ALIA WA Library Technicians

July-December 2001 report

How is the group moving towards achieving its purposes and goals?

Promote ALIA and Library Technician activity.

The WA Library Technicians Group promoted ALIA and Library Technician activity by promoting membership at ALIA at various functions held during the year, most notably the Library and Information Week dinner, and the National Library Technicians Day Breakfast. Various members of the committee are also active within other groups, such as the WA Mentoring Programme, WA Forum, and the Local Studies Group. Sandra Wilson, past president of the group is a member of the Edith Cowan Consultative Committee for the Library Studies program there.

We have visited Central TAFE to promote the Sharr Medal, the new Student Conference Grant and the group in general.

We use Biblia - newsletter for WA Forum and inCite to promote our activities and events. We have also been regularly published in Library Mosaics, a journal for library support staff published in the US.

Encourage professional development both locally and nationally.

The inaugural WA Library Technicians Group Student Conference Grant enabled a library technician student to attend the 11th National Library Technician Conference in Hobart. The winner of this grant then presented a report to the membership on his return, at the post conference debrief. In this way those members who were unable to attend the conference could still gain some benefit. Several CPD events have been held by the WA Library Technicians Group over the year, including a seminar highlighting the careers of library technicians, an information evening on Metadata and a Skills Audit Workshop.

WA Library Technicians Group also took a job application and interview skills workshop down to Bunbury, which not only provided a CPD activity, but built up the networks within the Library community in the South West of WA.

Encourages new graduates through mutually-supportive friendships and recognising the special interests of library technicians.

The WA Library Technician Group encouraged new graduates by provision of a grant to attend the National Library Technicians Conference, promotion of library technicians through the National Library Technician Day Breakfast, and the free Stepping Out Seminar, which highlighted the various career options of library technicians. In addition, the convenor of WA Library Technicians Group gave a talk at Central TAFE on continuing professional development. Several social events were also held in order to foster friendships within the technician community.

Key group activities and how well they have been attended and received

All activities have been well attended with a good mix of librarians, library technicians, students (of both courses), members and non-members. Generally, practicing library tech ALIA members are the predominant attendees. All activities have been well received and feedback has indicated there is interest in repeating or adding to most of them during 2002.

Stepping Out seminar held in February that showcased the talents and careers of Library Technicians. Tuesday function.

Skills Audit Workshop held in May that covered career planning and personal skills assessment. Saturday function.

Library Technicians Group Dinner during held a dinner Library and Information Week in May at which Marilyn Boydell spoke about her experiences in the Antarctic. Thursday function.

Pre-conference gathering for all WA attendees. A get-to-know-you social gathering. Wednesday function.

Post Conference Confab held in September offered non-attendees to the Tasmania Conference the opportunity to hear a selection of reviews about the conference. Presenters included our inaugural WALTG Student Conference Grant winner and several WA conference speakers. Tuesday function.

Metadata information evening in October presented a broad overview of metadata, and some first hand experience of applying metadata to a library website using the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Thursday function.

Hand me my whip - can you discipline your library users and still remain friends? Debate in November. The debating team was drawn from members of various libraries and included librarians and library technicians. Friday night function.

Job Application and Interview Skills workshop in Bunbury, WA. Presented and prepared in partnership with South West Library Link (SWeLL) in November Saturday function

Variances in expenditure and income against budget

Total income and total expenditure for the six months were both approximately a third of the budgeted amount. The Group over-estimated the number of attendees at each of the three functions held, particularly the November function Hand me my whip.

Budgeting for administrative costs (postage, photocopying, etc) was omitted from the original submission, and totalled $28.45.

Overall, income exceeded expenditure by $79.69 (excluding $300.00 petty cash float).

Issues for the Group in 2002

Wider promotion of functions - develop contact points and networks to reach more Library Technicians and other interested people around the metro area.

Emphasise the benefits of CPD and ensure function organisation and content is very professional.

Establishment of a graduate mentoring programme.

Continuing involvement in education programmes for library technicians

Increase our presence within Central TAFE and ECU, the two main providers of a Library Technicians qualification here in WA.

Issues to refer to ALIA National Office

Better communication needed between National Office staff and volunteers in Groups - perhaps a contact list forwarded to Groups, by function/topic of query (or URL of ALIA website page where this can be found).

Use of Petty Cash for payment of large amounts, because payment is usually required by the venue on the day of function. Suggestions:

1. Fast-track cheque despatch to cover known expenses prior to event, with petty cash covering remainder.
2. Official ALIA letter that can be given to venues to reassure them that account will be paid.

Local Presence Officer. What is ALIA doing about developing this role and how can we as a group make the best use of this sort of support?

In summary the Group feels we have more than met our expectations and goals for this year. This is the first year we have operated under the new system and although there were a few wrinkles with the budget submission process, the group has benefited by being able to plan a years worth of events, knowing we have the money to underwrite them. Even though we did not get the numbers of people at our functions that we hoped, we still managed to make a small profit, so we feel we are on track with our planning. Establishing contact with the South West Library Link was a bonus this year, and something we will build on next year.

22 November 2001