ALIA Top End

Committee meeting Wednesday 20 March 2002

Casuarina Public Library, Casuarina NT, 5:00pm

Conference reports given by Robin Hempel, and Dianne Wilcox.

1. Present:

Ruth Quinn (chair), Linda Winzar (minutes), Judith Beach, Dianne Wilcox, Pam McKeen, Sarah White, Robin Hempel, Bruce Lowth, Michelle Dixon, Narelle Goodrem, Pat Whalan.

Apologies:
ulie Fawcett, Stelios Podias, Lorna Hooper, Larraine Shepherd, Susan Blake, Kaye Bartlett, Barbara Cotton.

2. Confirmation of previous minutes

Confirmed.

3. Business arising.

3.1 Naida Tattersalls visit: Naida has already visited the NT. Ruth apologised for not being able to notify the group to organise a function.

4. Budget.

4.1 Update: The committee received an e-mail from National Office regarding group budgets. NO notified groups of a $250 000 shortfall between group income and expenditure. It was suggested that groups review budgets to break even after costs for administration and presenters have been taken out. Other recommendations included charging non-ALIA members 33 per cent more for functions; not providing financial assistance for conferences and CPD; not funding student awards (as the National Office will do this); not funding new awards; and limiting newsletter print runs. Members in attendance at the meeting discussed the suggestion and options.
Results of the discussion included:
Newsletter - trial an electronic version. Determine how many members require a printed version. Encourage acceptance of an on-line version. There was strong support to continue a version (on-line or print) of the newsletter to enable group communication to members.
Awards - the revised ALIA TOPEND awards will continue. NTU will need to be encouraged to apply for the National student awards.
Presenters - presentation and guest speakers can continue to be funded. There is a greater need now to bring presenters to the NT since financial support to attend interstate conferences and CDP will not be available.
Financial support for CPD - the guidelines will not be rewritten and not further funding will be provided at the point. All currently approved funding will still be provided.

5. CPD activities.

5.1 VALA presentation: The National Mutual conference room in Cavenagh Street has been confirmed as the venue for the 17 April meeting.

5.2 Mentoring update: the date for the information session is planned for the end of April or May. NTU lecturers will talk to students about ALIA in mid-April. We need to prepare an invite and distribute to prospective members and students.

6. Support for isolated members.

Current status: The group should still be able to provide financial support to isolated members, how we do this needs to be looked at further.

7. NT Awards.

7.1 Revised awards: Revised awards were tabled and members decided that the awards should each consist of a $750.00 prize and an ALIA certificate. The word 'group' was deleted from the award names, and the words 'by the committee, or by....sub-committee' were deleted from the 'Selection Committee' paragraph. It was decided to ask the Mayor of Darwin to be on the selection panel (if not available, ask the president of the Litchfield Shire Council). It was also agreed to ask the Minister for Libraries to present the awards. The mail out should be carried out ASAP after corrections to the award documents have been made. Linda to do mail out if Barbara not back from leave.

8. Communication and Networking.

8.1 Interface: Item dealt with in Section 4.1.

9. Directory.

9.1 Availability of NTU students: Item pending with Ruth.

10. Conference support.

10.1 Draft guidelines: Item dealt with in S 4.1..

11. Other Business.

11.1 Group name change proposal: Current name ALIA NT Library and Information Workers Group is very long winded and the group decided that more easily recognisable and appropriate names should be considered.. Linda to place message on e-list with a few of the suggestions presented to generate discussion and agreement on a group name.

11.2 LIW: The date is planned for Friday 17 May to launch LIW. The venue selected was Speaker's Green, Parliament House. Linda to confirm venue. Catering and invites to be arranged.

11. No other business

Meeting closed.

Wednesday 17 April at NTLIS conference room National Mutual Building, Cavenagh Street.