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An article written by teacher librarian Natasha Lee about the work that school libraries do to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The article was published in the November/December 2022 issue of INCITE magazine.

As part of the Professional Pathways Initiative, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) commissioned research in November 2021 to address the specialised needs of school libraries within the context of ALIA’s vision for developing a professional pathways framework.

The purpose of this project was to ensure that library and information professionals working in school libraries are clearly differentiated, appropriately qualified through relevant, contemporary course content, and able to access appropriate and recognised continuing professional development wherever they are in Australia, through their state association and through national providers.

The School Libraries Research Project Report addresses the nature and demographics of employee groups in Australian school libraries; existing qualifications and education pathways; the knowledge, skills, and competencies required of school library employees; ethics and professionalism within the context of school libraries; and continuing professional development. It concludes with a summary of key findings and a set of five recommendations.

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.

The overarching aim of the Greening Libraries research project is to underpin the Australian Library and Information Association’s focus on sustainability, in line with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The report aims to highlight examples of best practice and inform the creation of a toolkit for libraries to help them support environmental action, further the greening libraries movement as well as exemplify sustainability practices that are consistent with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This report is the second output from the Greening Libraries research project, and was commissioned by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) with the support of the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL).

ALIA commissioned an evaluation report of the Online Storytime pilot program. Anyez Lindop researched and compiled the report using data from the first year of the program in 2021. The evaluation looks into the outcomes for library staff, library users engaging with the program, Australian picture book creators and Australian publishers over the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds supporting this evaluation were made available through the Australian Government's Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.

The fundamental principles according to which the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, is to be governed, as amended on 16 May 2022.

Superseded by 2025 Constitution of Australian Library and Information Association Limited

Article from INCITE September/October 2022 Volume 43 Issue 5.

Interview with Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie, author and illustrator of The Speedy Sloth. The Speedy Sloth has been selected as ALIA's National Simultaneous Storytime book in 2023.

Summary of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Board of Directors Meeting held on Tuesday 23 August 2022, at ALIA House, Canberra.

This Technical Report presents the detailed findings of the enquiry by the project which focus on skills frameworks, professional ethics and values, qualification pathways, future views of education and training, continuous professional development and professional status.

This Technical Report makes it clear that ALIA’s investment in the Professional Pathways initiative is timely and vital to meet the challenges and opportunities of the evolving work environment. Governments, employers, educators and workers (current and future) are all aware of the need to change the traditional model of education for and training in the professions to drive excellence and currency among professionals. A new mindset of life-long active professionalism, based on core ethics and values and with support for whole-of-career development, is needed for libraries and information services to grow and develop in line with advances in society and technologies.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) responds to the Exposure Draft Copyright Amendment (Access Reform) Bill 2021, proposed by the Australian Federal Government.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) welcomes the Government’s proposed modernization of Australian copyright legislation for libraries and archives. The proposed changes will increase the Australian community’s access to our cultural collections, support creators, researchers, students and policy makers in their endeavors, and reduce redundant administrative processes for library staff.

This report documents the focus group consultation activities undertaken by ALIA in early 2022 as part of the Professional Pathways initiative.

Following the Technical Report, the ALIA Professional Pathways Board made four recommendations, one of which was to develop a framework of knowledge, skills and ethical behaviour as a sector-wide, whole-of-career resource to guide and support professional learning and development. As part of the consultation process proposed in this recomendation, a series of focus groups was conducted to explore the concepts of the professional framework, professional identity and active professionalism. This report presents the focus group methodology employed and the processes involved in the collection and content analysis of the qualitative research data. The principal themes identified in the focus group discussions are reviewed including issues relating to the contemporary LIS profession, insights into the individual’s career journey, concerns about LIS education and the characteristics of the fields of professional knowledge and skills. The challenges and opportunities for diverse pathways into the LIS profession are explored, as well as the concept of active professionalism. The thematic analysis closes with a summary of the focus group participants’ views about a potential sector-wide, whole-of-career framework.

ALIA's submission to government on the new National Cultural Policy, underscoring the importance of First Nations representation in the library and information services sector, the applicability of the policy's 'place for every story' line, and the significant place of strong institutions in supporting the policy in reaching audiences and supporting artists.

Attachment 1 to Australian Media Literacy Alliance submission to the inquiry into international digital platforms operated by Big Tech companies, March 2023.

Summary of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Board of Directors Meeting held on Monday 16 May 2022, at the National Convention Centre, Canberra and via Zoom.

Miss Anne Harrison (1923-1992) was librarian-in-charge of the Brownless Medical Library at the University of Melbourne (1949-1983), and founder of the Central Medical Library Organization (1953-1994). She helped pioneer the introduction of Medline into Australia, and was a founder of the Australian Medical Librarians Group in the early 1970s, and later of the LAA Medical Librarians Section (now ALIA Health Libraries Australia).

The Anne Harrison Award was established to commemorate her work, and to encourage others to make their own contribution to the development of health librarianship.

10 Sustainable Development Goal stretch targets are proposed for libraries in Australia from 2020-2030, following a period of refinement from September 2019. Targets address literacy; access to knowledge; equitable access; culture and heritage; sustainable communities; contribution to health and wellbeing; diversity and gender equality; lifelong learning; and global citizenship. 

The report tracks the current status of lead agencies against the SDG stretch targets as of January 2022. 

Contents: About ALIA -- President’s report -- Chief Executive Officer’s report -- Business director’s report -- Director of policy and education’s report -- Director Conferences and Events’s report -- How we performed against th ALIA Board’s Strategic Plan -- Our membership -- Advocacy campaigns -- Government and stakeholder relations -- Conferences and events -- ALIA in the regions -- Education, professional development, and training -- Awards -- Communications -- Financial statements 

Article from INCITE January/February 2022 Volume 43 Issue 1: Beginnings.

Discussion of the ways university librarians can support the production of research impact assessments in Australian universities.

Article from INCITE November/December 2022 Volume 43 Issue 1.

Discussion of statewide marketing campaign in Victoria, "Return yourself to the library", designed over late 2021 to increase visitor numbers following COVID-19 lockdowns.

INCITE article by Kate Furguson about Yarra Plenty Regional Library's program 'Talking Together', a project that aims to build trust with the local Somali Australian community in Melbourne’s north.

Minutes of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 34th Annual General Meeting held on Monday 16 May 2021 at the National Convention Centre, Canberra and over the Zoom online platform.

In 2019, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in partnership with Australian Public Library Alliance (APLA) and ALIA Health Libraries Australia (HLA), was successful in application to the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) to be a My Health Record (MHR) Consumer Education Community Delivery Partner. The aim of ALIA’s MHR education program was to deliver training to public library staff and relevant community partners so that they would be able to respond to enquiries about MHR, to be proactive in offering information about MHR, and feel confident when providing guidance about issues relating to community members MHRs.

This final report shares program outcomes, figures, community case studies and the ongoing commitment to support ADHA MHR consumer learning program.

Article from INCITE January/February 2022 Volume 43 Issue 1.

Discussion of "Short Story Dispenser" project initiated by Kingston Libraries in Melbourne during 2021.

The Australian Library and Information Association is committed to active participation in the global library community, supporting international library associations, providing leadership through ALIA’s expertise and promoting greater understanding of international librarianship and library issues in the global information environment.

Relationships with international associations and organisations will be consistent with ALIA’s core values and reflect ALIA’s expertise, capability and capacity.

This document presents the statement made by ALIA regarding its global activities as of February 2022.

This statement replaces:

"ALIA and international relations" (Adopted 1997. Amended 2001. Reviewed 2009. Amended 2018.)

and

"ALIA's relationships with overseas library associations policy statement" (March 2013. Amended 2018.)

Agenda for the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Board of Directors Meeting held on Monday 16 May 2022 at the National Convention Centre, Canberra and via Zoom.

ALIA National 2022 Conference, 16 May - 19 May 2022 Canberra: Diversity

Session description: Library professionals have traditionally worked within a library setting and often in roles with the explicit job title of librarian. Beyond traditional library roles, there are diverse emerging roles and job titles ideally suited to the knowledge, skills and experiences of library professionals. Library professionals are utilising their skills to gain employment in roles as diverse as technologists, user experience designers and knowledge managers. This paper will explore the extent to which Australian library professionals are already working in diverse roles which draw on their library and information professional skill set. It will examine the various pathways which library professionals have taken to move into such roles and their motivation for taking a career path beyond libraries. It will consider how traditional library and information professionals' knowledge, skills and attributes can be adapted to such emerging roles and the ongoing identification of people in these roles with the library profession. Finally, it will consider what the increasing diversity of roles available to library professionals might mean for the wider profession.

ALIA National 2022 Conference, 16 May - 19 May 2022 Canberra: Diversity

Session description: Over the past 10 years the State Library of NSW has undertaken a massive digital preservation project including a focus on the Library’s moving image collections. More than 250 film and video collections have been identified for digitisation, using uniqueness, significance, physical condition and playback equipment obsolescence as criteria for selection. The records of the Sydney-based Methodist Missionary Society (MMS) of Australasia were deposited with the Mitchell Library in the early 1950s with further additions over time. The organisation later became known as the Methodist Overseas Mission. Their extensive collection includes over 300 manuscript boxes, photographs, slides, negatives, and 159 film reels. The Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia set up a number of Missions in the North of Australia from 1916. Their mission at Milingimbi Island, among the Yolngu people of Eastern Arnhem Land, was begun in 1923 and continued operating up to 1974. In 1961, the work of the MMS at Milingimbi was featured in the Society's commissioned film Faces in the Sun. The documentary highlighted the experiences of four different communities in the Northern Territory. Directed by Cecil Holmes, Faces in the Sun, like many of the films produced by the MMS, is an insight into the Stolen Generations era. Other documentaries produced by the MMS include titles such as Man Dark No More (1953) and Man of Two Worlds (1965). They were of course proselytising Christianity but also reflected the Australian Government’s assimilationist policies. There are projection prints and second-generation copies of this film scattered in various libraries around the country. However, the first-generation original master material held, and now digitised, by the Library, is a unique and valuable record that captures the high-quality detail of the director’s original intent. As well as documenting an important time in the history of the Northern Territory and Australia.

These guidelines are intended to assist principals, school administrators and teacher librarians in the appropriate allocation of time enables teacher librarians to effectively deliver of school library services and programmes.

The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sometimes called the Global Goals, or the United Nations 2030 Agenda, are a shared vision for peace, prosperity, and the protection of the planet. At the heart of the SDGs are 17 goals, each of which is an urgent call to action for the realisation of a better world.

Libraries are uniquely positioned in relation to the SDGs, as by providing meaningful and equitable access to information, they have the potential to support all 17 of the goals. Through providing young people with the possibility and skills to make the most of information. School libraries play a significant role in contributing to and raising awareness of the goals.

This document is designed to be a practical guide, providing information, suggestions and resources on how Australian school libraries can support each of the Sustainable Development Goals now and into the future.

The Bodies of Knowledge (Bok) identify the different areas of competency for the Library and Information Profession. The 11 BOKs are clustered in six managable groups, which makes it easier to gather evidence to revalidate.

This document was captured with permission from the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) webpage, "Bodies of Knowledge (BOK)" on 3 March 2022.