ALIA Asia Pacific Special Interest Group

July-December 2002

Six-monthly report to the ALIA Board of Directors

During the second half of this year, APSIG has continued with a program designed to make an impact.

Although activities at this stage have still been centred around Canberra, their focus have been to the wider region.

Activities have included:

• Seminar: The role of libraries in building civil societies: The East Timor Project.
  Wednesday 7 August, 2002, at National Library of Australia

  Speakers:

  Professor Jim Fox, director, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
  The way forward for East Timor

  Alex Byrne, university librarian, University of Technology Sydney, and chair, Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, International Federation of Library Associations.
  Libraries and civil society

  Judy Blood, technical adviser, UNTL Library Development Project.
  At the grassroots: The University of East Timor Library Development Project

  Full report

  From this meeting a special support group has been established for the UNTL library, the main contact person is Jill Haynes for further information.

• On 17 September Deveni Temu, Librarian, St Marks Theological Library arranged for colleagues to visit this unique library. The occasion was most successful with about 30 participants. A number of people mentioned to me that they would like to see more such functions again, as it provided a chance for informal gatherings for colleagues - but with a purpose - outside of work time.
  
  
• Tuesday, 29 October APSIG Travellers Tales contiued at the NLA. Speakers: Ewan Maidment on the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau; George Miller on Flores, E. Indonesia; and Sarah Arundel on establishing a library in Port Vila, Vanuatu. It was a most interesting session and an article from it will be published in inCite.
  
  

One thing that has proved to be difficult in this 6 month period, has been the publishing of our newsletter. It seems that colleagues in our profession are finding themselves under continual stress, and the time required for such an activity is limited. A newsletter is currently being edited and expected to be distributed in the next couple of weeks.

In October APSIG arranged for an ALIAnet discussion list for its members. Due to the change in software by ALIA for this service, the follow-on of ensuring APSIG members are informed of this new service has not been done. This is currently being arranged.

APSIG committee decided to ask for Gold-coin donation to pay for the light refreshments at its functions. This decision was trialled. However, the idea that such support should be sponsored is now being investigated.

APSIG continues to seek methods of communicating and promoting issues relevant to our colleagues throughout the Asia Pacfic region. To this end it is seeking articles from colleagues from other countries to to be published both in inCite and the APSIG newsletter. It also continues invesigating forms of assistance for these colleagues.

The program for 2003 will include:

• More library visits, the first on will be held in February at the Australian Institute of Sports library. This library provides much support to libraries in the region and this aspect will be highlighted at the visit.
  
  
• The series of Travellers Tales with the first one of these for 2003 being held in March at the National Library of Australia.
  
  

Other activities will be announced at a later stage.

Jeanette Regan
Convenor, APSIG