And so we wait ….
Well - you read the parties’ responses on ALIA’s federal election page, you wrote to your candidates, you made your decision, you voted. But it’s not finished just yet… as we await the outcome of our Australian Federal Election.
So as we have some time to wait, just a quick recap - What was promised for libraries amidst all the other promises?
ALIA’s federal election advocacy has been an important part of our focus and work this year (a year-long exercise and started last year with our consultations with you at NAC meetings). This also continues our lobbying on the current and emerging issues identified at the ALIA Roundtable in May 2010.
What has been promised? There is unanimous support from all three major political parties for the continuation of the Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians . ALIA, with the help of you, our members, and the ALIA Schools Group and the ALIA/ASLA Policy Advisory Group made a substantial and valuable contribution to the Inquiry with a lengthy submission, letter of support and two public hearing appearances. ALIA’s School Libraries webpage brings together the issues and advocacy relating to school libraries and teacher librarians.
With regard to recognition of the role of public libraries in providing access to online government information, there is again unanimous agreement. The Coalition “appreciates that public libraries disseminate crucial government information. We want libraries to be at the cutting-edge of 21st century technology so they can continue to perform this vital task effectively”. And Federal Labor has recognised that “public libraries play a critical role in providing access to a range of services online, including e-government services and publications services and publications”.
http://www.alia.org.au/publiclibraries
The importance of reading and the role libraries play in promoting literacy has also been recognised by all three major political parties. This recognition is an excellent foundation for working with the federal government on the National Year of Reading in 2012.
We have had some very positive statements about libraries from the political parties.
The Coalition stated that it “believes libraries are a force for good in the Australian community. The information and resources they provide can change lives for the better…”.
The Greens recognise that “national libraries and collecting institutions are essential to our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world, and must be maintained and developed as the repositories of cultural heritage.”
ALIA has been working with the federal government for a number of years now on the issue of online content including cybersafety - our issues and advocacy page provides lots of interesting material.
ALIA’s commitment to a safe online experience is reflected in our recent submission to the Joint Select Committee on Cybersafety - and we will be monitoring the continuation of this inquiry.
The Coalition’s Protecting Australian Families Online policy mentioned the Safer Internet Group of which ALIA is a founding member. ALIA, and the Safer Internet Group, will continue to work with the government on a national coordinated approach that includes research, cybersafety education, effective policing of illegal content, and appropriate technology solutions in order to meet the challenges of online safety and security.
As we told you previously, Bill Shorten MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services announced during the election campaign that “An additional $1 million will be provided for digital playback devices and improved access to digital content in public libraries around the country to increase the accessibility of print material, such as books and newspapers, for people with vision and physical impairments and learning disabilities that have difficulty reading traditional printed materials. ” We will work with the federal government - with whoever is parliamentary secretary or with whatever party is in power - following the election to have this program implemented.
And while there is some sigh of relief that the 21st August is over - it’s now that WE STILL NEED YOU! It’s always important for us as part of a sustained effort to get your feedback about what you have done as a member to advocate for libraries during an election campaign. Please email us at advocacy@alia.org.au and let us know how you used our campaign kit or who you met with. When the final seats have been decided, should we follow up with a particular MP - especially if he or she is new? ALIA is happy to send an information pack to your MP - we will include amongst other things the Little book of Public Libraries and we will be creating new template letters for you to use to write to your new MP (or continuing one).
As part of the Australian library and information community, we also urge you to be help the National Library of Australia with its WANTED campaign!. The NLA wants to ensure that they collect federal election 2010 ephemera as comprehensively as possible. Australians are bombarded with campaign material during elections - flyers, how-to-vote cards, balloons, banners, posters, and the list goes on. But instead of throwing them away, help the National Library of Australia collect them! ALIA’s federal election page will be one of the websites that will be archived in Pandora.
So keep up-to-date through the extensive information and links at http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy or email your questions to advocacy@alia.org.au
Waiting, waiting (tapping fingers on desk) … checking ABC Elections App on iPhone … will #ausvotes news tell me anything new … download latest news on The Australian on my iPad …. Turn on the TV News … oh, Patience is a virtue I remind myself (it’s going to be days)
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Sue Hutley, ALIA Executive Director