6 September 2010

ALIA ANNOUNCES ITS 2010 LIBRARY STARS

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The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has announced the winners of its 2010 Library Stars awards, at the ALIA Access 2010 conference and exhibition, in Brisbane.

Every two years, ALIA recognises new, exciting and inspirational programs that are taking place in Australian public libraries. The title "Library Star" is given to those libraries that have developed outstanding programs and activities in various categories - this year there were four, children and early literacy, digital citizenship, social inclusion, and health and ageing.

Nearly 60 entries were received. These were scored by an independent panel of judges to produce the 12 finalists, and from these, the four winning entries.

• Category: Children and early literacy
  City of Greater Dandenong Libraries, Victoria, for its early literacy outreach program, which was awarded a Victorian Premier's Multicultural Award for Excellence in 2009.
• Category: Digital citizenship
  ACT Library and Information Service, the Northern Territory Library and the State Libraries of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, for the MyLanguage national collaboration creating online access to information in more than 60 languages.
• Category: Social inclusion
  Logan City Council Libraries, Queensland, for The 171 Club Circling the Globe in Logan - the club is named after the number of ethnic groups in Logan.
• Category: Health and ageing
  The Hills Shire Library Service, New South Wales, for its Festival of Active Living at the Castle Hill library.

The panel of judges was made up of experts from a number of different areas:

• Margaret Allen, State Librarian WA and Vice-President ALIA
• Karen Bonanno, Executive Officer, Australian School Library Association
• David Bradbury, Federal Member for Lindsay
• Dr Alan Bundy, President, Friends of Libraries Australia
• Tim Coronel, Publisher, Australian Library News and Bookseller Publisher
• Marj Kirkland, National President, The Children's Book Council of Australia
• Sally Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, Adult Learning Australia

Marj Kirkland said, "This year's entries showed a wide variety of innovative methods of service to the Australian community in all its diversity. This made the judges' task both exhilarating and agonising! I highly recommend every single project which did not receive a prize. In my eyes, you are ALL Library Stars. Well done!"

Dr Alan Bundy commented, "All of the entries, from libraries small and large, in the ALIA Library Stars 2010 awards describe programs which add other real value to the wellbeing of individuals of all ages, and to community engagement and capacity building. By showing what is possible, they inspire and challenge others. They also substantiate the case for a much greater investment in Australia's public libraries - if only every politician in Australia read them, many would surely have a Eureka moment about public libraries, their achievements, and their potential."

Karen Bonnano was particularly taken with the volunteering aspect of some of the entries, "The engagement of young people in helping others is a powerful and inspirational element for sustaining a community."

Tim Coronel concluded, "Judging the Library Stars was eye-opening and challenging. The variety of excellent and innovative programs being offered by libraries of all sizes and from all sectors is very impressive. All entrants deserve congratulations for the efforts they are putting into enhancing the role of libraries as key points of connection between communities, information, services and technology."

The eight remaining finalists were:

• Burnside Library, South Australia, for its 5Ps of Public Libraries, with a range of programs for baby boomers.
• Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation, Victoria, for its Read Like a Demon program, involving Melbourne Football Club players as reading role models, and a number of best-selling children's authors.
• Central Highlands Regional Library Corporation, Victoria, for its Building skills for Life program in partnership with Clemente Australia.
• Mid-Western Regional Council Library, New South Wales, for its involvement with Broadband for Seniors.
• Rockingham Regional Campus Community Library, Western Australia, for its Computer Buddies program, with computing students from the nearby college assisting library users.
• Salisbury Library Service, South Australia, for its ABC 30&3 family reading program.
• Seville Grove Public Library, Western Australia, for its World of Words Multicultural Club, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in September 2010.
• Victoria Park Library, Western Australia, for its Loc@l library membership drive, involving local schools and families.

The 12 winners and finalists will receive certificates and a letter of commendation from ALIA and their entries will be posted on the website at: http://www.alia.org.au/governance/committees/public.libraries/librarystars2010/.

ENDS