APSIG Newsletter

UN Information Centre visit a hit with Canberra librarians

On 28 March 2007, APSIG organised a visit to the new United Nations Information Centre for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in National Circuit, Barton. For internationally minded APSIG members and Canberra colleagues, the Centre is a great resource and they were delighted to welcome Toni Smith, the Library Manager and her staff, to the capital. It is part of a world-wide network of UN centres which provide information of all types - print, Internet-based and direct - on the major international body working for peace, justice and better lives especially in poorer countries.

Fig: APSIG visitors at the UN Information Centre, Canberra

Formerly located in Sydney, their move is an acknowledgement of the importance of the UN to the Australia government and other international and regional bodies located in Canberra. The Information Centre acts as for Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. It is the major contact point on all UN activities so they must be prepared to respond on many different topics within the UN ambit.

The Director, Mr Abdullah Saleh Mbamba, welcoming us, said that he was very pleased to outline for us the role of the United Nations in the world and his audience appreciated hearing how diverse and wide-ranging is its role. As librarians and information providers, we are particularly aware of the importance of the UN.

Fig: Mr Abdullah Saleh Mbamba (Courtesy of UN Information Centre)

Mr Mbamba, originally from Tanzania, has gained experience in a number of countries including the United States and Great Britain. He has worked for the United Nations since 1983 most recently in Islamabad and Jakarta. He holds a master's degree in leadership and liberal studies from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and labour studies from the State University of New York.

The UN website is at http://www.un.org.au/ The Barton library is open to the public. Telephone (61-2) 6273 8200 : email : library@un.org.au.nospam (please remove '.nospam' from address) Toni Smith is very happy to help and can be contacted on tsmith@un.org.au.nospam