Divisions and groups

Over 100 divisions, which include branches, sections and special interest groups, are active in the Association. Their voluntary activities advance the interests of the providers and users of library and information services and of the profession, as well as giving valuable opportunities for individuals to display initiative, share professional expertise and enjoy themselves.

Space precludes listing all 1999 activities and divisions. The December 1999 issue of inCite and ALIAnet contain some reports. Some activities are noted in other parts of this report [see Branch reports and conferences]. Examples of the broad range of achievements include: lobbying for or against legal change, special campaigns this year involved special librarians and institutional libraries in digital copyright amendments while the Western Australian branch fought against legal changes in state law detrimental to libraries; continuing professional development, expressed in conferences, lectures and seminars, organised by most divisions and special interest groups; the energetic participation of the library technician sections at state and federal level; networking information activities, such as newsletters and websites; and promotion of Australian library and information services personnel and their value to the community through Australian Library Week and other activities.

Advocacy

New legislation regulating online content, proposed Copyright Act amendments, the impact of the goods and services tax on libraries and inquiries into indigenous and rural and remote educational services required constant lobbying efforts throughout the year. In addition to the submissions listed below, the ALIA executive director appeared before two Parliamentary committees, and, with the president gave evidence before a committee on the goods and services tax. The executive director liaised with other groups and associations, to ensure that all library interests were fully-represented. ALIA National Office also assisted special and business librarians in a campaign to target individual ministers and members and senators regarding a proposed exclusion of libraries in for-profit enterprises from library copying provisions in the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Bill.

Submissions

The new tax system: goods and services tax
Senate select committee on a new tax system

Additional submission and evidence on the goods and services tax
Senate employment, workplace relations, small business and education references committee

Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill Submission and evidence
Senate select committee on information technologies

Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Bill 1999
in co-operation with the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee submissions to relevant Commonwealth Ministers, shadow Ministers and other Members and Senators

Indigenous education inquiry
Senate employment, workplace relations, small business and education references committee

National inquiry into rural and remote education
Human rights and equal opportunity commission

Education and training

The Association renegotiated its contract with the Department of Employment, Training and Youth Affairs to include the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategy. ASA president Adrian Cunningham joined the Steering Group, and Kirsten Thorpe took up a cadetship with State Records New South Wales. Three cadets, Mary Porter, Lee Lazarevic and Fay Corbett graduated from their studies and completed their cadetship.

The Association recognised in 1999 library and information studies courses offered by Canberra Institute of Technology, TAFE Tasmania, Victoria University of Technology, Box Hill Institute of TAFE, Swinburne University of Technology, the University of Ballarat, Northern Territory University, the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of Canberra. The Board of Education developed principles for the recognition of double degrees containing a qualification already recognised by the Association.

The Board of Education submitted to General Council a proposal for a different structure of membership categories to better reflect the range of expertise of ALIA members and potential members. At the request of the Board of Education, General Council endorsed the revised education policy statements Introduction and Education policy statement N1.

The Board of Education met with the National School Libraries Section to identify education issues critical to teacher-librarians and to develop strategies for resolving these issues. Margaret Starre, Imogen Garner and Ursula McDermott represented the Board of Education at a meeting held in conjunction with the 1999 Library Technicians' conference. In December, deputy chair Dr Ross Todd was a keynote speaker at the conference Reflective practice: Library and information studies education for the future, hosted by the University of South Australia.

Ross Todd, Ursula McDermott and Marilyn Hart were elected to the Board of Education for three-year terms. Imogen Garner was appointed as the General Council representative for one year. The chair of the Board, Colette McCool, retired at the end of 1999, after six years of service. Julie Dow retired after five years and Jenny McCarthy after four years. At the final meeting of the year, the Board elected Imogen Garner as chairperson for 2000-02 and Ross Todd was re-elected as deputy chair for the period 2000-02. Imogen Garner and Janine Schmidt were appointed to the Board of Education for 2000-02.

Continuing professional development

The ALIA career development kit and workshop resources were piloted within institutions in early 1999. The kit was made available to institutional members late in the year. During the year, ALIA Branches tested elements of the CPD subcategory of membership. The pilot tested eligibility requirements, fee structure, minimum hours required for compliance, areas and activities, weightings; and the CPD record-sheet. The CPD subcategory was finalised for implementation in January 2000. Divisions delivered a wide range of CPD programs, with strong support for mentoring programs.

Industrial relations

Continuing organisational change and labour market deregulation saw further workplace pressure for members across Australia in 1999. Business remained brisk for the Association's industrial service.

National wage growth declined during the year and fell below four per cent for the first time since 1992. Marked differences in wage outcomes both between and within industry sectors persisted, but the gap narrowed appreciably in some. Average wage outcomes for private-sector library workers appear to have been higher than for private-sector workers as a whole. But in the public sector, below-average wage increases remain typical. Decentralisation of industrial negotiation and wage-fixing continued to gather momentum during the year. The number of formal individual agreements almost doubled. The award system continued to decline in importance with less than a quarter of employees now covered exclusively by award conditions.

ALIA's decision to commit resources to the New South Wales Pay Equity Inquiry [outlined in our 1998 Annual Report] bore fruit when the presiding judge released her findings. Almost all matters raised by ALIA, and put to the inquiry on behalf of library workers by the Office of the Director for Equal Opportunity, were endorsed. The decision found that the work of librarians in New South Wales is seriously undervalued. The judge called for reassessment of pay and career structures for library workers. Legislative changes to enshrine pay-equity consideration as a core element of the state's wage-fixing principles had been drafted by year-end. In the new decade these are expected to pass into law, opening the way for a major pay-equity wage case on behalf of librarians. ALIA will continue to closely monitor developments and involve itself when strategically appropriate.

The ALIA National Office industrial services program provided workshops, presentations and seminars to many ALIA groups in many different locations, including Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Dubbo, Adelaide, Hobart, Alice Springs, Darwin and Canberra. A major seminar on ALIA's role in the pay equity inquiry was held at the NSW State Library, in conjunction with Zenith Management Services, and attracted a large audience. Articles and papers on a wide range of labour market issues were made available through inCite, the Australian Library Journal and via ALIAnet.