16 November 2010

Australian library association asks where is the digital strategy?

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Speaking at the CSIRO Broadband for Society Summit today in Hobart, Sue Hutley, Executive Director of the Australian Library and Information Association, called on the Australian Government to release their draft Australian Digital Strategy as soon as possible.

“We need to move further than the current discussion on pipes and fibre to what will be delivered, used, and created - and the ‘why’, and we need to do this now," Ms Hutley said.

Ms Hutley said “studies have shown Australia's libraries are increasingly called upon to supply internet access and training. Australia's 1500 public libraries are already community hubs for those who just can't afford broadband or don't have any computer access at all she said.

"What we don’t want to see is our community accepting broadband access to the home without any understanding of what they will require to use the internet and broadband. Where are the actions and plans to ensure equal access for all Australians to broadband and Australian content?"

During her presentation, Ms Hutley cited the Digital Britain and Digital Ambition for Scotland as two recent examples of national strategies from which Australians can learn.

“Australia is spending billions on the NBN. We need a community participation and skills strategy that goes with that expenditure and we need it now – not in a few years time," she said.

"The creation of productive digital citizens will require commitments from all three levels of government, corporates and not-for-profits."

Ms Hutley said there is significant concern about the capture and management of quality Australian content. Currently the National Library of Australia is the only institution storing and making available an Australian website archive, through the Pandora project. ALIA is also concerned that funding should be made available immediately for libraries and other cultural institutions to manage the digital deluge.

“We don’t just want faster access to Facebook; we want to see quality Australian content made available in the early stages of the rollout. Australia’s libraries will need greater support to facilitate access to this content and for large digitisation projects."