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Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Australian School Library Association (ASLA) policy to fulfil a school's teaching and learning goals through a well funded and appropriately resources school library.

Superseded by: ALIA ACSL Statement on School Library Funding and Resource Provision

Notice of meeting and agenda of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 28th Annual General Meeting held on 18 May 2016 at the ALIA House, Canberra.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

[Peer reviewed] Prison libraries play a pivotal role in serving the educational, recreational and other information needs of prison inmates.  This conference paper discusses the updating of the Mimimum Standard Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners.  

In 2015 the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) established a working group to review and update the Minimum Standard Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners, first published in 1990. The guidelines are designed to assist with the planning of new prison libraries as well as in the evaluation and development of existing services. They are based in part on the third edition of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners (Lehmann & Locke, 2005). This paper describes the activities of the Working Group and the challenges they faced. It examines how Corrective Services New South Wales has responded to the publication of the Guidelines. Other activities relating to prison libraries that are underway or proposed are discussed and opportunities for further research are suggested.

ALIA Schools Professional Development, 12 September 2016: Bringing it together - Digital curation

This presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the presentation on curating digital content.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper that analyses changes to the librarian role and outlines how the Discipline Librarian (DL) role has developed over the last two years at Griffith University, moving away from traditional librarian services and towards a more targeted approach that delivers newly created services supporting scholarly impact throughout the research lifecycle. A strategic change in the service model delivery and a review of research support services identified new services and skills sets that would be required by DL’s. An audit of existing research skills identifying potential skill gaps indicated most DL’s would require additional training and development. This paper also discusses the capability framework and maturity model used for skills development. The authors, employed as Discipline Librarians, surveyed their peers to discover individual perceptions around the newly defined role and also to identify challenges or perceived barriers in communicating the new role and services to their community. Survey findings are discussed. 

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which discusses the issues faced by children with special needs and their families when accessing public libraries. 

The research found there were five common elements that libraries focussed on when addressing issues of accessibility for children with special needs and their families. These elements were: Collections, Programs, Partnerships, Physical barriers (space and equipment), Training. The elements were used to create an inclusive library model. The foundation of this model is supportive management. The inclusive libraries model provides an entry point and structure for public libraries wanting to improve access for children with special needs and their families. 

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

Prison libraries play a pivotal role in serving the educational, recreational and other information needs of prison inmates. This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which discusses the updating of the Mimimum Standard Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners. 

In 2015 the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) established a working group to review and update the Minimum Standard Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners, first published in 1990. The guidelines are designed to assist with the planning of new prison libraries as well as in the evaluation and development of existing services. They are based in part on the third edition of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners (Lehmann & Locke, 2005). This paper describes the activities of the Working Group and the challenges they faced. It examines how Corrective Services New South Wales has responded to the publication of the Guidelines. Other activities relating to prison libraries that are underway or proposed are discussed and opportunities for further research are suggested.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which discusses how the NSW Parliamentary library went about building a learning organisation. The NSW Parliamentary Library is the oldest specialist library of its kind in Australia. The staff of the library are also specialists, who possess remarkable amounts of knowledge about parliamentary resources and history. Like many libraries today, a great deal of this knowledge is tacit, with vast amounts of corporate knowledge embedded in the memories of comparatively few individuals.

In the 2014/2015 Business Plan, in line with the strategic plan of the Department of Parliamentary Services, the Parliamentary Librarian set a goal-based activity to “Build a learning organisation”. A project team was formed, and an original plan for knowledge-sharing and capacity-building was implemented. The results have been overwhelmingly positive, promising and even unexpected.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

This report accompanied a conference paper presented at the ALIA National 2016 Conference relating to the introduction of eGov, following an Australian Government committment to providing online services for all high volume federal services by 2017.

The report defines eGovernment, the role of public libraries in facilitating access to eGovernment information, and promotes use of the eGov Ready Library Toolkit to assist public libraries in supporting their community.

This is the final report of the 2012 Anne Harrison Award Project conducted between October 2014 - February 2015.

HLA News: National News Bulletin of Health Libraries Australia - The national health group of the Australian Library and Information Association

Contents: High value, high visibility: wrapping up the year in Townsville -- Convenor's focus -- Workshop report from WA: advanced search techniques for systematic reviews -- MeSH update -- Call for papers: IFLA World Library and Information Congress -- Improvement fundamentals: free online health and care service improvement course -- Your health, your say: National Digital Health Strategy Consultation -- Open access repository: grey literature -- Call for abstracts: 9th International Clinical Librarian Conference, UK -- Professional development diary dates.

HLA News: National News Bulletin of Health Libraries Australia - The national health group of the Australian Library and Information Association

Contents: Making a day of it: innovation for enhancing library value -- Convenor's focus -- Medline's Australian evolution: from 1976 to 1993 -- Notes from Seville: report from the 15th EAHIL Conference in Spain -- MLA News -- eResource procurement: an ALIA Health elist discussion topic -- Workshop opportunity: advanced search techniques for systematic reviews with Carol Lefebvre -- 2016 HLA Professional Development Day program and link to presentations -- 2016 HLA Professional Development Day: program abstracts -- Professional development diary dates.

HLA News: National News Bulletin of Health Libraries Australia - The national health group of the Australian Library and Information Association

Contents: Who we are: 2014 census finding revealed -- Convenor's focus -- National Simultaneous Storytime at Ballarat Health Services -- Taking it to the next level: reviews of systematic reviews -- HLA/Medical Director Health Informatics Innovation Award winner announced -- HLA and MLA joint poster project -- Book review: Climate change adaptation for health and social services -- HLA Member Survey report -- Competition: Your chance to promote the importance of research in the Australian library and information profession -- HLA Professional Development Day: full program revealed -- Professional development diary dates.

HLA News: National News Bulletin of Health Libraries Australia - The national health group of the Australian Library and Information Association

Contents: Adding and finding treasure in Trove -- Convenor's focus -- Driving innovation and excellence: HLA/Medical Director Health Informatics Innovation Award -- EBLIP goes to USA -- HLA scholarship winner announced -- Which drugs work best for nausea and vomiting in the ED? Ask the library! --- Lost opportunity: '85% of biomedical research is wasted' - not to mention librarians -- MLA News -- Ipswich Hospital Library reinvigoration -- National round-up: WA and Queensland -- HLA PD Day, MOOCs and online training -- Professional development diary dates.

ALIA National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: engage create lead.

A poster paper describing a research project funded in part by the 2014 ALIA Research Grant Award.

This research lies at the emerging field of human information interaction and retrieval (CHIIR), with particular emphasis on user-centred approaches to information retrieval. The project included designing and conducting a user experiment to assess the effect of displayed Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms on gaze and search behaviour.

The results include several kinds of research data that inform the understanding of the relationship between interface, reading patterns, search behaviour and search performance.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

[Peer reviewed] This conference paper discusses incorporating an intern program into the recruitment process at University of New South Wales (UNSW).

As with other complex organisations, having the right mix of staff is always a challenge in libraries. In recruiting staff at UNSW Library we look for particular skills, knowledge and aptitude and we make our decisions based on candidates’ qualifications and relevant experience. If you are new to our profession without the required experience and/or the right qualifications then many doors to a fledgling library career will remain firmly shut. Conversely, library managers think about succession planning and want to encourage new people to the profession. Some managers also want staff to join the “revolving door” by creating opportunities to gain experience in all sorts of library work. So how can library managers open the doors and build revolving ones? One strategy that UNSW Library has used is to run a successful intern program. The program consists of employing four final year/just graduated librarians for twelve months to work in the Client Services Unit. To date nineteen graduates have participated in the program with all but one gaining permanent work in libraries, including at UNSW Library, either during the internship or immediately after. This is significant as the interns state that prior to this experience, they had never even made it to interview stage. As interns are treated as regular Client Services team members they are paid the same, do the same work and have the same training and professional development opportunities as everyone else. This arrangement is beneficial to both interns and the Library as the interns come to UNSW full of new ideas and enthusiasm, and are hungry to learn as much as they can, which in turn inspires our permanent team members. To date interns have contributed to activities as diverse as working at the Help Zones of the three campus libraries, developing the enquiry management system, participating in a university-wide client services project, user interface testing for web services, and assisting in the Document Services Unit.

This paper describes the intern program in detail, including planning, costs, recruitment, training and outcomes. It also explains how implementing an intern program does not have to be complex or time consuming for your library and how its ongoing impact can be extremely beneficial for participants, the organisation and the library profession.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which discusses how in 2015 State Library of Queensland (SLQ) led and facilitated Fun Palace events at libraries across Queensland. Originating in the United Kingdom, Fun Palaces are free, welcoming events combining arts and sciences, made for and with local people. The Fun Palaces campaign is an ongoing movement for culture at the heart of the community. Held at libraries, museums, town halls, theatres and more these family events are as large or small as the organisers want to make them. In 2015 SLQ provided funding to seven public libraries, these were libraries from Gold Coast, Mossman, Beaudesert, Lowood, Longreach, Weipa and Thursday Island. The libraries hosted jugglers, archaeologists, cartoonists and robotics experts and enthusiasts from their local community to celebrate art and science in all its forms. Participants at SLQ could tumble, skip, leap and hoop with Vulcana Kids Circus, meet a giant virus and help it grow, program, control and battle a robot, go air surfing with walk-along gliders, paint a mural with veggies and much more. SLQ also developed a comic maker as a contribution to the global event.

ALIA Special Libraries Summit, 2 September 2016 Adelaide: a satellite event to the ALIA National Conference

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) invited leaders from special libraries in government, health, law, research and other fields to come together to discuss the issues affecting the sector, with the aim of developing the basis for a collaborative national action plan. This report summaries the outcomes of the summit.

The 2016 edition of the ALIA LIS Education Handbook provides details of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) accredited courses run by higher education and VET providers across Australia. These courses provide newcomers with a gateway to their career and experienced professionals with opportunities for advancement. ALIA accreditation means that courses have passed rigorous assessment by senior leaders from the profession and it acts as a quality assurance for students seeking the best educational outcomes.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

[Peer reviewed] This conference paper discusses gaming as a pastime that encompasses a wide range of activities including video games, board games, pen and paper role playing games, and card games. It evaluate the ways in which an urban public library can assess and meet the varied social and emotional needs of patrons using board and video games and examines issues surrounding gaming in libraries. It considers the role that game playing can have in the creation and building of communities when participation is facilitated by a public library through the provision of games and gaming events.

A survey was used to gather information to present a snapshot of the gaming habits of a community of individuals who utilise the services of an urban public library. The results can inform other organisations when they are creating a game collection or expanding an existing one to help them choose titles which promote shared experiences and foster communication between community members. 

ALIA Asia Pacific Special Interest Group (ALIA APSIG) was a national group that aimed to lead efforts in identifying new sources of support for the development between information professionals in the region, through two-way co-operation. It also aimed to provide a forum for members to discuss regional professional issues and to communicate these to the appropriate forum; hosts public talks relating to relevant issues; and produce a membership newsletter three times per year.

ALIA Asia Pacific Special Interest Group (ALIA APSIG) was a national group that aimed to lead efforts in identifying new sources of support for the development between information professionals in the region, through two-way co-operation. It also aimed to provide a forum for members to discuss regional professional issues and to communicate these to the appropriate forum; hosts public talks relating to relevant issues; and produce a membership newsletter three times per year.

ALIA Asia Pacific Special Interest Group (ALIA APSIG) was a national group that aimed to lead efforts in identifying new sources of support for the development between information professionals in the region, through two-way co-operation. It also aimed to provide a forum for members to discuss regional professional issues and to communicate these to the appropriate forum; hosts public talks relating to relevant issues; and produce a membership newsletter three times per year.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which explores the capacity of academic librarians to participate in creating an app which brings together key journal information in a userfriendly interface that assists academics with maximising their research impact. The paper discusses how research impact is at the heart of institutional performance and reputation and is increasingly gaining prominence in academic library services. The University of Wollongong (UOW) Library implemented a Research Impact Analysis Service (RIAS) in 2011 to help researchers, research centres and the University strengthen their impact by providing detailed, strategic reports based on citations analysis drawn from numerous datasets. Consideration was given to issues of scalability and capacity to sustain and grow the service. An opportunity for collaboration arose, connecting the Library’s business need with the software development skills of JoindUp, a local start-up company under the umbrella of UOW’s iAccelerate business incubator program. The vision was to introduce efficiencies and innovation in the production of Journal Impact Reports. The project brief was to develop an application that draws journal metrics together to empower academics in their strategic publishing decisions. 

ALIA Schools Professional Development, 12 September 2016: Bringing it together - Digital curation

This document (Webpage) "Linking learning: The professional portfolio of Kay Oddone" supports the presentation on curating digital content.

ALIA Schools Professional Development, 12 September 2016: Bringing it together - Digital curation

This presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the presentation on curating digital content.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead

This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) supports the paper which reports on an information literacy and employability project undertaken by the University of Western Sydney Library to improve support for the School of Business by reviewing the information literacy programs offered to students, with a view to developing a more relevant curriculum. The project explored which information literacy skills are of practical value to newly graduating students in the work place and of greatest value to their employers. Interviews were conducted with new graduates and employers.

This document provides a timeline that covers the milestones in the history of school libraries which became a separate section of the Library Association of Australia, now the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), in 1967. It also highlights significant events in the education and/or government sectors. Data from many of the reports commissioned by ALIA was used for lobbying federal government bodies which resulted in funding for school library buildings and resources. This funding, together with an emphasis on positive learning outcomes for students, has ensured that school libraries are influential within the education and library communities. For fifty years ALIA Schools has supported its members to make a positive difference to student learning outcomes. This support has also ensured that teacher librarians and school library staff are effective professionals.

This submission from the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in response to Australia's first Open Government Action Plan 2016-2018 discusses the role of public, academic, research and special libraries in supporting open data and digitial transformation, citizen engagement and access to government information, the provision of data management and researcher support services, and the societal benefits of access to high-value datasets within Trove.

National 2016 Conference, 29 August-2 September 2016 Adelaide: Engage Create Lead.

This conference paper describes a project in 2015 at the University of Adelaide Libraries to demonstrate innovative and relevant use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in support of the University's mission. The project aimed to demonstrate opportunities for the University Libraries to utilise emerging technologies. 

The pilot project existed as part of a greater movement driven by the University’s Technology Services division, and allowed an examination of how established groups could best exploit a technology on the very forefront of change. To meet this goal a two phased project was proposed focusing on the rapid acquisition of VR production skills and the creation of a body of resources which could assist staff and students in the creation of content for this new media format. Using the freely available Unreal Engine (UE4) an experience was created which allowed users to view a fictional world which rendered the effects of Boolean searching on a range of objects.

This project existed within, and due to, upheaval within the library industry. The direction of the project and the decision to produce documentation supporting an unreleased product came from the idea of the academic library as a place that creates opportunities for self-directed clients, easing the process of learning and research. The process highlighted the value of documentation designed to lower the initial barrier to entry for this rising technology. Following the pilot project the University Libraries will consider VR as a component of the 'Library of the Future’ and determine how best it may be utilized to meet client needs.