16 May 2001

Connecting Australians...

The library and information sector is calling for commitment from all levels of government in relation to improved funding for Australian libraries. There is a key role for the federal government in providing leadership in this area,with state and local government encouraged to match federal funding.

For a knowledge nation dependent upon electronic information and services, gaining internet access, and being able to effectively use the internet, is becoming a social justice as well as a socioeconomic issue. Australia's public library network provides a vital access point to electronic information and services to the majority of Australians who do not have internet access from their homes. Libraries need to be adequately funded so that they can continue to improve their electronic services to the Australian public.

Government support now also needs to go beyond connectivity, to the funding of skills training in electronic access, e-commerce and information literacy.

Australian library professionals already possess these skills, and are committed to providing quality service, but require additional assistance to ensure that their skills remain up-to-date and relevant and to ensure that they can effectively pass these skills to library users.

'To thrive in the information economy, Australia needs a literate population able to recognise its need for information, and with the capacity to identify, locate, evaluate, synthesise and use effectively the needed information - in other words to be information literate. Information literacy, not information technology, is the critical issue of the so-called information age.' said ALIA president, Alan Bundy.

Libraries and their professional staff are in a unique position to promote information literacy through their day-to-day work, public education programs and professional services. However,increased funding is required to ensure that libraries maintain their position in the new information economy.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is the professional association for the library and information sector. ALIA represents 6500 personal members, 800 institutional members and 10 million library users.