference, 13-17 February 2017 Sydney: Data Information Knowledge
 
This presentation (PowerPoint slides) accompanies the paper on collaboration between libraries and other collecting institutions through the development of shared services and technical infrastructure.
 
Abstract: The National Library of Australia leads the library sector through providing national collaborative services such as Libraries Australia and Trove, and by collecting and preserving print and online legal deposit material on behalf of the nation for long-term access. In partnership with others, the Library has also digitised an unprecedented quantity of historical newspapers, transforming the way historical enquiry can be undertaken. The success of these activities and the rapidly changing nature of the economic, social and technological context in which we operate has triggered the need for the Library to re-examine its national leadership role and the unique value it can deliver, the long-term sustainability of these services for the nation, especially as new legal deposit legislation will expand legal deposit collecting to all digital and online material, and the potential for building on existing collaborative relationships within particular sectors and with the wider community.
 
Between November 2015 and June 2016 the National Library embarked on a project to review existing digital services and collaborations, re-examine the value propositions offered by the Library and develop new coherent business and governance models for its digital business. A web-based literature review completed in March 2016 revealed that despite some significant work overseas, there was very little evidence that similar research and business thinking has been undertaken in Australia. In April 2016, Deloitte Australia was engaged to assist with developing a framework under which to establish business and governance models that will guide the long-term development paths for the Library’s digital services. Deloitte submitted its report Digital Services Business Model and Governance Review in June 2016.
 
In October 2016, the National Library established a small project team to build on the recommendations of the Deloitte report. This work is well underway, with a new membership agreement, fee structure, governance framework and implementation plan expected to be in place by June 2017. The new model will strengthen the influence of contributing partners, provide a formal mechanism for member input into future development planning and better guarantee the long-term viability of our shared investment. The paper outlines the long history of library collaboration and the benefits to be gained by extending this collaborative approach to how we manage our digital collections.
 
With the support of National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) and other key partners, the National Library is developing new digital business models from which to nurture a new phase of close collaboration with the cultural sector. This collaboration aims at delivering value and efficiencies to all partners by sharing services and technical infrastructure. In this current era of digital publishing and technology-driven disruption, closer collaboration leveraging the capacities of all partners will ensure long-term sustainability of national services.

ALIA Information Online 2017 Conference, 13-17 February 2017 Sydney: Data Information Knowledge
 
This conference paper discusses the collaboration between libraries and other collecting institutions through the development of shared services and technical infrastructure.
 
Abstract: The National Library of Australia leads the library sector through providing national collaborative services such as Libraries Australia and Trove, and by collecting and preserving print and online legal deposit material on behalf of the nation for long-term access. In partnership with others, the Library has also digitised an unprecedented quantity of historical newspapers, transforming the way historical enquiry can be undertaken. The success of these activities and the rapidly changing nature of the economic, social and technological context in which we operate has triggered the need for the Library to re-examine its national leadership role and the unique value it can deliver, the long-term sustainability of these services for the nation, especially as new legal deposit legislation will expand legal deposit collecting to all digital and online material, and the potential for building on existing collaborative relationships within particular sectors and with the wider community.
 
Between November 2015 and June 2016 the National Library embarked on a project to review existing digital services and collaborations, re-examine the value propositions offered by the Library and develop new coherent business and governance models for its digital business. A web-based literature review completed in March 2016 revealed that despite some significant work overseas, there was very little evidence that similar research and business thinking has been undertaken in Australia. In April 2016, Deloitte Australia was engaged to assist with developing a framework under which to establish business and governance models that will guide the long-term development paths for the Library’s digital services. Deloitte submitted its report Digital Services Business Model and Governance Review in June 2016.
 
In October 2016, the National Library established a small project team to build on the recommendations of the Deloitte report. This work is well underway, with a new membership agreement, fee structure, governance framework and implementation plan expected to be in place by June 2017. The new model will strengthen the influence of contributing partners, provide a formal mechanism for member input into future development planning and better guarantee the long-term viability of our shared investment. The paper outlines the long history of library collaboration and the benefits to be gained by extending this collaborative approach to how we manage our digital collections.
 
With the support of National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) and other key partners, the National Library is developing new digital business models from which to nurture a new phase of close collaboration with the cultural sector. This collaboration aims at delivering value and efficiencies to all partners by sharing services and technical infrastructure. In this current era of digital publishing and technology-driven disruption, closer collaboration leveraging the capacities of all partners will ensure long-term sustainability of national services.
 

The last two decades have seen major changes occurring in the volunteering world. The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in conjunction with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have undertaken a research project to consider the role of volunteers in contemporary professional associations. This report seeks to examine the impact of socio-demographic change on modern volunteering, especially for contemporary professional associations like ALIA. 

ALIA Information Online 2017 Conference, 13-17 February 2017 Sydney: Data Information Knowledge
 
This conference paper discusses an approach to strategic planning in a dynamic and rapidly-evolving university library environment.
 
A university-wide transformational restructure in 2014 provided a rare opportunity to change the organisational structure of La Trobe University Library, as well as the services offered and the way in which we worked. By mid-2015, the new structure was in place, but the library did not have a documented strategy to provide a clear direction for library staff or to articulate how the library contributes to the university’s strategy and goals. We needed to communicate the positive impact of the changes, and what the library could now achieve, to the university community. Therefore the strategy had to be meaningful, tell a compelling story and be easily understood by all stakeholders, particularly library staff. 

ALIA Information Online 2017 Conference, 13-17 February 2017 Sydney: Data Information Knowledge
 
This conference paper presents a case study of the process used by La Trobe University Library to develop and implement an interactive orientation activity to encourage student engagement with library services and programs.
 
Abstract: Capturing the imagination of students and engaging them in everything the library has to offer is particularly important for university libraries at the start of each new academic year and during orientation week. The challenge for library staff is working out how to renew orientation activities so that they stay fresh and relevant to new students. In 2016, the La Trobe University Library piloted an engaging and interactive new orientation activity to help students to get to know the library. Our new approach brings together the digital and physical environments by capitalising on the internationally popular game, Escape Rooms. Escape Rooms are a live puzzle game where players are locked in a room, and need to find clues and solve puzzles to ‘escape the room’. Escape rooms’ popularity around the world is reflected in their consistent #1 ranking in the TripAdvisor ‘Fun Activities’ category. La Trobe University Library took the Escape Room concept and transformed it into a blended online and physical orientation game for teams of students to learn about key library services. Escape Room at the Library is an example of how game design has potential for increasing student engagement with the library in online (Walsh, 2014) and physical spaces (Angell & Boss, 2016). To implement Escape Room at the Library, the Library team:
 

• Used examples of current Escape Rooms in Melbourne
• Investigated existing online and physical puzzles
• Developed design brief with the following consideration:
• risks associated with live action/online gaming
• success measures/criteria
• ways to capture data
• Developed learning outcomes to integrate into game design
• Executed creative game design and data gathering metrics – graphic design/online development/ analytics/ physical game pieces
• Tested and amended draft game design
• Implemented communications and final game design
• Gathered raw data and measured against success criteria

 
The popularity of Escape Room at the Library completely exceeded the Library’s expectations. The game continued after O-week and ran for a total of four weeks with 714 registered participants. The popularity of this orientation activity was an unintentional by-product of making learning fun and interactive. The success of Escape Room at the Library was also demonstrated in the post-game survey:
 

• 96% of respondents stated they learnt a lot or learnt something
• 99% of respondents stated they found the game enjoyable or very enjoyable
• 99% of respondents stated they would recommend the game to a friend

 
In addition, of the 20 learning outcomes addressed, 16 were met by over 80% of respondents.
 
The goal of Escape Room at the Library was to design an intrinsically-motivated activity similar to a library tour, that required minimal staff facilitation, that immersed students in the digital and physical worlds, that could be done at any time and which would maximise student engagement. This case study demonstrates how the principles of game and puzzle design can be used to enhance discovery of library services and programs in a blended environment. It is an approach that could be applied to a range of library settings.