January 2005

In this aliaPUBNEWS broadcast:

News from ALIA
ALIA's Public Libraries Reference Group; ALIA’s plan for 2005-2006; Review of gender pay gap in WA

International
Clash erupts over library closures in Salinas, California; Shattering stereotypes conference; International newspaper conference; English public libraries to deliver an online enquiry service; Britain's digital divide in 2025

Policy and advocacy
Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award; Culture and recreation statistics

States and territories
Gateways, National Library of Australia magazine; Australian Libraries Copyright Bulletin; Peak Bodies Forum; Site licensing - a national issue; Informit interface training; Agreement signed for public library services in WA; Web accessibility workshops; Innovation award to Mt Barker Library

News from ALIA

ALIA's Public Libraries Reference Group
The Public Libraries Reference Group (PLRG) is an expert group that advises the ALIA Board of Directors on the development of services for public library members of ALIA and on strategic and policy issues for the public library sector. Established in late 2002, the PLRG led the development of aliaPUBNEWS and the recently released guide to resources on standards, guidelines and benchmarks for public libraries (announced in aliaPUBNEWS, December 2004). The ALIA Board recently reviewed the terms of reference of the PLRG and the group will be guiding new ALIA initiatives for public library members over the next two years. The PLRG is convened by Vicki McDonald from Queensland. Other members are Christine Mackenzie (Vic), Michelle Ledger (WA), Peter Richardson (Tas), Janice Nitschke (SA), Jan Richards (NSW) and Susan Magnay (ALIA National Office).
http://alia.org.au/governance/committees/public.libraries/

ALIA’s plan for 2005-2006
In consultation with ALIA members, groups and policy and advisory groups the Board of Directors has identified the four highest priorities for the Association for 2005-2006. In the coming two years ALIA will: * Lobby and advocate to ensure equitable access to information * Promote library and information services as a career * Extend the knowledge of library and information services workers and promote innovation and excellence through conferences and symposiums * Achieve membership growth through recruitment and retention programs covering all career stages and sectors. These and other initiatives for the two years from January 2005 to December 2006 are covered by the strategic program for the Association endorsed by the Board of Directors in December 2004.
http://alia.org.au/governance/planning/2005-2006/

Review of gender pay gap in WA
ALIA supports the findings and recommendations of the Report on the review of the gender pay gap in Western Australia.
http://alia.org.au/employment/wa.gender.comment.html

International

Clash erupts over library closures in Salinas, California
A candlelight vigil to mourn the approaching closure of the public library system in Salinas, California, turned into a confrontation between protestors and Salinas Mayor, Anna Caballero. The Mayor shouted down protestors and called on them to stop complaining and contribute, whereupon some people began tossing dollar bills onto the lawn in front of a statue of Nobel Prize-winning author, John Steinbeck, who was born in Salinas. The libraries are scheduled to close by June 2005. According to city officials they must close the libraries, which cost about $US3 million a year to operate, to offset a $US8 million projected budget defecit.
http://www.californianonline.com/news/stories/20050118/localnews/1882919.ht

Shattering stereotypes conference
The new Seattle Public Library will be studied at the 'Shattering stereotypes' conference in Seattle, Washington (US) on 27-29 April 2005. The conference will explore Seattle's cutting-edge architecture, state-of-the-art materials handling and sorting systems and high-tech reference model. The conference will also cover best practices in European public libraries. The conference is sponsored by the Public Libraries International Network and the Seattle Public Library.
http://www.public-libraries.net/html/2005_conference.html

International newspaper conference
An international newspaper conference, 'Asia and the Pacific: newspapers in the 21st century' will be held at the National Library of Australia, Canberra, on 22-24 February 2005. The conference is jointly hosted by the National Library and the IFLA Newspapers Section. Registration is at no charge. For program details and to register:
http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/newspapers/about.html

English public libraries to deliver an online enquiry service
The 'People's Network Online Enquiry Service' will deliver real-time information services to the public through access to library and information professionals across the internet. The service has been developed by the UK Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and is being delivered collaboratively by public library staff across England. The full 24/7 service will be launched to the public in March 2005 and it is hoped that all 149 library authorities in England will contribute to the service by the end of 2005.
http://www.mla.gov.uk

Britain's digital divide in 2025
A report for BT (British Telecom) has forecast that 23 million people in Britain, or almost one-third of the adult population, will be at risk of being 'digitally excluded' in 2025. The report defines digital exclusion as not having access to the internet at home. On this basis, 51 percent of the adult population in Britain is currently digitally excluded. The report finds that the main obstacles to digital inclusion are, firstly, problems of access associated with income, ability to pay for technology and issues such as disability and lack of skills and, secondly, problems of engagement whereby people do not see the need nor the benefits of engagement with the online world. The people excluded risk losing access to fundamental services like medical information and education. 'The digital divide in 2025', an independent study conducted for BT, December 2004
http://www.btplc.com/Societyandenvironment/Reports/Reports.htm

Policy and advocacy

Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award
The application deadline for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Access to Learning Award is 28 February 2005. For more information, including eligibility, selection and the applicaiton form:
http://www.clir.org/fellowships/gates/gates.html

Culture and recreation statistics
The ABS National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics newsletter for January 2005 reports on recently released statistical data on Australians' involvement in arts, culture and sport. Articles cover, for example, All about arts and culture in Australia, How much are governments spending on arts and culture?, Who is visiting our natural heritage areas?, Book publishing and Book retailing.
http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3110129.NSF/f128006d2d1e7c10ca2566fd0081b

States and territories

Gateways, National Library of Australia magazine
From December 2004, the National Library of Australia magazine 'Gateways' will be available online only. 'Gateways' is published 6 times per year and covers information from the National Library for the library sector.
http://www.nla.gov.au/ntwkpubs/gatehome.html

Australian Libraries Copyright Bulletin
The December 2004 issue of the Australian Libraries Copyright Bulletin focuses mainly on the copyright changes of most significance to libraries envisaged by the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, set to come into force in January 2005. The Copyright Bulletin is produced by Sarah Waladan, Copyright Adviser to the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC) and is available through the ALCC website:
http://www.digital.org/alcc/

Peak Bodies Forum
The 2004 meeting of the Peak Bodies Forum was held at the National Library of Australia on 10 December 2004. The forum was attended by representatives of peak library sector organisations. Among the items discussed were Kinetica developments, copyright, resource sharing, education for librarianship and acces to and preservation of information resources. The agenda, papers and minutes are now available at:
http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/peakbod/2004.html

Site licensing - a national issue
Representatives of key library sector organisations attended a forum convened by the National Library of Australia on 8 December 2004 to explore the issue of national access to online information resources. The issues paper, responses and minutes of the forum are at:
http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/sitelicense/slindex.html

Informit interface training
RMIT Publishing will be holding free training session on its new Informit 2 interface. The first training sessions will be at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, on Friday 4 February 2005. Training sessions in other capital cities will be held after Easter. To view the training outline or to register your attendance visit:
http://www.informit.com.au

Agreement signed for public library services in WA
The Western Australian government and the WA Local Government Association (WALGA) have signed a framework agreement for the provision of public library services to WA residents, extending a partnership that has been in place for 50 years. The agreement sets out roles and responsibilities to guide collaborative action between state and local government until mid-2008.
http://www.walga.asn.au/news/releases/MR20_12_04.htm

Web accessibility workshops
The National Library and Information Service (NILS) is running Web and Online Accessibility Workshops in Canberra on 16-17 February 2005. The workshops are targeted at web-development team leaders, corporate communication professionals, content authors and web programmers and managers. The workshops will provide an overview of accessiblity issues and how to address them. The issues confronting users with particular needs will be explored, including people with disabilities and older people. For details and registration forms:
http://www.nils.org.au/ais/web/workshops/0505-canb.html

Innovation award to Mt Barker Library
Mt Barker Library in South Australia has won the 2004 Jim Crawford Award for Innovation in Libraries. Among the initiatives which led to the award are development of a parenting group, a weekly chidren's writing group and provision of resources for home-schooled children. The library also employs a dedicated youth officer working to include young people in selecting library materials and in developing strategies to reduce the theft of materials such aas CDs and DVDs. (Mount Barker Courier, 1 December 2004, p.19)

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