ALIA Public Sector Information Advisory Committee

Terms of reference

Purpose

The Australian Library and Information Association recognises the essential importance of free access to public sector information from all levels of government for all Australians.

The ALIA Public Sector Information Advisory Committee exists to:

1. Function as an expert group to provide advice and guidelines on public sector information to the Board of Directors.
   
   
2. Focus attention on public sector information, including government publications online and in print, at the federal, state and local level. ALIA is committed to ensuring that Australians can access public sector information, including government publications, parliamentary publications and publicly funded research. Free access to public sector information through libraries is vital for the economy. Access to international government information and government information from countries other than Australia is also a key issue.
   
   
3. Undertake activities such as to:
   • monitor developments in public sector information, particularly access issues
   • advocate improvements where necessary
   • co-ordinate views from the library and information sector and relevant industry groups, draft responses for ALIA to government policy proposals and represent ALIA on public sector information issues
   • liaise with libraries, publishers and other professional groups and institutions where appropriate
   • raise awareness of matters relating to public sector information, including forums for discussion and exchange of ideas on topics of interest; keep the library and information sector informed of its activities.

The group is national in focus and maintains an e-mail discussion list Oz-Govpubs-l. Representation from the Australian Government Libraries Information Network and Government Libraries New South Wales is encouraged.

Issues facing the Committee now and in the future:

1. Access to public sector information online.
2. Access to public sector information through libraries, including support and training.
3. Online government publishing, including permanent access issues and retrospective digitisation.
4. Collection issues for libraries relating to public sector information.
5. Government and Parliamentary online publication search issues e.g. websites.
6. Ensuring that legal deposit legislation provides coverage of online publications.
7. For Commonwealth government publications, the Library Distribution Scheme and the standards/guidelines for online publishing produced by AGIMO.
8. For State and Territory government publications, including Parliamentary papers, distribution, collection and access issues.
9. For Australian Bureau of Statistics information, access issues.