ALIAWest Minutes

For the Meeting held on the Thursday 08 November 2007, 17.30 in the Conference Room, Reid Library, The University of Western Australia.

1. Attendance:

Liz Burke, Michelle Brennand, Jill Benn, Alissa Sputore, Carolyn McDonald, Camille Peters, Linda Papa (Minutes).

Apologies: Marg Lundy, Monika Szunejko, Natarsha Larment.

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting

October Minutes accepted as an accurate record.
[Note: Minutes of the August meeting not yet available, so still to be considered at the December meeting.

3. Business Arising

3.1 The future of Biblia

ALIA is now unable to host the Biblia blog, so it has been decided to revert its location to the free blog site at http://aliawestbiblia.blogspot.com.

Jill and Alissa have posted two articles to date. Jill will send an email to the committee outlining issues of authorship and maintenance. She would like to set up a posting team to enable posts to the site to be shared by all committee members. This will ensure a more sustainable approach to the upkeep of Bibila.

It was decided to formally launch Biblia at the Christmas event (29 November). Jill has asked that another article be posted, for example about the previous Leading Lunches event, so that there is something more current than the September posting.

3.2 Group Succession Planning

Two nominations have been received by Natarsha to date.

Liz will post a reminder for nominations, but with the deadline date moved forward to Friday, 16 November. This will allow time from new committee members to be invited to the 6 December committee handover. This meeting will be a combined final meeting of the old committee, and subsequently Liz's last meeting as Convenor, and first meeting of the new. It was suggested that we follow the meeting with dinner in Northbridge, including in-coming and out-going committee members.

Liz suggests that a position of Secretary be created for the new committee. The budget will be sent to ALIA National Office straight after this first meeting, including the list of new committee members.

Please speak to Liz or Michelle if you would like to nominate for the position of Convenor.

3.3 2007 Sharr Medal

Michelle will be meeting with Alison Sutherland, and possibly other newer graduates, to glean feedback on the Sharr Medal selection process. Michelle is also trying to get in touch with Melissa Oakely for feedback. Kerry Smith wishes to discuss proposals for updating the selection process following the Curtin staff meeting and will be in touch Liz or Michelle.

ALIAWest (through Liz) will call for nominations at the end of November, with submissions due by February 2008.

3.4 ALIAWest End of Year Function 2007

To be held 29 November, this combined PLA Leading Libraries and ALIAWest Christmas function is scheduled to finish 5.30pm.

At the time of the meeting, 44 RSVPs have been received. Michelle is to re-send the invitation to various lists. Internal and external promotion is still required to boost the numbers. Michelle encourages committee members to forward the invite to other lists outside WAIN and ALIAWest where relevant.

Catering options will be chosen by Jill and Alissa once final numbers are established. Jill to cost 1 glass of champagne per person – not originally counted in the catering option, but if reasonably priced, to be considered to be included in the catering.
It was suggested Christmas decorations be set up to create a more festive look.

Tentative order of events:

• Liz will open the event, summarizing ALIAWest activities, encouraging involvement in future activities, acknowledging Borders sponsorship and speaking about collaborative projects such as these with PLA.
• Borders to speak briefly.
• Rebecca to introduce the speaker and chair the session.
• Afternoon tea.

4.New Business

3.4 PLP Proposals

Two proposals were put forward by Michelle.

Proposal One – Stepping into Management (SIM) training:
PLA(WA) is devising a SIM program with SLWA to provide a number of cross-sectoral training initiatives, offering management skills and learning opportunities to address a perceived issue of people not moving into management roles due to lack of confidence or skills.

PLA(WA) is proposing 3 x 3 hour SIM sessions in a mix of media formats, eg. panel sessions, workshops, and special speakers. Topics may include public speaking, group dynamics, politics (internal and external), collections and leadership. The training will be targeted to newer librarians or people wishing to move into higher-level positions.
Speakers would include external experts, local government directors who would be willing to donate their time (or agree to an honorarium). The SIM project would be run on a cost recovery basis to keep fees low.
The aim is to begin SIM training in February 2008.

PLA(WA) proposes that ALIAWest support and endorse this SIM initiative, and to seek funding from ALIA National Office 'Special Projects' funds. Funding will also be sought from LocLib and PLA. A subcommittee comprising members from ALIAWest, PLA(WA) and other relevant stakeholders (such as ARL, SLWA, LocLib, etc) could be formed to carry out the initiative.
Concern was raised that February and March is a particularly busy year for academic institutions.
Another concern was that there is only a limited pool of outside experts who would be prepared to donate their time. There may be clashes with Leading Library pool of speakers.
It was clarified that Leading Libraries sought more motivational speakers, whereas the training for SIM is more practical in nature and targets a different audience.
It was agreed that the SIM project be understood as a core PD activity that ALIAWest ought to promote, and that Leading Libraries is a social/networking activity.

Overall, it was agreed that ALIAWest will take on a supportive role and endorse the SIM project with its objectives to build relationships with other groups, utilise resources of all groups, thereby fulfilling its quest to bridge sectors and promote PD activities. It was decided to prepare a budget submission for ALIA National Office 'Special Funding', on the proviso that a sub-committee, comprising also other relevant groups, be formed to take on the project.

Proposal Two – Leading Libraries Lunches (LLL)
PLA(WA) would like ALIAWest to become a more front line representative of the LLL initiative due to its cross-sectoral nature.
It was decided to wait for the new Chair of PLA(WA), Viv Barton, to reconsider PLA(WA) taking on the coordinating role of the LLL. Michelle, who is also on the PLA(WA) board as an ALIA Director, will discuss this with Viv and PLA(WA) representatives.
ALIAWest, at this point in time, would prefer to continue with the existing arrangement of sharing the work with PLA(WA), rather than take on a leading role.
Rebecca emailed Liz outlining the above proposal. Liz will reply to Rebecca's email to inform her that Michelle will discuss ALIAWest's decision with Rebecca.

4.2 Mentoring
To be discussed at the next ALIAWest meeting.

5. Other Business

5.1 ALIAWest Budget Proposal for 2008
A number of initiatives are to be included in the budget proposal.

• Sharr Medal
• Unconference
• Leading Libraries Lunch
• Biblia
• Stepping into Management

Concern was raised that there is a perception, from WA ALIA members, that membership money does not flow back to the West, and that there is a lack of "value for money" for ALIA membership. It was agreed that, while normal group activities need to run on a cost recovery basis, projects need to be identified that could be funded by ALIA National Office through 'Special Funding' support.

It was decided to submit for 'Special Funding' from the ALIA National Office the Sharr Medal and Stepping into Management projects.

Liz will email ideas for the 2008 budget to all committee members to be discussed via emai.

6. Standing Items

6.1 Treasurer's Report

Tabled
Summaries below:

According to the ALIA-Groups Job Profit & Loss Statement for the ALIAWest/PLA Leading Libraries Lunch event of 25/7/07, there was a profit of $2,622.80.

According to the ALIA-Groups Job Transactions [Accrual] 1/01/2007-30/9/2007
Debit $2,356.46
Credit $7,213.63
Beginning Balance: $159.23
Net Activity: $4,857.17
Ending Balance: $5,016.40

The ALIAWest Sharr Medal/70th Birthday function
Total Income $415 (41 paying attendees)
Total Expenditure $501.20 (Sharr Medal = $374, Catering = $127.20)
Total Profit/Loss - $86.20

6.2 Planning calendar

Dates were not discussed. See 5.1 for list of events and projects for 2008.

6.3 Report on ALIA Board of Directors Meeting

The ALIA Board of Directors have held two teleconference Board Meetings (September and November) since the last Director's report. The purpose of the meetings were to endorse a few major items that needed to be progressed ahead of the next face to face board meeting on 10 December 2007.

Items addressed at the September meeting were:
ALIA conference procedures
The draft conference manual was approved in principle by the Board of Directors and is to be released to members for a four week consultation period (3 - 30 October).
The Board will be the authority for any major changes to the manual. The draft ALIA Conference Manual can be found at http://www.alia.org.au/governance/committees/standing/conferences.html

PCO Tenders
The Board endorsed the recommendation to issue a separate invitation to Tender for a PCO for the 2009 ALIA Information Online Conference and the 2009 ALIA National Library and Information Technicians Conference (to be able to meet critical deadlines for both these conferences). After that, an Invitation to Tender for a PCO for all of ALIA's conferences held from 2010/2011 will be issued. This is anticipated to take place mid 2008.

IFLA 2010 The Board endorsed Keith Webster's appointment as the Chair of the National Committee for the IFLA WLIC 2010 in Brisbane. Keith will form the National Committee and the National Advisory Committee, as part of IFLA's requirements of the host nation, and propose members for these committees, for endorsement at the December Board Meeting.

Items addressed at the November meeting were:
ALIA conference procedures
At the November meeting the Board agreed to extend the consulation period to November 20, 2007
PCO Tenders
At the November teleconference the Board agreed to appoint Conference Action as the Conference Organiser for the 2009 ALIA Information Online Conference.

PLA Board
At the November teleconference the Board agreed to appoint Michelle Brennand, ALIA Director as the ALIA representative on the PLA Board. This recommendation is in response to the PLA Board's specific request to have an ALIA Director on the PLA Board.

6.4 Initiative with PLA

See 3.4 and 4.1.

7. Next Meeting

Thursday 6 December, hosted by Carolyn McDonald in Room 2.9 at the State Library of WA.

The meeting closed at 6:30pm