About LIS educators
Library and Information Science (LIS) educators employed in universities, TAFEs and private training organisations support ALIA’s role as the body which sets and maintains standards for entry into the library and information profession in Australia and negotiates international qualification reciprocity agreements . LIS educators play a vital role in ensuring that education for the profession produces graduates who provide excellent library and information services to benefit the nation and individual clients and who can respond to and meet the ever-changing information needs of a dynamic society.
LIS educators support UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 - quality education.
The future of LIS education
Viv Barton, ALIA Vice President (President-elect) has chosen education as the theme for her Presidential year, from May 2020 – May 2021. So, ALIA is undertaking a survey in order to assess our current education position and the size of the gap between where we are now and our vision. The deadline for responses is 7 February 2020. For more information.
Course accreditation
ALIA's course accreditation process is concerned with ensuring the quality of LIS courses and their relevance to current and emerging library and information practice, representing and facilitating employer engagement with LIS education and providing student and new graduate input. Institutions seeking ALIA Course accreditation must be registered with the Australian Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and or the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) as ALIA's course accreditation does not duplicate the role or processes of these regulatory authorities. ALIA Course accreditation forms the basis of our international professional reciprocity agreements.
Requirements for ALIA course accreditation:
ALIA Student awards
ALIA provides an award to recognise the highest achieving graduating student from all ALIA Accredited Courses as a means of recognising excellence. Accredited institutions are eligible to present one student award per course and graduating year.
Students receive:
- one year's personal membership which includes a subscription to the Association's news magazine INCITE
- a one year subscription to the Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association (JALIA) online
- a discount (to the value of $75) towards an ALIA Training course; and
- an award certificate.
Awarded Students and their Institution are listed in the ALIA Annual Report.
Educators should complete the application form four weeks before a graduation ceremony or conferring in absentia and email it to education@alia.org.au
ALIA Education Forums
ALIA Higher Education Forum
INVITEES: Educator representatives from institutions offering ALIA Associate level Accredited course(s).
DATE: ALIA Education Summit, Monday 4 May 2020, prior to the ALIA National 2020 Conference, Monday 4 May to Thursday 7 May 2020, International Convention Centre, Sydney.
VENUE: International Convention Centre, Sydney.
COST: Free to an educator representative from each accredited course and campus.
ALIA Library Technician Education Forum
INVITEES: Educator representatives from institutions offering an ALIA Library Technician level Accredited course.
DATE: ALIA Education Summit, Monday 4 May 2020, prior to the ALIA National 2020 Conference, Monday 4 May to Thursday 7 May 2020, International Convention Centre, Sydney..
VENUE: International Convention Centre, Sydney.
COST: Free to an educator representative from each accredited course and campus.
Education Trend report
This report provides an overview of LIS education over the last five years:
https://www.alia.org.au/futureoftheprofession/alia-lis-education-skills-and-employment-trend-report
Education policies
Education and qualifications
ALIA's role in education of library and information professionals
Adopted 2005. Reviewed 2009, 2019.
Courses in library and information science
Adopted 2005. Reviewed 2009, 2019.
Employer roles and responsibilities in education and professional development
Adopted 1986. Amended 1996, 2006. Reviewwed 2019.
Foundation knowledge, skills and attributes for information professionals working in archives, libraries and records management
Adopted 2014. Amended 2015.
Library and information sector: core knowledge, skills and attributes
Adopted 1998. Amended 2009. Reviewed 2012. Amended 9 December 2014.
Professional development for library and information professionals
Adopted 2005. Reviewed 2009, 2019.
FORMS
REFERENCES
Library Technician Education in Australia: State of the Nation Report (2010). In 2009 there was a major review of the course content of all institutions offering the Diploma of Library/Information Services qualification for Library Technicians. The report highlighted areas of good practice and provided a series of recommendations for enhancements to course content for the future. It also examined a number of critical issues that were likely to impact on library technician courses due to developments in the structure and funding of education in Australia, as well as changes within the Library Information Studies sector as a whole.
ALIA Course Accreditation Review (2013). The initial literature review and environmental scan prepared by Dr Gillian Hallam informed the consultation process and the discussion of the issues associated with professional accreditation.
ALIA LIS Research Environmental Scan (2014). The report, by Michael Middleton and Christine Yates, is an environmental scan of the research currently being conducted into LIS from 2005 to 2013.
ALIA Statement of support for the role of Course Coordinator in Vocational Education and Training 2019
Berney-Edwards, Simon, Brooker, Judy & O’Brien, Karen (2016) Developing an international quality assessment framework. Paper submitted to International Quality Assessment of LIS Education Programs 2016 IFLA Satellite Meeting Co-organized by the Section on Education and Training and Section on Library Theory and Research.
Brooker, Judy (2015) To LT or not to LT, that is the question: The Australian Library and Information Association accreditation of library technician courses. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2015 - Cape Town, South Africa in Session 169 - Education and Training with LIS Education in Developing Countries SIG and Library Theory and Research.
Fair Work Australia, Student Placements. Information on what is a vocational placement.
The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) and related loans: a chronology, Carol Ey Social Policy Section Parliamentary Library 28 March 2018.
IBSA Discussion Paper: Library Qualifications Review 2014-15
Partridge, Helen L., Hanisch, Jo, Hughes, Hilary E., Henninger, Maureen, Carroll, Mary, Combes, Barbara, Genoni, Paul, Reynolds, Sue, Tanner, Kerry, Burford, Sally, Ellis, Leonie, Hider, Philip, & Yates, Christine (2011) Re-conceptualising and re-positioning Australian library and information science education for the 21st century [Final Report 2011]. Australian Learning and Teaching Council, Sydney, NSW.
Partridge, Helen L., Hider, Philip, Burford, Sally, & Ellis, Leonie (2014) Who are Australia’s information educators? Australian Library Journal, 63(4), pp. 275-291.
Partridge, Helen L. & Yates, Christine (2012) A framework for the education of the information professions in Australia. Australian Library Journal, 61(2), pp. 81-94.
Smith, Kerry, Hallam, Gillian & Ghosh, S. B. (2012) Guidelines for Professional Library/Information Educational Programs, International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), The Hague, Netherlands.