Search

INCITE: The magazine for library and information professionals - November/December 2019 Volume 40 Issue 11/12 (supplement)

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has been a strong advocate for digital inclusion for more than 30 years. Libraries were early adopters of digital technologies, not only to support our own operations, but also to improve customer services and help our clients build their own technology skill sets.

In this report, we showcase just a few examples of the kinds of digital inclusion programs and services delivered in public libraries around Australia. We have stories about intergenerational learning, technology training for culturally diverse groups, digital access to local history collections, helping people digitise their personal collections, running coding classes, and providing local communities with opportunities to interact with robots, virtual reality and other advanced technologies.

Through public libraries, we reach some of the least connected people in society, but digital inclusion activities are also critical in school, TAFE and academic libraries, where students may have varying levels of digital literacy, and in special libraries, where, for example, clients need help accessing vital information contained in electronic databases and in identifying authentic information from the morass of results generated by an online search. The purpose of all these activities is to help people connect to the internet, have positive online experiences, improve their digital skills, build their confidence and be prepared for the next wave of technological innovation. Today, digital inclusion is core to what a library delivers.

The Future Humanities Workforce Consultation Paper has been designed to inform the national consultation process about the contribution and preparedness of Australia’s humanities research workforce for the future of work in academia and beyond. Engagement with stakeholders across all sectors will assist in the development of a comprehensive understanding of issues associated with the future humanities research workforce, including the current capacity and demographics of this workforce, and the skills and knowledge this workforce will require.

On behalf of our members, representing library and information professionals, libraries and information services, academics, researchers, research practitioners and the LIS community Australia-wide, the ALIA Research Advisory Committee welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the paper.

Fires, floods and failures: future proofing against disaster, 1 May 2019 Canberra

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) outlines the collections and types of material held in the Australian National University (ANU) archives and repositories, experience of disaster, disaster response and key issues.

Notice of meeting, agenda and special resolutions of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 31st Annual General Meeting held on 21 May 2019 at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Studies, Canberra.

Special resolutions to amend the ALIA Constitution including the restructuring of the Board to allow for a two-year presidential term and several other largely minor amendments to ensure consistency within the document and compliance with the requirements of the Corporations Law.

This joint submission from the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) discusses the role of public libraries in the digital space, enhancing people’s online experiences, helping people connect to this new virtual world, and providing a safety net for those who are in danger of being left behind, particularly in terms of the ability to access government information.

ALIA and APLA support equality of access to the benefits arising from our increasingly digital society and view public libraries as having an important role in bridging the gap for those who don’t have the skills, knowledge, money, devices or high speed connection to be regular and confident users of the internet.

The Association provides an award to recognise the highest achieving graduating student in every ALIA Accredited librarianship and library technician course, as a means of rewarding excellence.

Educators should complete the application form four weeks before a graduation ceremony or conferring in absentia and email it to education@alia.org.au.

Vocational education and training (VET) libraries provide essential support for educators and students. They provide print materials and electronic resources; individual and group study spaces; computers and fast internet connection; information and digital literacy support, and expert assistance from qualified library and information professionals. VET libraries make a significant contribution to learning outcomes and to the employability of students.

These guidelines were developed by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in 2015, and updated in 2019, with the assistance of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Libraries Advisory Committee. 

Article by Desert Peoples Centre Campus Library staff, from INCITE March/April 2019 Volume 40 Issue 3/4 - Indigenous Matters.

Desert Peoples Centre Campus Library staff, from the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education in Central Australia, provide a range of services to Indigenous Australian people every day. Each team member came to the job via a unique path. In this article they share the story of their growth as library service providers.

The 2019 Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) library and information agenda was created after consultation with ALIA Members and states our goals for the next federal government.

POLICY

1. Improved access to data and scholarly information through the development and trial of open access models for government-funded research
2. Halt to government library closures and greater recognition of the role of library and information professionals in evidence-based decision-making
3. Greater recognition of the important part libraries play in literacy and learning for all ages
4. Continued recognition of the important part libraries play in digital inclusion
5. A national early literacy strategy
6. Support for the long-term success of the Australian book industry
7. Quality library services for tertiary students enrolled in universities, TAFEs and private Registered Training Organisations (RTO)
8. Qualified library staff employed in every school library
9. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

LEGISLATION

10. Further copyright law reform

11. Accreditation of higher education and VET courses by professional bodies

FUNDING

12. Further investment in digital access to cultural collections and digital infrastructure

13. Funding for library buildings as a vital element of Australia’s knowledge infrastructure

14. Funding for the delivery of egovernment services through public libraries

The Australia Reads campaign, incorporating the Australian Reading Hour, was a huge success in 2019 with more than 240 registered events across all Australian states and territories, featuring appearances from more than 60 authors. Many of these events were held in Australian public libraries, with attendance from more than 1,400 people.

Libraries created the Australian Reading Hour as part of the National Year of Reading in 2012, and it has turned into a massive event, supported by federal government, state government, media channels, shopping centres, transport networks and other big name partners. Following on from the success of the Australian Reading Hour 2019, the campaign has been rebranded Australia Reads to allow a greater and more diverse coverage of activities.

This documents presents information regarding the Australian Library and Information Association's employment advertisement services.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to this Inquiry into Local Government in WA.

We have two concerns. One is for ongoing and sustainable funding of resources and services through the State Library of WA. The second is for the significant additional investment in innovative new approaches which is needed in order to maintain a successful public library network across the state. This new funding cannot come exclusively from local government and there will need to be a substantial contribution from the state government.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the review of the Higher Education Provider Category Standards and to express our view that:

• Providing a fit-for-purpose library and information service is a key characteristic for a quality higher education provider.
• An excellent student experience can only be achieved if students have access to the latest information resources relating to their field of study.
• Australian universities’ ability to compete with the best in terms of research requires a research infrastructure supported by libraries and library and information professionals.

As the Association representing library and information professionals, we seek to ensure that the Higher Education Standards Provider Category Standards reflect the need for students, researchers and educators to have ready access to quality library and information services, and to highlight the role of libraries as one of the differentiating factors between universities and other higher education providers.

Minutes of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 31st Annual General Meeting held on 21 May 2019 at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Studies, Canberra.

Special resolutions to amend the ALIA Constitution including the restructuring of the Board to allow for a two-year presidential term and several other largely minor amendments to ensure consistency within the document and compliance with the requirements of the Corporations Law passed unanimously.

Explanation of special resolutions to amend the ALIA Constitution considered at the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 31st Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 21 May 2019 at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Studies, Canberra.

Special resolutions to amend the ALIA Constitution including the restructuring of the Board to allow for a two-year presidential term and several other largely minor amendments to ensure consistency within the document and compliance with the requirements of the Corporations Law.

INCITE: The magazine for library and information professionals - May/June 2019 Volume 40 Issue 5/6

Contents: From the outgoing President -- From the incoming President -- From the CEO -- Using augmented reality to share community stories -- TIK blog 3: Evidence-based -- TIK blog 4: Digital expertise and inclusion -- This federal election, Vote Library -- The 2019 Library Design Awards -- National Simultaneous Storytime is nearly upon us -- Finish preparing for Library and Information Week -- First ALIA accredited students graduate from Pacific TAFE -- Fundraising partnership with Booktopia -- News from your State and Territory Managers -- Libraries as innovators -- The Australian Web Archive -- Renovations lead to rejuvenation -- Australian libraries are collaborating to provide STEM outcomes -- Mobile Max takes the library outdoors -- Creating user engagement through a YouTube sensation -- How we reported on ALIA Information Online 2019 -- Collaboration leads to student outcomes -- How libraries help the government support the book industry -- Australian authors appreciate the backing of libraries -- Enabling leisure is serious business -- Visiting and collaborating leads to learning -- Let's talk about standards -- Celebrating and supporting the Gumbaynggirr language -- Acknowledging and respecting the local custodians.

Fires, floods and failures: future proofing against disaster, 1 May 2019 Canberra

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) outlines the response to an infestation of insects in archival collection material.

Fires, floods and failures: future proofing against disaster, 1 May 2019 Canberra

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) outlines the disaster responses, challenges and lessons learned in relation to the flooding of the Australian National University (ANU) Chifley Library.

Fires, floods and failures: future proofing against disaster, 1 May 2019 Canberra

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) outlines risks to the preservation of cultural heritage due to armed conflict and the effects of climate change and introduces the three phases of cultural property protection:

1. Before an event - prepardeness, mitigation and prevention
2. During an event - emergency first responders and first aid
3. After an event - recovery and reconstruction

The aim of these Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) guidelines is to provide all libraries, regardless of type, size or resourcing, with minimum standards for the provision of accessible and inclusive services for people with disabilities. These guidelines can be used to:

• analyse the present level of service,
• facilitate forward-planning,
• develop strategies for more effective services

These guidelines provide a benchmark to ensure that a standard minimum level of service is provided across the entirety of the library and information services sector.

Fires, floods and failures: future proofing against disaster, 1 May 2019 Canberra

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) discusses how Libraries Australia can help organisations guard against information loss due to natural disasters, human error, library closures or system issues.

INCITE: The magazine for library and information professionals - May/June 2019 Volume 40 Issue 5/6 (supplement)

There are 246 TAFE libraries in Australia, supporting VET students in every State and Territory. At the beginning of 2019, ALIA's Vocational Education and Training Libraries Advisory Committee (VLAC), chaired by Brenda Burr, sought feedback about how changes in structure and funding have affected TAFE libraries and the library and information professionals who run them.

TAFE libraries were asked to complete an online questionnaire with 34 questions relating to budgets, staffing, collection formats, library space and size of customers served, library closures, changing user demands and the role of library and information professionals in the VET sector.

The survey ran in March 2019 and followed on from a similar survey carried out in 2016. Where possible, we have shown the results from both surveys to highlight similarities and differences. The 2019 survey data infers a sector reacting to both internally and externally driven circumstances. The survey results show a challenging environment in which TAFE libraries and their staff operate.

This document, created by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and ALIA Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN), provides information for government libraries which are threatened with closure. It highlights the difficulties, complexity and cost of closing a library; and the difficulties of continuing the provision of library services without a library and information science professional in place.

This checklist accompanies the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and ALIA Australian Government Libraries Information Network (AGLIN) publication "Not simple, not straightforward and not an instant cost saving: the realities of closing a government department library".

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) guidelines for preparing, writing and submitting grant applications.

When people arrive in Australia, whether through choice or for reasons of hardship, as migrants, international students, refugees or humanitarian entrants, they seek to make a place for themselves and their families in their new communities. They have to set up home, find employment, become familiar with cultural norms that are second nature to Australians but alien to new arrivals, and often their first language is not English.

For library users, coming from a country where there is a good public library network, the local library is an obvious place to find essential information, sign up for English language conversation classes, use the public computers, engage with other children and families at storytime. Joining the library is part of the settling in process. For others, coming from countries where there may not be a library network, libraries are an unknown quantity and it can be hard to build up the courage to step over the threshold.

Australian libraries recognise the needs and the barriers for migrants and refugees and are working to fulfil the first and break down the latter. This report shares just a few examples of the library projects to be found in different states and territories.

ALIA President Robert Knight has taken leadership as the theme for his presidential year, from May 2019 to May 2020, highlighting the vital role of strong leadership at every level, in order to secure a sustainable future for the library and information sector.

ALIA is investigating where the sector is performing well, and where there is room for improvement, in order to produce the ‘NextGen Leadership Scorecard’, highlighting where we need to invest our energies going forward. Five themes were identified: identifying future leaders; transfer of knowledge; development of skills; providing opportunities to experience leadership; leadership independent of the workplace. From these themes and the feedback through the pilot survey, we have identified eight desirable characteristics for an LIS sector with a robust approach to leadership. In order to assess our current position and the size of the gap between where we are now and our vision, ALIA is undertaking a survey. The results of the survey will provide a snapshot of perception and sentiment.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes the inclusion of education, arts and culture in the review of Social Infrastructure and the recognition of the vital role of libraries and other cultural institutions in supporting the quality of life, education, health and wellbeing of communities.

The 2019 Infrastructure Australia Audit report is a good summary of the issues facing National, State, Territory and public libraries. The growth in demand for physical spaces and digital access has rarely been accompanied by any increase in operating budgets and this is something we regularly raise with governments at all three levels. While investment in school libraries is briefly touched on, there is no mention of the disparity between library facilities in public and private schools. We would like to see this articulated in the Australian Infrastructure Plan and a focus on government school libraries included in the Infrastructure Priority List.

The Truth, Integrity, Knowledge (TIK) campaign ran throughout 2019. The campaign focused on why librarianship is one of the most trusted professions in Australia and how people working in libraries (whether LIS qualified or from another discipline) promote the free flow of information and ideas in the interests of all Australians.

The series of fact sheets address poverty in Australia, homelessness, gender equality, and early literacy, language and learning.