ALIA Board Blog

The Summit is approaching fast, and there is now a web page for it. As yet, there is little information on the web site. But there is a call for contributions. This asks anyone who is interested in library education in Australia, or in the future of the Australian library workforce, to make a submission to the Summit process, and it provides some questions and other information to help you.  The agenda for the Summit will be  determined by what ALIA members, and library employers and educators, see as the main issues. We hope to make all submissions and suggestions accessible on the ALIA Summit website, and for that reason there is a limit of 5 pages for submissions.

One of the most common questions asked is: who will be attending the Summit? The  capacity of the venue is 50, and we are still working out who should attend to ensure an effective representation of the three categories of people I mentioned above. The reason for limiting the Summit to fifty people is that we want to achieve agreement on a clear plan of action.

Have a look at the site, and then have your say. We are interested in hearing from both individuals and groups, and on any of the issues listed on the site, and others too. The Summit is being organised by ALIA National Office, and you should send your contributions to Sue Hutley.

I will keep you posted through this blog on how it is all going.

Update :  14 December 2007.  Our online Christmas Card this year - is now needing some tweaking. The link will be back on the front page of the ALIA website next week.

Dear ALIA colleagues

The ALIA Board will have its next regular meeting on Monday 10th December. The Board has been experimenting and rather than just have four face to face meetings each year we now also have teleconferences roughly six weekly. Hopefully this will enable us to be responsible to issues that the Board needs to consider.  The agenda for the December meeting is quite long – some of the important agenda items are:

 Balanced Scorecard report, 2007 Quarter 3

 2008 planning

 National Advisory Congress 2007 report and 2008 model

 Financial reports and Draft 2008 budget

 Course recognition visits and budget

 NLS4 draft budget

 Membership database tender

 Membership survey

 Policy statements review and status

 Research and Publishing Standing Committee report

 Conferences Standing Committee report and:
  ALIA Information Online 2009
  National Simultaneous Storytime
  ACOC Seminar report
  IFLA 2010

If there are issues that you are interested in and want to follow up on we’ll have a summary of the board meeting on the Board web page in a week or so after the meeting at http://www.alia.org.au/governance/board/reports/.  Your Board members are always keen for comments about issues which are on our agenda and issues you believe should be on our agenda – contact details for Board members are online at http://www.alia.org.au/governance/board/

Regards

Roxanne

What a busy time December is going to be for all ALIA members.
Weekend activity tends to go into overdrive as everyone gears up for end of year business activity, Christmas and summer holidays.

The last board meeting for 2007 will be held in Canberra on Monday 10th December.

Meanwhile ALIA groups all over the country are meeting for end of year and Christmas gatherings…

•  28 Nov - Top End Christmas Celebrations
• 30 Nov - QLD ALIA Christmas Dinner
• 4 Dec - ALIA SA End of Year Event
• 6 Dec - ALIA Vic End of Year Event
• 7 Dec - Vic LTs End of Year Event
• 11 Dec - ALIA Tas End of Year Event

(Details on the ALIA Events webpage)

On the ALIA LIBTECH elist, Michelle McConachie and the Australian Library Technicians are organising a ’Mobile Donkey Library Fundraiser’ via Oxfam this Christmas. See https://www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au/ViewFundraiser.php?id=12 for details on how to donate.

New Australian legislation has recently been passed to implement the government response to the national emergency in Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory. This is the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (Act No.129). The Act deals with sale of alcohol and a wide range of other matters which have been extensively publicised.

The legislation is of particular interest to ALIA members and their friends because it deals with public computer infrastructure, and in particular to online content. The Act sets out a number of steps relating to online content which must be implemented. The main steps are

• installation of authorised filters
• keeping records of use
• development of acceptable use policies
• auditing the computers

There is a fuller coverage of this topic here, but in brief sections 26-30 of the Act require a responsible person to take certain actions in relation to publicly-funded computers. This would certainly apply to computers in local or territory government libraries and schools. The responsible person must ensure that an accredited filter is installed, maintain records of all persons using the computers with the dates and times of use, develop an acceptable use policy and put it into operation, and audit the computers on specified dates and in a manner which may be prescribed by the Minister. There is a fine of either $550 or $1100 for each offence where the responsible person contravenes any of these provisions.

The new legislation, which came into operation in August, introduces a new dimension to online content regulation, a very worrying dimension. Does it represent a new agenda on the part of government?

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued a press release on 26 October outlining new plans for Internet content regulation, with responses to be made by 16 November. The press release links to additional material.

As I read it, the intention is to prohibit on the open internet all content which is classified as MA15+ or R18+, including material which is likely to be classified as MA15 or R18+. There would be a requirement relating to “providers of hosting services, live content services, link services and commercial content services …” However, if these entities have access restrictions (which limit access to adults, or people over 15, as appropriate) in place, they would be allowed to host restricted material. They also intend that there will be a take down procedure so that access can be removed to content that is subject to complaint.

The scope and impact of these plans appears to depend on how much material is classified, what it means that material is “likely to be classified”, and the extent to which people complain. It also depends on what is hosted in Australia, and what is hosted overseas - only the former is affected.

One problematical issue is just what would be prohibited. For example, if an imaginary Australian YouTube-style site included material which was likely to be classified as MA15 or R18+, as it does, would any prohibition apply to the whole site, or just to the offending part. It seems most likely that a take down notice would apply to the site rather than individual videos, which has major ramifications for the Internet in Australia.

This was all announced on 26 October, with comments due by 16 November - three weeks, in the middle of an election. The announcement received very little publicity.

I just listened to the Rural and Regional NAC meeting teleconference recording (available to ALIA members on the ALIA website).

A special thanks to the regional and rural ALIA members who took the time to phone in and participate in this NAC teleconference.

You raised some important topics and discussed issues not covered from what I can see in the NAC face-to-face meetings in the more metropolitan areas.

This goes to highlight the importance of ALIA regional and rural member engagement in ALIA activities and direction.

At the final NAC teleconference Gemma raised the idea of a toolkit for regional and rural members on how ALIA could help them be more involved in both a PD and strategic manner. I think this is a great idea and something I will follow-up with ALIA Office.

Katy Watson.

The ALIA board met by teleconference on 2 November and considered at the following issues:

·         2007 National Advisory Congress: the full report of the regional meetings and final teleconference are on the ALIA web site http://www.alia.org.au/governance/nac/2007/ and will be discussed in detail at the December Board meeting at the teleconference thsome major issues such as support for members in regional areas, employment, education and advocacy were discussed;

·         Federal Election 2007: The President and Executive Director have approached major and minor parties about library issues, further advocacy is continuing;

·         Conference manual: The Board agreed to extend the consultation period for the draft manual to 20 November 2007 and that a second teleconference be held in December;

·         Information Online 2009: A Professional Conference Organiser was agreed for this conference.  

Regards 

Roxanne

Dear Colleagues

The final 2007 ALIA National Advisory Congress (NAC) meeting was held last night.  This year’s approach to the NAC gave a sharp focus on the issues of highest importance to ALIA members - employment and education.  The teleconference was a new approach and everyone participated, sharing views from each group meeting on the key issues and making excellent suggestions for ALIA’s planning for 2008 and beyond.

I’d like to thank those who attended the teleconference Nathalie Smith, Alice Springs; Ruth Marsh, Townsville; Jo Keleher, Rockhampton; Christopher Griffiths, Wagga / Riverina; Gemma Siemensma, Ballarat; Rebecca Parker, Melbourne; Sally Murdoch, Hobart; Benita Wheeler, Adelaide; Kimberley Hargrave, Gawler / Barossa Valley; Andrew Osborne, Brisbane; Alyson Dalby, Sydney; Andrew Finegan, Darwin; Alissa Sputore, Perth; Bradley O’Brien, Library Technicians; Helena Zorbec, Canberra; Tania Barry, Regional & Rural meeting, Sue Hutley, ALIA Executive Director; Robyn Ellard, ALIA National Office; Derek Whitehead, Vice President and Damien Lodge, Director).

A report on NAC will be provided online through http://www.alia.org.au/governance/nac/2007/

Next years NAC meeting will be held in conjunction with the ALIA Biennial conference. I encourage you all to participate in the process and contribute your thoughts!

regards

 Roxanne

ALIA has an elective leadership and governance structure, but is constituted as a company. This makes it a little more complex as an organisation than your average local soccer club (although maybe not - I know nothing about local sporting clubs). ALIA is keen to foster participation by its members.

This is an important issue for all voluntary organisations, and this posting is to encourage people to be involved. You can start off by having a look at our new program to demystify board membership, help people to decide to contest an election, and get involved in the process. The new Boardroom Bound program is located right here. It tells you what being a member of a company board means.

Next May there will be four positions on the Board up for election - two directors elected by members, one director elected by institutional members, and a vice present (president elect). Nominations will be called fairly soon, so start thinking about it now. In fact, its not too early to start thinking about 2009, either.