In 48 days ALIA will be hosting the first ever Australian Public Libraries Summit at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
In 48 days my tomato bushes will have borne fruit, the zucchini will have taken on mammoth proportions, and the persimmons on the tree in my garden will be turning orange. So why the gardening references? August Birrell (1850 -1933) wrote “Libraries are not made; they grow” – and so it is with the ALIA Public Libraries Summit. Every day it matures as planning progresses. We don’t see the Summit as an end in itself, rather as the seed of an ongoing conversation with the Federal Government and other partners.
I would encourage you to think about how you can help us “grow” the Summit. Perhaps you can submit a working paper on one of the topics suggested on the website or another relevant subject by 27th February 2009. Your participation will ensure our message is enriched and strengthened.
I also urge you to become involved in the Public Library Ambassador program, which will not only lend support to the positioning of public libraries but add a grass-roots element to our strategic direction. Imagine the media monitors picking up stories of Ambassadors from across Australia – success! It also promises to be a lot of fun. Check the website for details of how to get started.
Jan Richards, ALIA Vice-president