Professional development

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) and Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia (RIMPA) collaborated on the development of the Foundation Knowledge, Skills and Attributes for information professionals working in archives, libraries and records management.

Adopted 2014. Amended 2015, Reviewed 2020, Revised 2025.

This is the Professional Pathways Consultation booklet used in the face-to-face workshops that took place from late July to November 2022 across all Australian states and territories.

Workshops were facilitated by Dr Gill Hallam.

This is the Professional Pathways Consultation paper for the second phase of consultation that took place from May to July 2023.

The second phase of consultation was conducted online and submissions invited from all sectors, types of role, and ALIA membership category.

This meeting of the ALIA Professional Pathways Board was conducted over Zoom on 28 October 2021, and included discussion of a range of issues including:

Project progress

Technical Report

Investment in research

Apprenticeships and traineeships

The meeting was scheduled to be held following the close of Phase 1 of the consultation period which was designed to progress two of the recommendations made by the Advisory Committee following the Technical Report:

Recommendation 1: Develop a framework of knowledge, skills and ethical behaviour

Recommendation 3: Develop new professional pathways

The Advisory Board discussed the areas of general agreement and areas where more work needs to be done. The three main areas for further work are:

1. Framework structure and conceptual design

The first meeting of the ALIA Professional Pathways Board in 2023 was conducted over Zoom, and included discussion of a range of issues including:

Framework structure and conceptual design

The question of mandatory/optional CPD

Professional recognition and categorisation.

In the second half of 2022, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) was engaged in the first phase of consultation conducted as a key step in the Professional Pathways initiative. The stated goals of the Professional Pathways project are to build a shared understanding of the different areas of knowledge and skills, and the values and ethics that people employed in the library and information services (LIS) sector will need, and to consider what pathways might best support them as they develop and shape their capabilities throughout their career journey.

ALIA groups and committees are an essential part of the life of the Association and the LIS sector in Australia. Groups and committees are run by energetic and committed volunteer ALIA members who generously give their time to create active and vibrant professional networks that contribute to the sector in a variety of ways, from running professional learning and social events through to the creation of sector standards and the provision of advice to the ALIA Board.

In the second half of 2022, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) was engaged in the first phase of consultation conducted as a key step in the Professional Pathways initiative. The stated goals of the Professional Pathways project are to build a shared understanding of the different areas of knowledge and skills, and the values and ethics that people employed in the library and information services (LIS) sector will need, and to consider what pathways might best support them as they develop and shape their capabilities throughout their career journey.