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Cohesion - the ALIA 2001 National Policy Congress

Issues of significance for 2001 National Policy Congress

Identified by ten representative groups.

Identification of:

ALIA key achievements since 2000 NPC
Key challenges faced now
Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA

...by ten representative groups

Presenters

Jane Coatman, ALIA Tasmania Group
Diana Harrison, ALIA National TAFE Libraries Group
Jenni Jeremy, ALIA Australian Serials Special Interest Group, ALIA Acquisitions National Group, ALIA Acquisitions SA Group
Prue Mercer, ALIA Information Literacy Forum
Georgina Dale, ALIA Knowledge and Information Specialists (WA) Group
Stephen Coppins, ALIA Library Technicians National Group
Melanie Kammermann, ALIA Health Libraries Australia Group
Lynda Colquhoun, Pathways to CPD (Qld)
Chris Bendle, TropicALIA (Qld)
Sue Grimes, ALIA NSW Forum

Acquisitions SA/National

1. Achievements so far...

Restructuring of the Association.
Re-establishment of sections.

2. Current challenges...

Role of the Treasurer.
Local presence.
Membership.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

CPD.
National/Section conferences.
Educational Institutions-course accreditation.

Jenni Jeremy

Knowledge and Information Specialists Western Australia

Key issues

1. Achievements so far...

72 self-nominated groups fully funded by ALIA.
ALIA restructured-now a flatter organisation.
Services to members improved.

2. Current challenges...

Guidelines for funding of groups and management of finances.
Local presence-needs to be a proactive rather than reactive.
Support for large, geographically scattered groups.
Training for group office bearers.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Education of information practitioners-undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education.
Promoting ALIA to increase membership.
Copyright in the electronic age.

Georgina Dale

TropicALIA

1. Achievements so far...

New groups are now established and growing in number.
inCite remains an excellent source of information.
ALIAnet now works well.

2. Current challenges...

Encouragement of membership.
Funding.
Development of structure and support for office-bearers.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Greater recognition of years of membership.
The issue of Continuing Professional Development for members.
Communication with members and non-members.

Chris Bendle

National TAFE Group

1. Achievements so far...

National ALIA TAFE group established with c. 250 members.
Successful National TAFE conference in Brisbane, attended by approximately 150 delegates.
Editor appointed for TAFE newsletter Libraries for learning.
Acceptance by TAFE of CAUL Information Literacy Standards .
Development of close working relationship with the National working Group for TAFE Library Services.

2. Current challenges...

Facilitation of CPD activity for each state.
Marketing of TAFE Group to potential members.
Development of TAFE version of CAUL Information Literacy standards.
Development and publication of national TAFE library statistics and performance measures.
Development of an award for TAFE staff/services.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

LIS education not addressing need for graduates to be competent in training and marketing.
'Invisibility' of VET sector in many forums (critical issues assumed to be the same as University sector

Diana Harrison

ALIA Tasmania

1. Achievements so far...

The number of self-nominating groups.
The increased emphasis on member services.
The development of partnerships and alliances with other organisations.

2. Current challenges...

Management of self-nominating groups.
Role of the Board of Directors.
Partnerships.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Workforce planning.
Lobbying and leadership.
Marketing.

Jane Coatman

ALIA Information Literacy Forum

'A thriving national and global culture, economy and democracy will be best advanced by people ableto recognise their need for information, and identify, locate, access, evaluate and apply the needed information.' Statement on Information Literacy for all Australians

1. Achievements so far...

Establishing a national cross-sectoral group focussing on specific projects.
The development of a national coalition for advocacy on information literacy.
Endorsement of the Statement on Information Literacy for all Australians and promotion of the use of standards.

2. Current challenges...

Ongoing advocacy and partnerships, particularly with the community and public library sectors.
Communication and activities for over 500 members.
Planning for the forum-future directions workshop in 2002.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Development of a national information policy, including information rights and information literacy.
Widespread recognition of the role of libraries and information professionals in the promotion of learning and learning for life-from pre-literacy to providing the foundation for lives of learning and fulfilment.
Skills for changing careers and roles, particularly for information literacy.

Prue Mercer

ALIA Library Technicians National Group

1. Achievements so far...

Group Restructuring and Program Budgeting
Direct Debit of membership fees
11th National ALIA Library Technicians Conference, 21–24 August 2001, Hobart, Tasmania

2. Current challenges...

Membership - communication with members
Membership - personal membership or Institutional membership?
Membership - members or customers?

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Continuing professional development opportunities for members
Proactive lobbying and public awareness campaigns
Education for librarianship /library technicians - ensure high standards of courses

Stephen Coppins

ALIA NSW Forum

1. Achievements so far...

ALIA has succeeded in reinventing itself. The key achievements are:

The restructure of the Association from its previous group structure to the self-nominating groups across the country.
Consolidation of the finances of the Association.
The move to the new membership period July-June.
Lobbying activities.
Review of the Association's policies.

2. Current challenges...

Most of the challenges arise from the changes, which have occurred. The key challenges are:

Communication with groups and members;
Increasing member participation and involvement in the activities of the organisation; and
Strategies to improve the status of Library workers in the general community and within the organisations employing Library workers.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Pay equity.
Access to information in all formats - licencing constraints on access to electronic information for libraries and their escalating cost.
Professional education, adequate resourcing of the educational programs and the quality of the new graduates and our continuing professional development.

Sue Grimes

Pathways to CPD

1. Achievements so far...

The sum of the parts = ALIA's achievements.
Smooth transition to new structure - assisted by Board of Directors.
First reporting year of CPD Scheme concluded.

2. Current challenges...

Employer support for the CPD Scheme.
Greater participation in and greater compliance with CPD Scheme requirements.
Streamlining of financial transactions for Groups.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Promotion of proactive involvement in CPD program.
Enhancing ALIA's profile as key player in the information industry.
Expanding ALIA's professional partnerships.

Lynda Colquhoun

Health Libraries Australia

1. Achievements so far...

Opportunity for debate, reflection, re-invention
Development of a strategic plan for HLA
Better funding opportunities
Accountability
Distributed HLA national executive

2. Current challenges...

Demonstrating the value of ALIA membership (especially to sectors).
Good understanding of the needs of our diverse membership (especially individual versus institutional).
Distributed national executive.
Avoid old habits-few volunteers doing most of the work.
Communication.

3. Key professional issues to be addressed by ALIA...

Development of an education continuum.
Lobbying.
Research.
Promotion and marketing.

Melanie Kammermann

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