ALIA submission in response to the Australian Government Soft Power Review, October 2018

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes this opportunity to respond to the Australian Government Soft Power Review.

ALIA, Australian libraries and library and information professionals have a role to play in a number of areas, including:

• Working with colleagues in the Asia-Pacific to progress the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Promoting Australia’s creative industries, especially in the area of literature
• Furthering cultural understanding within our region and internationally
• Supporting the preservation and digitisation of local archives and records
• Accrediting education, promoting professional networks, information sharing and capacity building for library and information workers
• Supporting the development of Blue Shield national committees in the region, to promote disaster planning and awareness for cultural institutions.