Dear Colleagues
Well we all have to start somewhere so here is my first blog entry. I have read many other blogs with interest - particularly It's all good and The shifted librarian. Some many interesting ideas to share – hopefully this blog be useful to someone too.
This year I thought a blog would help me communicate with others interested in library and information science issues, particularly digital library and service issues.
I also hope to be able to report on events in Australia during my year as President of the Australian Librarian and Information Association (ALIA). ALIA celebrates it's 70th year in 2007 and during the period there have been many changes to the membership of the association, library education and indeed to the activities and work of those in libraries. While the format of our collections and services have changed the underlying philosophy of delivering services to our clients has never faltered.
Last week was the annual conference and general meeting of the Association of Parliamentary Libraries of Australasia (APLA). The events were held at the Australian Parliamentary Library. At the conference presentations covers issues relating to our theme of collaboration and innovation in library services and research. Speakers covered issues including:
the changing nature of political use of the Internet – both citizens and politicians;
the needs of clients of Parliamentary libraries and the pressures on their time with a need for more analysis, speedier access to information and regional news resources;
the importance of parliamentary libraries in their parliaments;
new ways of thinking about our resource discovery services (catalogues), access to collection resources and delivery mechanisms (getting into other delivery services);
being smart in working collaboratively – thinking practically and working with the relationships that work on any particular issue;
grabbing new technologies and experimenting with service delivery working beyond our walls; and
that much can be done through learning by doing which can’t be done through planning.
There were great speakers and conference papers will be on the APLA web site shortly:
Harry Evans, Clerk of the Senate, Opening Address
Dr Luke Buckmaster and Dr Sarah Miskin, Politics and technology in the 21st century—taking it to the streets
Kent Fitch and Alison Dellitt (National Library of Australia), Rethinking the catalogue
Client perspectives
The Hon Dick Adams MP (Australian Labor Party, Lyons, Tasmania), Joint Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library
Senator Russell Trood (Liberal Party of Australia, Queensland) Joint Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library
Senator Lyn Allison (Leader, Australian Democrats, Victoria)
Rose Holley (National Library of Australia) The National Newspaper digitisation project
Mal Booth (Head, Research Centre, Australian War Memorial) Innovation online delivery at the AWM
Vic Elliott (Executive Director, Scholarly Information Services and University Librarian, ANU) Collaboration in Australian university library and information environment
Carmel McInerney (Asknow! Coordinator, National Library of Australia)
Collaboration in online reference—Ask Now
Ian Harris AO, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Close
And some pictures of those attending the events, including the current Australasian Parliamentary Librarians –
Look forward to keeping in touch
Regards
Roxanne Missingham
Well we all have to start somewhere so here is my first blog entry. I have read many other blogs with interest - particularly It's all good and The shifted librarian. Some many interesting ideas to share – hopefully this blog be useful to someone too.
This year I thought a blog would help me communicate with others interested in library and information science issues, particularly digital library and service issues.
I also hope to be able to report on events in Australia during my year as President of the Australian Librarian and Information Association (ALIA). ALIA celebrates it's 70th year in 2007 and during the period there have been many changes to the membership of the association, library education and indeed to the activities and work of those in libraries. While the format of our collections and services have changed the underlying philosophy of delivering services to our clients has never faltered.
Last week was the annual conference and general meeting of the Association of Parliamentary Libraries of Australasia (APLA). The events were held at the Australian Parliamentary Library. At the conference presentations covers issues relating to our theme of collaboration and innovation in library services and research. Speakers covered issues including:
the changing nature of political use of the Internet – both citizens and politicians;
the needs of clients of Parliamentary libraries and the pressures on their time with a need for more analysis, speedier access to information and regional news resources;
the importance of parliamentary libraries in their parliaments;
new ways of thinking about our resource discovery services (catalogues), access to collection resources and delivery mechanisms (getting into other delivery services);
being smart in working collaboratively – thinking practically and working with the relationships that work on any particular issue;
grabbing new technologies and experimenting with service delivery working beyond our walls; and
that much can be done through learning by doing which can’t be done through planning.
There were great speakers and conference papers will be on the APLA web site shortly:
Harry Evans, Clerk of the Senate, Opening Address
Dr Luke Buckmaster and Dr Sarah Miskin, Politics and technology in the 21st century—taking it to the streets
Kent Fitch and Alison Dellitt (National Library of Australia), Rethinking the catalogue
Client perspectives
The Hon Dick Adams MP (Australian Labor Party, Lyons, Tasmania), Joint Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library
Senator Russell Trood (Liberal Party of Australia, Queensland) Joint Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library
Senator Lyn Allison (Leader, Australian Democrats, Victoria)
Rose Holley (National Library of Australia) The National Newspaper digitisation project
Mal Booth (Head, Research Centre, Australian War Memorial) Innovation online delivery at the AWM
Vic Elliott (Executive Director, Scholarly Information Services and University Librarian, ANU) Collaboration in Australian university library and information environment
Carmel McInerney (Asknow! Coordinator, National Library of Australia)
Collaboration in online reference—Ask Now
Ian Harris AO, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Close
And some pictures of those attending the events, including the current Australasian Parliamentary Librarians –
Look forward to keeping in touch
Regards
Roxanne Missingham
