ALIA National 2014 Conference, 15-19 September 2014 Melbourne : together we are stronger
This conference paper discusses the future of library studies courses in the Northern Territory (NT). In 2008 the lifespan of the Library Studies course in the NT was said to be very short. Sources reported it would be discontinued due to the low enrolment numbers. This posed a huge disadvantage for the local industry if students were no longer trained at a paraprofessional level.
The strategy was to visit libraries, introduce the course (over many cups of coffee) to gain industry trust and support! Employers were strongly encouraged to provide input into assessment and training strategies. This proved to be a huge success for work placement and delivery in the workplace. A strong Course Advisory Committee (CAC) was formed and as staff numbers for delivery were limited flexible learning was introduced. Each semester students were encouraged to visit and tour a variety of libraries and the Museum and were always greeted enthusiastically.
Download survival_skills.pdf (1.66 MB)