ALIA Public Libraries Summit

The little book of public libraries ALIA is at the final design stage of producing something we've all been talking about for a while - a quick, simple summary of why libraries are so important, giving library supporters the words and ideas they need to champion our cause. This isn't a throwaway leaflet, it's a lively little book that people will love to pick up and flick through. We will be handing it out to politicians and bureaucrats at the ALIA Public Libraries Summit on 16 July 2009. You can order copies from $26.00 per pack of 10 for ALIA members, including packaging and postage. If you order more than 200 copies, the price drops to $1.80 per Little book. Check the order form for quantities and prices, for members and non-members. We have also included some sample pages so that you can have a sneak preview of the colourful and exciting design. The little book of public libraries will be posted out in the last two weeks of July, but numbers are limited, so place your order early. Order enquiries to Jamie Smith at ALIA National Office: 02 6215 8232 Sample pages [.pdf 292KB ] Order form [.pdf 129KB ]

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) will convene the ALIA Public Libraries Summit on 16 July 2009 in Canberra at the National Library of Australia with the theme 'Setting a National Agenda'.

The purpose of the Summit is to demonstrate the many ways public libraries play a central and valued role in strengthening communities, developing people and achieving social inclusion.

Summit program
ALIA is delighted to welcome Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and Parliamentary Secretary for the Voluntary Sector, to open the Summit. The Senator's opening will be followed by a welcome to the National Library of Australia by the Director-General, Jan Fullerton.

The draft Summit program is now available. The Summit will be facilitated by Greg Cook.

Public Libraries as National Champions
Located in every local government area across the nation and at the heart of their local communities, public libraries are perfectly positioned to deliver results across a number of the ten critical areas identified at the recent Australia 2020 Summit.

A key goal of the ALIA Public Libraries Summit is to develop a stronger relationship with the Federal Government in achieving its agendas in a range of portfolios. Ideally, the country's 1,522 public libraries will be regarded as 'national champions' advancing social, educational, cultural, broadband and digital programs and policies.

National Framework
Australia's public libraries network straddles all three levels of government - national, state/territory and local. Services are delivered by a variety of administrative arrangements which vary both between and within each State and Territory.

Services are the most effective where local support and partnership working is strong.

A second key goal of the ALIA Public Libraries Summit is to engage with all three levels of government to develop a framework that supports libraries across Australia to:

• better deliver services to their communities especially in disadvantaged and remote areas
• advance COAG and the Social Inclusion reform agendas.

The ALIA Public Libraries Summit is supported by Public Libraries Australia (PLA) , the state and territory public library associations, National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) and Friends of Libraries Australia (FOLA).

Participants
The Public Libraries Summit will bring together around 50 library and non-library participants including Federal Ministers or their representatives, local government representatives, partners or allies from the non-profit sector, key cultural/ethnic/racial groups and public library stakeholders. Participants will be invited to attend.

Invitation to contribute
In addition to those participating in the Summit, all Interested people and groups are invited to submit working papers on how to achieve the two key objectives of the Summit - Public Libraries as National Champions and a National Framework for Australia's public libraries.

While the Summit is a forum for open debate, it is not just a talk fest. We are interested in ideas that are capable of being shaped into concrete actions. Working papers may be as short as you wish, but preferably no longer than five pages.

Suggested topics include:

• Priorities public libraries share with the federal government (eg some of the ten critical areas from the recent Australia 2020 Summit)
• Engaging with the new Social Inclusion agenda for:
  • a fairer and more equitable Australia
  • stronger community-based services organisations
  • strengthening the capacity of communities and individuals they serve
  • promoting better understanding of the needs and interests of disadvantaged unemployed people
• Valuing the contribution of public libraries by economic, environmental and social impacts illustrated by powerful case studies.
• Public libraries and the digital economy
• Public libraries and e-government and e-democracy.
• Public Library Best Practice and best value with examples.
• Role of public libraries in information literacy from early childhood, to adults to seniors.
• Reducing fragmented, competing and duplicated funding models operating at local, state and national levels.
• New partnerships with other cultural institutions for cooperation and joint projects.
• New partnerships and working with the non-profit sector
• Public Library ethos - ALIA, UNESCO, IFLA values and policies

The papers will be distributed to all Summit participants to consider.

Submission details are available here

Send your working papers to:
Marion Nicolson, Project Officer, ALIA Public Libraries Summit 2009
email - marion.nicolson@alia.org.au
post - PO Box 6335 Kingston 2604 AUSTRALIA

For further information about the Summit please contact:
Marion Nicolson, Project Officer, ALIA Public Libraries Summit 2009
email - marion.nicolson@alia.org.au
post - PO Box 6335 Kingston 2604 AUSTRALIA