ALIA SA Public Libraries (SA)

July-December report 2001

The ALIA SA Public Library Group applied for endorsement as a new group this year and came into being on 1 July 2001. For a number of years prior to that there had been no group in ALIA in South Australia representing members working in, or interested in public libraries. There had been strong anecdotal evidence to suggest that many working in the public library sector felt that their interests were not being supported adequately by ALIA and non-ALIA alternatives were not available to everyone. For new graduates and others there was no forum for meeting those with similar interests or to be active in public librarianship.

The goals of the Public Library Group are:

• to provide a forum for all members interested in public libraries in SA for continuing professional development and support
• to promote library services and activities across the State in collaboration with other groups
• to represent the interests of members to other groups and organisations within the community
• to develop the public library representation and increase satisfaction in ALIA in SA

The Group has received support from people in the public library sector, students and other members of the profession in SA. It has received promotion through the PLAIN Central Services website, CLASA Quarterly Meetings and at University of SA to Information Management students. The Public Library Group is also represented on ALIA SA.

The first AGM was held at Fellini's Café on 24 July 2001 and attracted a number of interested people from the profession. The interim committee of Gaye Howe (President), Jenny Paradiso (Secretary), Julie Weller (Treasurer), Suzanne James, Shane Cathcart and Joann Rose was elected to serve the first term of one year under which the Group was endorsed.

The Group has now been operating for five months (as at 23 November 2001) and the committee has spent this time in establishment, planning activities and in gaining information about what members want. The first event held was a Project Management Seminar on 12 October and was in collaboration with InfoSci, ARCOM and the University of SA. This was a successful event with public library representation in the presentation and attracted a number of Public Library Group members. Attendance and financial statements for this activity have not yet been received.

The Public Library Group has three professional development and training events in the preliminary planning stages scheduled for the first half of 2002, one of which was originally intended to be held in 2001. One of these will be a behind-the-scenes visit to PLAIN Central Services while the other two are still in the early planning stages but are in response to needs expressed by members.

The committee is aware of the importance of including the large number of regional members who are unable to easily access activities held in the metropolitan area and is investigating ways to overcome this. It is planned that an e-list will be developed to enable electronic discussion amongst members as an initial step to address this. The committee is encouraging suggestions from members regarding this.

At this stage it is felt that the Group is moving well towards achieving its goals and that it is too early to consider revision or variance.