It’s Library and Information Week and there is already plenty to celebrate!
- The F A Sharr Award was presented to Melissa Pettit at the State Library of Western Australia’s Library Board Awards on July 19th;
- ALIA South Coast Group’s GLAMAWARRA 2.0 (a day of professional development for the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern Highlands Library community) was a success, with its packed program attracting 55 attendees;
- Taish Shaw from the ALIA SA Group was presented with an ALIA Silver Pin at the Group’s committee meeting on July 24th;
- and the ALIA SA Quiz Night on July 29th was a crowd-puller with the team ‘Skool of Rock’ taking home the prize
Image above: First Place winners at the ALIA SA Quiz Night – the ‘Skool of Rock’ team.
Those new to the ALIA office in 2023 spent a day in Canberra connecting with colleagues the National Gallery, National Library, AIATSIS and the National Museum. History, heritage, identity and collective memory; along with a cultural understanding of our past and our present were all themes of the day. This ‘GLAM day out’ highlighted the importance of cultural and collecting institutions and their role supporting research, education and social interest; and allowed us to build knowledge, connections and relationships, read more in the Exploring the Nation’s Captial blog.
My first New Librarians’ Symposium was the NLS8 in Canberra back in 2017, and it inspired me to join the NLS9 committee for the 2019 Symposium in Adelaide. I had been eagerly anticipating NLSX for the past 4 years, and Saturday’s virtual conference was worth the wait. This NLS demonstrated that our future library leaders are progressive thinkers, who have the values, ideas and drive to ensure our profession has a sustainable future. I look forward to catching up on the sessions I could not view live, over the coming months.
I’m celebrating Library and Information Week in Hobart. I’m here with ALIA’s Professional Learning Teacher Librarian Jacqui Lucas, to speak to attendees of the Australia Primary Principals Association Conference about the importance and value of school libraries – they are the heart of the school. Jacqui and I will also be helping the ALIA Island Group with tonight’s booked out event ‘Our Source of Strength’ event. Expect some photos from the event in my next post – and then please note that I’ll be on annual leave for the remainder of August to attend the IFLA WLIC in Rotterdam - I won’t be monitoring my emails, so use [email protected] or call the office on (02) 6215 8222 for anything group related until I return.
Emily Wilson
Regional Engagement Manager