Government publications and information

ALIA believes that government information is a national resource to be developed and preserved in the public interest. The public has a right of access to government information and agencies should guarantee open and timely access to government information regardless of format.

New technologies and developments in e-government have thrown up new challenges relating to the creation, use and dissemination of government publications and information.

ALIA is working with other key organisations to advocate for effective, long-term access to government publications and information, regardless of format. ALIA is concerned with the dissemination of government information; the publishing, distribution, and bibliographical control of and access to government publications, both paper based and electronic; and the continuation of the principle of free access to government information through libraries.

ALIA's Expert Group on Government Publications provides advice and guidelines on government publications to the Board of Directors and focuses attention on Australian government publications and government information, at federal, state and local level.

Digital amnesia - the challenges of government online seminar, held on 21 April 2005, was presented by the ALIA and sponsored by the National Library of Australia and the National Archives of Australia. The seminar examined the issues relating to access to and management of government publications online, now and into the future and targeted those responsible for high-level policy regarding publications in governments, both Commonwealth and state/territory.

The statement 'Access to government online publications' was an outcome of the Digital Amnesia seminar.