22 November 1996

Barry Jones acknowledged for service to libraries

The Hon Barry Jones AO was awarded the prestigious Redmond Barry Award in Canberra today at the national headquarters of the Australian Library and Information Association in Canberra.

The award commemorates Sir Redmond Barry*, who is regarded as the founder of the State Library of Victoria. It is given in recognition of outstanding service to libraries. It is the highest award which can be given by the Association to a non-library professional.

The citation was presented by Mr Warren Horton, Director General of the National Library. Among the distinguished guests at the ceremony was previous winner of the award, the Hon Gough Whitlam.

At the ceremony, Barry Jones talked about the need to develop a cohesive National Information Policy, particularly in light of recent developments in information technology, and the need to implement long term strategies in relation to the development of Commonwealth information services through libraries. In particular he called for a review of funding to public libraries by the Commonwealth as part of a national libraries policy. Mr Jones commented that libraries were essential for providing equity in access to information for the community and that library professionals were vital in helping to transform information into knowledge.

Ms Virginia Walsh, executive director of ALIA, said that the library community was indebted to the contributions which Mr Jones had made, particularly in his work on libraries in the House of Representatives Standing Committee for Long Term Strategies, his numerous publications, and his efforts in helping to promote the essential benefit of libraries to the community.

* Sir Redmond Barry served as the chairman of the Trustees of the (then) Public Library from 1853 to his death in 1880. Sir Redmond Barry is better known in some circles as the judge who sentenced Ned Kelly to hang. Kelly declared he would meet the Judge in hell. Sir Redmond died 12 days later.