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ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation looks at how the growth of the evidence based practice movement has demanded a response from health librarians at Curtin University Library. This paper outlines how a collaborative approach to building librarians’ skills from shaky beginnings to firm foundations has facilitated a level of Faculty research support that is recognized, utilized and appreciated.

Working collaboratively within our own team, with the Faculty and with other health librarians has been highly effective in our growth to date and we are keen to seek out further opportunities for engagement as we continue on this exciting journey.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discusses how most futurists will tell you that it is important to look at the trends, and develop various scenarios to assist in determining your future directions. However spotting trends may be more difficult than you first think, trends come and go and which ones will stick and have an influence on your everyday.

Take the humble ebook, first introduced in the late 90s but soon disappeared only to now make a significant impact on readers, authors, libraries and publishers some 20 years later. This illustrates that trends may take some time before they become embedded into our everyday.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discusses the IFLA Trend Report which is research by IFLA used as a foundation for advocacy and policy, and for use by our members which looks across society and access to the digital information environment to identify high level trends which will affect our future information environment and brings together the ideas of a range of experts from different disciplines (social scientists, economists, education specialists, lawyers and technologists).

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discusses how NSLA (National and State Libraries of Australasia) has identified digital preservation as a priority. Over the last 2 years, the NSLA Digital Preservation Group has responded to this by undertaking a series of related projects.

These include identifying ways to measure our existing digital preservation capability, developing partnerships and opportunities for collaboration to develop skills and knowledge in the area, and looking into the abyss at difficult digital preservation problems and seeing what research we can undertake to help solve one of them.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation explores how the role of libraries have long been custodians of ‘more than just books’. For NSLA libraries, the personal stories collected in our diaries, correspondence, photographs, artworks and realia are some of our most precious items. The rapid increase in digitally-created material has posed many problems, but also offered many opportunities, for libraries.

The traditional linear structure of item-donor-library is now a more complex structure, where everyone is a potential creator and curator. In recent years, libraries have been grappling to find the best and most efficient way of acquiring and preserving these new materials, from these new creators. Serena Coates will give a summary of the recent efforts by NSLA (National and State Libraries Australasia) to address the issues associated with digital collecting, and Sarah Slade will provide a summary of the efforts of NSLA’s Digital Preservation Project.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discusses how the National Library of Australia and its participant agencies built the largest collection of online Australian election material to date in 2013. The election was notable in a number of ways, the new platforms being used to disseminate a political message, the amount of material that was produced and how much of this we could and could not collect.

Candidates and political parties have also embraced the online world and used it increasingly used as a means of spreading their campaign message. This election Pandora collected more than it has in any previous election, but content was missed. This was for a variety of reasons, lack of permissions, technical limitations and constrained resources. But what was collected will form the basis upon which future researchers can look back at what drove the election campaign online.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation describes The University of Queensland (UQ) Library’s journey towards systematically measuring and communicating its value to its parent body. Work began with the re-establishment of the Library Quality and Assessment Advisory Group (QuAAG) early in 2013.

QuAAG referenced business logic theory, including the Strategic Communication Loop of sensemaking, choosing, doing and revision. For sensemaking, QuAAG initiated a project that first audited and assessed the usefulness of statistics gathered by Library staff. It sorted these into essentials for informing internal management (on the volume and quality of activity), figures required for external reporting (e.g. to CAUL), and data demonstrating value delivered as a benefit to the receiver.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation looks at how funding cuts to TAFE colleges have impacted on all areas of teaching and learning. College libraries have not escaped the axe, but nevertheless still provide important spaces and resources for teachers and students.

Like any library, TAFE college libraries need to continually assess the community they serve to remain relevant. They need to be innovative and resourceful in providing services and materials for their community.  This is where liaison and collaboration between teachers and library staff is of utmost importance, and these rolls are changing as well.

This presentation highlights some of the positives of working collaboratively together.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference paper discusses a pilot program which was run between August 2012 and February 2013, by Open UniversitiesAustralia (OUA) and four public libraries in regional areas of NSW. These libraries were promoted to OUA students (all studying online) as places where they could access high speed internet, modern computers, journal databases, inter-library loans, as well as encouragement and support from library staff.

The feedback from students who attended was so positive that OUA decided to expand the program with the help of interested public libraries, creating the OUA Connect Library Program. With the support of the State Libraries of NSW and Victoria, and the Queensland Public Libraries Association (QPLA) the program has been promoted within these three states at national forums.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation reports on an evaluation study of spaces in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSHL), Biological Sciences (BSL) and Walter Harrison Law (WHLL) Libraries of the University of Queensland (UQ). The study was part of an evaluation of the quality and patterns of use of spaces in UQ libraries, which aimed to propose recommendations for future improvements and decision-making.

This presentation is a study of areas of weakness in existing SSHL spaces, and impacts of the refurbishment of spaces at BSL and WHLL on students’ experiences. The findings evidence a link between students’ learning experiences and the quality of library spaces.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference paper reports on an evaluation study of spaces in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSHL), Biological Sciences (BSL) and Walter Harrison Law (WHLL) Libraries of the University of Queensland (UQ). The study was part of an evaluation of the quality and patterns of use of spaces in UQ libraries, which aimed to propose recommendations for future improvements and decision-making.

This paper presents a study of areas of weakness in existing SSHL spaces, and impacts of the refurbishment of spaces at BSL and WHLL on students’ experiences. The findings evidence a link between students’ learning experiences and the quality of library spaces.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation offers a quick overview of copyright law.

You thought all of Shakespeare’s in plays in 100mins was impressive, we’re doing the copyright act in 15.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation reveals how, through working with the mechanisms and tools outlined, in addition to learning from achievements and failures in the examples provided, can contribute to: capacity building, knowledge transfer and succession planning.

This presentation also highlights the importance of negotiations around assigning / sharing / taking credit, adapting to change throughout a project and working with different levels of availability, capacity and commitment of other group members. These skills will really reflect Public Libraries Supporting Communities, as collaborations become more effective.

Every year, some 800 people graduate from an Australian university or TAFE, with a professional qualification in library and information science. Often it is a second career choice, and this contributes to the diversity of age and experience within the sector. Graduates with a degree or Masters qualification are eligible to become an ALIA Associate member, and those with a VET certificate or diploma, an ALIA Library Technician member.

Australian Library and Information Association is responding to the Early Childhood Learning element of the Productivity Commission Issues Paper, with the aim of: securing explicit acknowledgement of the role of Australian public libraries in early childhood development in the final report to Government (31 October 2014), and encouraging discussion to identify further opportunities for the national network of 1500 public libraries to be used by federal, state and local government to support early childhood learning provision.

ALIA responded to the Inquiry into the role of Technical and Further Education system and its operation, with the aim of: (1) encouraging acknowledgement of the important role of Australian TAFE libraries in supporting VET students, and (2) explaining the importance of a VET entry point for library and information professionals.

National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

ALIA National Conference provides the platform as a meeting point for all Library and Information professionals, from all sectors and all areas of Australia and the international community. 

The 2014/15 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.

This report, commissioned by the Australian Digital Alliance, discusses the Australian Government proposed amendments to the Copyright Act 1968 which seek to broaden the circumstances in which an organisation or individual may be liable for someone else’s copyright infringement. Although the Government’s proposed amendment appears to be squarely aimed at ISPs, the amendments would apply with equal force to any other person who provides goods or services which may be put to infringing use. This includes all organisations which provide internet access to the public (including government bodies, libraries, schools and universities), online platforms which enable users to upload and display images and videos (such as eBay, Facebook and YouTube), providers of remote or ‘cloud’ storage (including commercial businesses like Dropbox, Microsoft and Google, as well as schools and universities), organisations which loan out or make available copyrighted content (libraries and video stores) and businesses which make and sell everyday consumer technologies like CDs, CD/DVD burners, USB keys, hard drives, digital video recorders and photocopiers.

The report sets out the existing law in its historical and global contexts, and, on the basis of extensive consultations with representatives from universities, schools, libraries and the technology sector, explores the legal and practical implications of the proposed changes for Australian intermediaries. It finds that:

• the proposed expansion of liability would potentially have significant deleterious effects for Australian institutions;
• the existing Australian law is already as broad as or broader than those of its counterparts overseas (and fully compliant with its international obligations);
• the proposal would use a ‘one size’ fits all approach contrary to a century of authority emphasising the necessity of determining liability with reference to all of the facts of each case;
• it would give copyright owners considerably broader rights against Australian individuals and institutions than those suffering economic loss because of torts committed in other contexts (without any justification of why they should receive such special treatment);
• the proposed amendments would likely result in persistent rightholder lobbying for new regulations that go further and do more, perpetuating uncertainty about the scope of intermediaries’ obligations and liability;
• it would oblige greater reliance on ‘safe harbours’, driving increased account terminations;
• the increased costs and uncertainty would make Australia less competitive and a less attractive place for investment; and
• there has been no clear analysis about the benefits likely to be obtained in exchange for these costs.

In this project, ALIA set out to investigate the big questions. Heading towards 2025: How will libraries remain relevant for users? What changes will institutions and individuals in the sector experience? Will ‘library and information professional’ continue to be a necessary and desirable occupation? We were looking for bold thinking and we received challenging, insightful, inspiring responses to our request for feedback, through submissions from individuals and groups; participants at our Future of the LIS Profession discussions around Australia; senior library leaders, who gathered at our Summit; and the heads of other associations in the sector, who attended our sector roundtable. All these events were held between May and October 2013. Conversations initially focused on the current issues facing library and information professionals, before projecting forward into how we saw the landscape developing by 2025.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference paper describes The University of Queensland (UQ) Library’s journey towards systematically measuring and communicating its value to its parent body. Work began with the re-establishment of the Library Quality and Assessment Advisory Group (QuAAG) early in 2013.

QuAAG referenced business logic theory, including the Strategic Communication Loop of sensemaking, choosing, doing and revision. For sensemaking, QuAAG initiated a project that first audited and assessed the usefulness of statistics gathered by Library staff. It sorted these into essentials for informing internal management (on the volume and quality of activity), figures required for external reporting (e.g. to CAUL), and data demonstrating value delivered as a benefit to the receiver.

Ten themes emerged from our consultation relating specifically to special libraries, including government, law, health, corporate, engineering, science, art and others. 1. Radical transformation. 2. Value proposition. 3. DIY information. 4. Ready to use. 5. A seat at the top table. 6. Centralise and embed. 7. Big data. 8. Digitisation. 9. Subject specialisation. 10. Space.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discuuses the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) which is Australia's independent national regulator of the higher education sector.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference paper describes a project which was implemented as the result of students increasing expections that all the information they need for their assessment tasks can be found easily using commonly available search engines such as Google or Bing, and that library resources should be as easy to access as freely available sources such as Wikipedia. Convenience is a criterion which is used by students to decide if they will use a particular information source, so it is important for libraries to make their scholarly resources as easy to access as possible.

By providing a simple link from Wikipedia articles to library resources, this project has helped to place library resources within the research workflow of students, and satisfied their expectation of simple access to information resources. It has also allowed them to explore a greater diversity of published resources.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation explores how public library social media provides a trustworthy community forum. It can be used not only to inform audiences of library activities and services, but also provide libraries with tools to embed themselves further within their region and deepen their understanding of local needs. It can offer another place to harvest, disseminate and archive locally significant information and stories thus contributing to positive experiences and participation in community life.

Drawing from the use of social media in an emergency setting, this presentation explores how social media tools can help libraries support their communities whether in a crisis or not.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation describes the work of the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) which has historically provided an information service, including a traditional library service, to internal and external clients, but shifting environmental factors within the library and broader information provision fields stimulated the service to look beyond its traditional functions to define its place within a new paradigm.

This case study demonstrates the way the Australian Drug Foundation library changed its model of service and redefined itself within a broader information unit, diversified operations and promoting increased collaboration between library staff, internal clients and external stakeholders.

National 2014 Conference paper.

This conference paper explores how public library social media provides a trustworthy community forum. It can be used not only to inform audiences of library activities and services, but also provide libraries with tools to embed themselves further within their region and deepen their understanding of local needs. It can offer another place to harvest, disseminate and archive locally significant information and stories thus contributing to positive experiences and participation in community life.

Drawing from the use of social media in an emergency setting, this paper explores how social media tools can help libraries support their communities whether in a crisis or not.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation examines an investigation of citation management practices of researchers in the Arts Faculty of a Victorian university using a questionnaire and open-ended interviewing.

Early findings indicate that there is little uniformity of practices or software use but rather a diverse range of personal approaches to managing citations. Reasons for using or not using software and the ways in which software is used are varied. Citation management practices appear to be influenced significantly by the type of work being done and/or the subject area and to be part of larger disciplinary practices and approaches to research. Not all researchers were entirely satisfied with their citation management systems but were reluctant to move from one system to another as it would be time-consuming. Additionally, many researchers were unaware of the full capability of citation management software.

ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger

This conference presentation discusses a pilot program which was run between August 2012 and February 2013 by Open UniversitiesAustralia (OUA) and four public libraries in regional areas of NSW. These libraries were promoted to OUA students (all studying online) as places where they could access high speed internet, modern computers, journal databases, inter-library loans, as well as encouragement and support from library staff.

The feedback from students who attended was so positive that OUA decided to expand the program with the help of interested public libraries, creating the OUA Connect Library Program.  With the support of the State Libraries of NSW and Victoria, and the Queensland Public Libraries Association (QPLA) the program has been promoted within these three states at national forums.

The Australian Library and Information Association's submission in response to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Higher Education Standards Panel call for comment.