'Doing lunch' with Margaret Allen

Sorrento Restaurant in Northbridge was the venue for an informal lunch hosted by ALIA West to welcome WA's new state librarian, Margaret Allen. Information specialists from a range of sectors attended the lunch held early December 2004 to coincide with one of Margaret's short visits to Perth, before she returned to WA to take up the reins in 2005.

Margaret, who previously held the position of acting director of the State Library of South Australia, spoke of her involvement in the recent alterations to the State Library of SA, which now incorporates space for exhibitions from the art gallery next door.

There was much animated discussion over the lovely Italian food about the issues facing the different sectors - both issues in common and issues unique to a particular sector. Issues such as the fragmenting of the information sector into distinct groups and the need to actively foster collaboration, the needs of the different sectors for unique CPD opportunities, the benefits of ALIA membership, lifestyle issues and working overseas.

Lunchtime gave only a short time to network then diners gradually slipped away to collect the car from the parking meter and walk back to work in the CBD.

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