April 2005

In this aliaPUBNEWS broadcast:

News from ALIA
Library and Information Week 2005; 2005 ALIA Board elections; ABS promotion for Library and Information Week; Forum on Purchasing Agreements and Licensing report

States and territories
Centre for Youth Literature; Research applications seminar call for papers; Wollongong expands its advertising; WALGLA becomes LocLib; Combined library and community resource centre; Queensland stories

Policy and advocacy
PLR chair reappointed; Community heritage grants 2005; New pricing model for Kinetica services; Report on crown copyright; Impact of an aging population on local government; The role of ICT in community-building; Fair dealing review strategy forum

International
Financial lifeline for Californian library; Reading clubs in Singapore - help wanted; Impact of USA Patriot Act on American libraries

News from ALIA

Library and Information Week 2005
In the May issue of aliaPUBNEWS, to be released in Library and Information Week [23-29 May], we would like to feature LIW events and activities around the country. Please send details of your event by Monday 16 May 2005 to susan.magnay@alia.org.au. LIW posters, bookmarks and other merchadise are available at:
http://alia.org.au/advocacy/alw/2005/

2005 ALIA Board elections
Dagmar Schmidmaier AM has been elected as vice-president (president-elect) commencing her two-year term following the 2005 AGM on 19 May, and taking up the presidency following the 2006 AGM through to the 2007 AGM. Ann Ritchie and Rachael Browning have been elected as directors for a two-year term following the 2005 AGM.
http://alia.org.au/

ABS promotion for Library and Information Week
The Australian Bureau of Statistics' Library Extension Program (LEP) is again sending out Library and Information Week kits to help libraries promote ABS information to their users during LIW [23-29 May 2005]. The kits are packed with promotional material. Last year the ABS sent librarians a bag of coffee and invited them to have a coffee while exploring the LEP pages of the ABS web site. This year the ABS will send two bags - to share the exploration journey with a friend! Check out the latest LEP Newsletter for more ideas and to enter the new LEP Excellence Award. For more information: library@abs.gov.au.
http://www.abs.gov.au/

Forum on Purchasing Agreements and Licensing report
The report of the fourth ALIA Forum on Purchasing Agreements and Licensing, held in Sydney on 4 February 2005, is now available. This very successful forum was attended by 80 delegates, including a number from public libraries. The forum was designed to promote information exchange and discussion across sectors and between librarians and vendors through presentations on consortia models, licenses and negotiation from library and supplier perspectives and small-group workshops on licences and negotiation. The report includes summaries of the presentations and workshops.
http://alia.org.au/governance/committees/purchasing/2005.02.html

States and territories

Centre for Youth Literature
The Centre for Youth Literature, a program of the State Library of Victoria, presents an annual program of innovative literary events reaching thousands of young people and adults working in areas of youth literature education, literacy, libraries, writing, publishing and bookselling. The Centre also presents the biennial Reading Matters youth literature conference. The 2005 Reading Matters conference will be held on 12-14 May. The Centre for Youth Literature encourages reading for pleasure and well-being among people aged 10-18 years, provides a forum for dialogue and professional development in the field and supports the work of Australian authors for young people.
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/youthlit/

Research applications seminar call for papers
The second Research Applications in Information and Library Studies Seminar (RAILS2) will be held in Canberra on 16-17 September 2005. RAILS2 will have the theme of linking research with practice. The Seminar is organised by the School of Information Studies Charles Sturt University, with support from the National Library of Australia. If you are carrying out research into any aspect of the provision of library and information services and would like to participate in the seminar, you are invited to submit an abstract of a paper on your research. Abstracts should be submitted by 31 May 2005. For more information contact Ross Harvey, rossharvey@csu.edu.au, Annemaree Lloyd, anlloyd@csu.edu.au or Bob Pymm, rpymm@csu.edu.au.

Wollongong expands its advertising
Wollongong City Library (NSW) is now using cinema and radio advertising to target non-traditional library users. Jodie Healy, Adult Services Librarian at Wollongong reports in the latest 'Public library news' on the library's cinema advertising, screened during this summer, that targets young people and young men in particular. Wollongong City Library has also entered into a partnership with a local leading adult contemporary radio station that reaches more than 92 000 listeners each week. The radio station runs a quiz called the $1000 minute during its breakfast show. The library provides the quiz questions in return for free advertising. The library also continues to advertise in local newspapers and it receives very positive news coverage. [State Library of NSW 'Public library news' Vol 11 (1), March 2005, p3.]

WALGLA becomes LocLib
LocLib is the new name for the Local Government Librarian's Association of Western Australia (formerly WALGLA) and is the conduit to information on public libraries in WA. LocLib's role is: advocacy and lobbying, marketing and promotion, professional development, and fostering relationships between state and local government. For more information contact Justine Skeet, ph 08 9370 5366 skeet.justine@stirling.wa.gov.au, or Tricia Hille, ph 08 9385 3233 thille@thegrovelibrary.com.
http://alia.org.au/groups/aliawest/biblia/2005.04/

Combined library and community resource centre
Wangaratta Council and the Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE) will be working in partnership to redevelop an historic building in Wangaratta into a library and community resource centre for the North East Victorian city. Funds for the new facility have been committed from the Victorian and federal gvoernments, Wangaratta Council and GOTAFE.
http://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/

Queensland stories
Queensland Stories is a multi-faceted program supporting public libraries in their role as centres for community and cultural development and lifelong learning. Queensland Stories also encourages libraries to build partnerships and to work collaboratively with other local agencies. The program is funded by the State Library of Queensland and the Department of Housing, Community Renewal. In 2004-2005 there were 32 successful applications from Queensland public libraries for community story projects such as 'Bits, boots and bulldust' Aramac Shire Council Library; 'The Jundah sheep industry' Barcoo Shire Council; 'Loving Logan - adapting to a new city' Logan Library and 'Picture poles - telling Townsville stories' Townsville Library Service. For more information:
http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/serv/publib/grants/lsdg/qldstories

Policy and advocacy

PLR chair reappointed
John Shipp has been reappointed as chair of the Public Lending Right (PLR) Committee for a further two years from March 2005. The PLR Committee administers both the PLR and the Educational Lending Right schemes. John Shipp has been chair of the committee since 2000 and is currently the university librarian, University of Sydney. The PLR and ELR schemes are funded by the federal government and make payments to eligible Australian creators and publishers, based on the income lost from the availability of their books for use in lending libraries. PLR and ELR payments for 2004-2005 will total more than $17 million.
http://www.dcita.gov.au/arts/arts/lending_schemes

Community heritage grants 2005
Applications for the 2005 Community Heritage Grants close on 19 June 2005. Grants of up to $10 000 are available to support preservation projects undertaken by community organisations such as public libraries, local historical societies, regional museums, and indigenous and migrant community groups, which hold cultural heritage collections of national significance. The program is managed by the National Library of Australia. For more information contact chg@nla.gov.au or ph 02 6262 1147.
http://www.nla.gov.au/chg

New pricing model for Kinetica services
The National Library of Australia will introduce a new subscription-based pricing model for use of Kinetica services from July 2005. The annual subscription will include unlimited searching of the Australian National Bibliographic Database and other databases and unlimited use of the Kinetica Document Delivery (KDD) system. Subscription fees are on a sliding scale, based on average Kinetica searching and KDD usage for 2003 and 2004, starting at $330.00 for non-contributors and $264.00 for libraries contributing records or holdings. The NLA has written to all Kinetica customer libraries explaining the changes.
http://www.nla.gov.au/kinetica/whatsnew.html#pricing

Report on crown copyright
The Copyright Law Review Committee's (CLRC) report on crown copyright was released by the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, on 15 April 2005. The report examines the history and effectiveness of the current law concerning government ownership of copyright material and considers whether government should continue to benefit from provisions more favourable than for other copyright owners. The committee has concluded that, in general, government should be on the same footing as other parties and that there should be the widest possible access to government-owned material. The Minister said that the government will consider the report's recommendations closely. The report can be downloaded from the CLRC website:
http://www.clrc.gov.au/

Impact of an aging population on local government
The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has released the results of a new survey on ageing and local government. The survey has found a high level of awareness among councils of population ageing and the impacts it will have on their municipalities. The survey reveals that 93 per cent of councils believe that population ageing will have an impact on their municipalities - 28 per cent identified the impact as severe. The survey found that councils have begun to respond to the impacts of population ageing. Some councils have already developed, or are considering developing, local strategies to support their ageing communities. ALGA president Paul Bell said it was critical to build the capacity of local government to plan for an ageing population.
http://www.alga.asn.au/policy/social/ageing/survey/

The role of ICT in community-building
The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts has issued a consultation paper, 'The role of ICT in building communities and social capital'. The paper explores the role and impact of ICT in building stronger communities and social cohesion, including contributing to the formation of social capital, highlighting approaches taken by governments and communities and presenting case studies of good practice. Although the deadline for commenting on the paper has passed, the Department may accept late submissions. Inquiries and comments may be directed to community.connectivity@dcita.gov.au or ph 02 6271 1645. ALIA is preparing a response to the consultation paper; this will be made available on the ALIA website as soon as possible.
http://www.dcita.gov.au/ie/community_connectivity/ict_in_communities

Fair dealing review strategy forum
In February 2005, the Attorney General announced a review of the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright Act. It is expected that the issues paper for the review will be released in the next couple of weeks. The Australian Digital Alliance will be hosting a Fair Dealing Strategy Forum on 26 May 2005, 9:30am-4:00pm at the National Library of Australia, Canberra. The forum will cover the scope of the review and the implications for libraries and educational and cultural institions and will aim to identify how the ADA should respond to the review to maximise the chance of obtaining the most workable set of fair dealing provisions possible. Registration is free.
http://www.digital.org.au/issue/ipwMarApr05.htm

International

Financial lifeline for Californian library
Salinas Public Library in California, whose threatened closure was reported in the January 2005 aliaPUBNEWS, has received $US500 000 in donations to allow the library service to remain open on a limited basis until December 2005. Money to save the library was raised by businesses, restaurants that pledged a portion of sales, foundations, school children and others in the community. Salinas, a farming community to the south of San Fancisco, was home to Nobel prize-winning author John Steinbeck and was the setting for many of his novels.
http://www.latimes.com/

Reading clubs in Singapore - help wanted
The National Library Board of Singapore (NLB) would like to start reading groups and book clubs targeting chidren/parents, teens, adults and senior citizens. Ivan Chew, from NLB, has asked whether interested Australian librarians would like to share their experiences of starting and sustaining book clubs and reading groups. Singapore has four official languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English is the working language and is taught as the first language in schools. Reading groups will be conducted in these four languages, although English will be the predominant one. Ivan can be contacted via ivanchew@nlb.gov.sg.

Impact of USA Patriot Act on American libraries
The American Library Association (ALA) has begun a study to assess the impact of the USA Patriot Act on America's libraries and library patrons. Through a series of web-based surveys, the study will seek to quantify and examine contacts by US federal law enforcement agencies in public and academic libraries, how library policies have changed since the act's passage, and any resulting changes in library patron behaviour. The results will be presented during the ALA annual conference in June 2005. ['American Libraries', February 2005, p6]

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