National Policy Congress 2003

Questions on Notice

Question

How can people who have 'registration' qualifications but no other formal professional qualifications become professional members of ALIA?

(Note: This specifically relates to those with 'registration' qualifications who let their membership lapse in the past. Suggestion from the group was that these individuals should make their own submissions to ALIA concerning re-admission to professional membership status and that the Board consider these on a 'case-by-case' basis.)

Answer

Marie Murphy
Quite some year ago General Council resolved that librarianship would become a graduate profession. This was in line with other similar professions and reflected the changes over the years in attitudes to and expectations of professions. The membership by-law notes that from 1 January 1994, applicants for Associate membership who had registration were also required to hold an undergraduate degree. This then is enshrined in the ALIA Constitution and very much states a position for the profession. As part of the work on developing the ALIA Education Framework, ALIA is aware that there are different pathways to achieving graduate status and these will be further investigated. However given ALIA's constitution, an individual would still need to demonstrate that they held an undergraduate degree or had been granted graduate status in order to qualify for Associate membership if they held only registration.

Question

How are international issues being handled? (Note: APSIG is doing a good job, but it covers only a particular geographic area)

Answer

Marie Murphy
The executive director has been consulting with the convenor of the Interational Relations Policy Advisory Group. There have been some issues of significance happening and both the ED and convenor are keeping a watching brief as many of these are being picked up through IFLA especially now that Alex Byrne is president-elect of IFLA. The Association has also been involved in the cultural alliance established by the Federal Government to determine how best Australia can contribute to reconstruction in Iraq.

Question

The issue relating to recruitment to library positions where qualifications are sometimes listed as essential, and sometimes as desirable. Should qualifications be listed as being essential in the criteria especially if membership of ALIA or equivalent is required? Members have noted that appointments are made to positions where the applicant has not completed the degree or diploma, yet these have been listed as essential criteria. What is ALIA's stand on this?

Answer

Marie Murphy
While ALIA would like all employers to advertise positions vacant with 'eligibility for ALIA Associate/Library technician membership' as an essential criterion depending on the position level, it is ultimately the employer who decides whether such a criterion is essential or desirable and many factors influence the final decision.

In some cases, a person who is soon to finish a degree or diploma qualification may be appointed to a position where the above criterion has been listed as either desirable or essential. In some cases this is because no one with the appropriate qualifications has applied/been deemed appointable to the position and the employer has then appointed a "near" graduate knowing that this person will meet the criteria shortly.

ALIA recognises that in some circumstances an employer may appoint non-qualified people to a position advertised as requiring qualifications. When ALIA becomes aware of such situations, it can investigate the circumstances and may then write to the employer pointing out the desirability of appointing appropriately qualified staff.

Question

Password protected areas of the website were discussed. Do they all need to be password protected? How can non-members learn about ALIA if they cannot access much of the website? Jennefer confirmed the Board has endorsed a web publishing policy, so the present format cannot be changed.

Answer

Ivan Trundle
The following information is extracted from the ALIA publishing and editorial reference group: Web publishing policy

Free access

Services that encourage membership and promote the value of membership will be made available to all, but not so as to undermine the value of being a member of the Association. Material that advocates on behalf of the Association, events and conference details, and registrations - where events are open to the wider public - are open to all.

Members-only access

Material deemed suitable for members-only, or material identified as requiring ALIA membership in order to access it, will be placed on the members-only website, with password-restricted access. Unique member password access is required to gain entry to individual membership details. All financial and personal transactions with the membership database require unique member password access. Members may continue to access members-only material whilst they remain financial members of the Association, until such time as their membership lapses. Institutional members may designate up to three members of staff who may be granted access to members-only material.

Differentiation between 'free' and 'members-only' access

If an activity that takes place requires membership of ALIA, then all related content on the website must reflect the exclusivity of this activity. ALIA group activities are members-only activities (and warrant placement in the members-only section of the website), except in the case of conferences and other events that permit public access. Members-only content and information must be linked to 'free-for-all' information in a way that encourages membership of the Association, in the form of sweeteners, incentives and snippets of information. Services that require considerable financial input by members will require justification to be placed outside the members-only area of the website. Consideration of overall site navigation and other technical aspects must be taken into account.

Question

Concern was raised over the fact that individual members must initiate a subscription to receive the electronic version of InterALIA. The possibility of members being able to nominate automatic subscriptions to e-lists when they join/renew was discussed. Is this a possibility?

Answer

Ivan Trundle
Not without considerable effort. Subscription to any automated e-mail distribution list requires the implicit consent and confirmation of the person to be added to any such list. This consent must be declared and confirmed. Additionally, the mechanism to determine WHICH e-mail address (individuals often use more than one address, and use them differently depending upon circumstances - more and more people use multiple e-mail addresses to communicate) should be applied to any or all given e-lists requires considerable planning and programming work. Thirdly, whilst much of this can be automated, it comes at great expense, and is not as simple as one might believe.

Question

Will the NPC continue to be annual?

Answer

Georgina Dale
The ALIA Constitution and By-Laws state:

Constitution

12: National Policy Congress

12.1 At least once in each calendar year the Board shall convene a National Policy Congress which shall comprise (inter alia) such persons as the Board, by By-law, determines from time to time.

The National Policy Congress shall meet at such places as the Board may determine from time to time.

The National Policy Congress shall have the purposes, functions and powers as the Board determines from time to time.

Resolutions of the National Policy Congress shall be determined by vote in accordance with the By-laws establishing the Congress.

http://www.alia.org.au/governance/constitution/parts.11-13.html#twelve

By-laws

By-law 3: National Policy Congress

1. Attendance of elected delegates at the National Policy Congress will be funded from the National Policy Congress budget.
2. Each ALIA endorsed Group may nominate a delegate to participate in a Regional Meeting of the NPC.
3. Delegates at the Regional Meetings are to elect one delegate from that meeting to attend the National Policy Congress.
4. Each delegate to the Regional Meetings and the National Policy Congress is entitled to one vote.
5. A nominated delegate to a Regional Meeting who is from a remote area may apply to National Office for funding to participate in a Regional Meeting.
6. Individual members may attend Regional Meetings and the National Policy Congress but must be self-funded and do not have voting rights.
7. Representatives may be invited from other related organisations but will be self-funded and will not have voting rights.
8. Delegates are to elect two directors of the Board of Directors. Election of these directors by delegates to the National Policy Congress shall be conducted as described in By-law 4. These directors must be personal members of the Association and represent the interests of the organisation as a whole rather than those of a particular constituency.
9. The program for the Congress is to include a discussion of policy and issues of relevance to the sector as a whole: and policy, issues and operational matters of relevance to the Association.
10. The Congress may make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
11. The Congress may meet at locations other than Canberra if appropriate, and, if appropriate, be linked to the Biennial Conference.
12. The Congress may form working groups from time-to-time to achieve matters of business arising from the Congress.