The Australian Library Journal
volume 46 issue 2
[editorial] John Levett
Whose library? What culture?
Stuart Macintyre
This paper was originally presented at the 1996 Biennial Conference of ALIA Reading the Future on 9 October 1996
The theme of this conference is Reading the Future, and symptoms of this future lie readily to hand in the conference program. My eye falls immediately on the string of parallel sessions that begins with 'Product development' and leads on to the
question 'Value adding or shifting costs?', and later such topics as 'Bench-marking and measurement', 'Income generation from entrepreneurial services' and 'Best practice; managing in times of change'. These are not so much intimations of the future as
pre-occupations of the present, and so generic that they could apply equally to hospitals, the Australian Football League or even my own workplace, the university.
Improving ALIA's policy statements
John Thawley
ALIA's policy statements are viewed in the context of the environment, the fragmented nature of the Australian library industry and the driving forces impacting on Australian libraries. Suggestions are offered for improving policy formulation which
ultimately should be driven by the needs of our customers. A set of assessment criteria is proposed which will improve the processes of policy formulation and revision and thereby help to improve the image and perceptions of the profession.
...for us, a library or information service, operates on the same ground rules of attitudes, professionalism and services as the best people that we send out to our clients. The service is not part of Arthur Andersen administration. ...They're an integral
part of the firm. They are evaluated on exactly the same basis as other professional staff, because they are professionals and they have to be integrated in that way - if they don't think that way then they are absolutely no help at all to our client
base. ...
The other point of course is that I don't know whether libraries will continue. They certainly will not continue in the conventional sense. (Ryan 1996: p11)
One of the approaches we have been least successful in is to build community support for information services in a way which would have others make the case for us - in a loud and articulate manner, in a manner which would make the value of information
services politically relevant and be a force at the ballot box. We have failed to harness the support of the literally millions of library users across the country in a way which would ensure that Governments did not neglect, deprive and almost starve many
of its key centres of information services. (Mann 1992: p68)
Manuscript received February 1997
Competency standards: present perspectives and future prospects
Susan Mouer
The Library Industry Competency Standards (LICS) were developed as part of the Federal Government's National Training Reform Agenda by Arts Training Australia and a task force of representatives of employer associations, unions and professional bodies from
the library sector; they were released in 1995. Some successful trials of the LICS have been conducted at Curtin University of Technology and at the Australian Taxation Office Library.
Technology and dust mites
Indra Kurzeme
Libraries of the future will be providing information to clients via the Internet. This paper discusses the attitudes towards information technology current in today's library profession. Several issues are raised which support the view that virtual
libraries are a reality and that the potential for librarians to apply what they already know to the future and to work with people from other professions is an exciting and potentially rewarding possibility.
Manuscript received January 1997
Library automation and innovation diffusion
Peter Moloney
Kogarah Municipal Library is an urban public library service covering an inner city area which is part of the urban agglomeration surrounding Sydney in New South Wales. The author carried out the following study as part of his candidacy for the degree of
Master of Information Management at the School of Library, Information and Archives Services, University of New South Wales.
The value of libraries and librarians to Australian companies
Sharon Greenshields
ALIA has embarked on an exploratory study which aims to identify the perceived value of libraries and information professionals to Australia's top-100 companies. The recently completed first stage of the study involved identifying literature [in addition
to any previous Australian studies] relevant to a study of the value of corporate library services which tests the following hypotheses:
- That the value of the library staff and information services is directly related to the qualifications, experience and perceived expertise of the library staff and in particular of the chief librarian.
- That the value of the library is linked to the importance the company places on using information for strategic decision-making.
- That companies do not have strategies for valuing library and information services.
These hypotheses will be tested in the next stage of the study through the conduct and analysis of a survey of Australia's top-100 companies.
The Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue
Ian Morrison
Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue, Series I and II (1801-1870) and Series III (1871-1919), on CD-ROM. Distributed by Avero Publications Ltd, 20 Great North Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PS, England. Series I and II £5000
(£700 to libraries that have bought NSTC in book form), Series III £9000 (prepublication price for full set of 14 CDs) or £850 per CD.
Everything ... the faithful catalogue of the Library, thousands and thousands of false catalogues, the demonstration of the fallacy of those catalogues, the demonstration of the fallacy of the true catalogue ... When it was proclaimed that the Library
contained all books, the first impression was one of extravagant happiness. (Jorge Luis Borges, 'The Library of Babel')
Services - an educational approach
Judith Brophy
This article briefly reviews a shift of emphasis, approach and responsibility in the provision of ready reference services in the libraries of the University of Western Sydney. Instead of directly providing information, desk staff [now principally
para-professionals] have become instrumental in educating clients to become autonomous respondents to their information needs. The re-allocation of duties resulted in the ability to provide a 'walk-around librarian' to provide over-the-shoulder and on the
spot advice to clients at catalogues and/or terminals.
Manuscript received October 1996
How soon is now?
Justin Hyde
As Australia pushes forth into the 'information age', libraries and librarians are faced with the prospect of increasing technology, a trend towards extreme budget-consciousness and an increasing degree of self-funding. Where will this leave the library of
the future? There are many opposing views of what lies ahead for libraries and librarians but they will certainly be confronted with the concept of the 'information economy', perhaps adopting a user-pays approach to service in addition to the issues of
resource-sharing and outsourcing. Technology brings with it the challenges of learning new skills especially in acquisition and collection development; it also invokes the concept of virtual versus actual library environments. Can libraries survive these
fundamental changes to their operation? Will they cease to exist or like the phoenix rise to new heights in the face of these challenges? This brief paper attempts an overview of opposing opinions on current developments for libraries in an attempt to
profile the library of the future; it will also consider the repercussions for professional bodies associated with the profession.
Manuscript received April 1996
Scenario planning for a library future
Steve O'Connor, Leonie Blair and Brenda McConchie
The process of scenario planning as a means of positing different futures for a large university library is explored, and the reader is led through the process as it recently developed at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). An appendix is attached
which shows a 'preferred library scenario' for the UTS Library.
Manuscript received November 1996
New staff? Catch them and keep them
Marion King and Faye Pattinson
In April last year the Holmesglen Institute of TAFE Library won the ALIA Innovation Award (academic section). The library's induction program represents a commitment ensuring that new library staff gain a sense of identity with the library and the
Institute as a result of this formalised process. As such it represents an excellent model for other departments within the Institute. It is believed that this initial investment of time in new staff will enable the library to utilise their talents and
abilities more quickly and effectively. The element of team-work involved in this project has been a great contributor to its success. The program was developed by a team of library staff members across the network. Representatives from the three branches
in the library network have contributed to the final outcome as did new staff who have been involved in the program.
Manuscript received November 1996
The ABS collection: four NSW university libraries compare notes
Debbie Posker
This paper investigates some aspects of managing a special collection, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collection, within the boundaries of an academic library. The processes and procedures reviewed begin with: acquisition of items; methods of
display and access by clients; policies covering the maintenance of the collection, and end with the level of training provided to clients. Four university libraries in New South Wales compare their realities. Evidence gathered will help support a move to
provide a better organised and accessible collection at the University of Technology Sydney [UTS] Library.
Manuscript received January 1997
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