Volume 45 | Issue 2
The magazine for the library and information sector
Democracy
Libraries strengthening democracy
A look inside the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature Inc
The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion and the TL Robertson Library
Ignite your curiosity
Increase your confidence
Invigorate your library career
Build meaningful, professional connections
Share your expertise
Help enrich the LIS sector
Renew your enthusiasm
The ALIA Mentoring Scheme offers an unparalleled professional learning experience where partnerships are matched in a 12-month formal program. Mentees are supported to develop goals that are tracked via a series of time-specific, confidential, one-to-one contacts with a mentor (either virtual or face to face) and further supported by resources from ALIA. Resources include monthly webinars, a workbook, discussion forums and an online learning platform. The scheme takes a ‘two-way street’ approach where mentees are encouraged to take the lead in the direction of the partnership and the more experienced mentors provide guidance and feedback as necessary. It doesn’t matter if you are a LIS student, new graduate, early or mid-career – you might even be a seasoned LIS professional at the top of your game – becoming a mentee can benefit you at any stage. Similarly, becoming a mentor can be one of the most career-enriching professional development activities you can undertake. Let ALIA take the guess work out of mentoring for you and register to participate in the scheme in 2024.
The program will commence in July and run through to June 2025. You can find more information at www.alia.org.au/Web/Web/ Careers/ALIA-Mentoring-Scheme.aspx or email pd@alia.org.au
www.alia.org.au/Web/Web/Careers/ALIA-Mentoring-Scheme.aspx
Kylie
Zola
Trish Hepworth, Deputy CEO trish.hepworth@alia.org.au
Welcome, everybody, to the second edition of INCITE for the year. It has been a huge few months for us here at ALIA as we prepared for our National Conference, ‘Truth and Dare’, which took place in May. We really enjoyed seeing so many of you in Adelaide for the event and hope it gave you lots to reflect and act on moving forward.
We were also delighted to break our own record for participants in National Simultaneous Storytime — 2,359,147 registered participants from over 21,969 locations around the world came together to read Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker. It was an extraordinary display of support for the value and joy of reading and literacy.
Speaking of the joys of reading, in this edition of INCITE we have another bumper crop articles from across the sector for you to enjoy. In our ‘Library stories’ section, ALIA Member and Diploma of Library and Information Services student LoriLee Long shares what led her to LIS, how she views the role of a librarian and what it means to start a new career as she approaches 40.
For our ‘From the archive’ feature, we have a piece by historian and author Dr Deborah Lee-Talbot about librarian Phyllis Mander-Jones, who collaborated with many institutions, communities and people to preserve Australian-Pacific collections both during and after the Second World War.
In the ‘ALIA News’ section, you’ll find information on the upcoming changes to the Continuing Professional Development scheme and our participation in the Sydney Mardi Gras, reflections on the ALIA Mentoring experience, information about our new Strategic Plan and a call for you to have your say on the ALIA Code of Ethics for the LIS Workforce.
By Liz Bradtke Editor
Our feature stories cover topics such as the impact of ebooks, how libraries strengthen democracy both in Australia and internationally, plagiarism and the academic library, profiles of the Great Stupa library and newly refurbished TL Robertson Library at Curtin University, and a glimpse inside the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature (NCACL) with its current Director Dr Belle Alderman.
And don’t forget, if you have an article idea for our September edition, submissions are now open and will close on 5 July.
Liz Bradtke, Editor incite@alia.org.auThe Australian Library and Information Association acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters, cultures and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and to Elders past and present.
Welcome all, to the June edition of INCITE and the halfway point of 2024. Since the last edition, a number of launches, events and advocacy efforts have kept us busy at ALIA.
As many of you will have seen, our new Strategic Plan 2024–26 was launched in March. The plan is designed to guide our decisions, inform our investments and provide the framework for our annual plans and budgets. More than that, however, it is a plan of action focused on the practical measures we will take to support our members and to reinforce that libraries continue to be critical institutions at the heart of a thriving democracy. You can read more about the plan, its development and its many benefits on page 12.
Democracy is also the theme for this year’s Library and Information Week, which was announced in early April. ‘Roots of Democracy’ will explore how, why and where libraries are strengthening our democratic processes — the avenues, tactics and approaches they use, and what they can do to keep democracy thriving even when its very existence as an ideology and an ideal is being contested.
Speaking of the strength and influence of our libraries, it was truly wonderful to see so many of you at ALIA’s National Conference ‘Truth and Dare’ in Adelaide in May. This was one of our most ambitious conferences to date with four different streams (Daring Greatly Striving Valiantly, Forging Future Libraries, From Inclusion to Belonging and Raising Voices), over 160 speakers, 80 sessions and nearly 700 delegates in attendance. Our hope for this conference was to not only come together to share knowledge and ideas and inspire one another, but also to turn that inspiration into action. To that end we will be running the webinar ‘Spark: From Ideas to Action’ in September to learn how attendees have adapted their conference learnings to develop new programs, resources or partnerships to improve their libraries.
Taking action became very real during ALIA National as news broke midway through the week that some members of Cumberland City Council in NSW had voted to ban books about same-sex parenting in their libraries. Our statement, released mid-conference, made it clear that this attempt to remove books from the library on discriminatory grounds is not acceptable and must be reversed. We were delighted to see the decision reversed at the Cumberland Council meeting on 15 May and thank everyone who spoke out in support of our statement and signed the petition from Equality Australia. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to ALIA staff and to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the conference a success.
Lastly, as if running a major in-person conference wasn’t enough, 22 May saw us break records for National Simultaneous Storytime with 2,359,147 participants from 21,969 locations across Australia and the world coming together to read Aura Parker’s Bowerbird Blues What a wonderful way to celebrate the power and value of reading, literacy and storytelling.
I hope you enjoy this edition of INCITE. For an outline of what’s in this edition, head to the Editor’s Introduction on page 4.
As we have learned through the many tales shared with us in this regular feature, pathways into and throughout LIS can take many forms. For some, LIS is an early and unwavering calling; for others, it is a professional evolution or pivot, and for others it is a journey that begins after previous studies, careers or life events. In this edition of ‘Library stories’, ALIA Member and Diploma of Library and Information Services student LoriLee Long shares with us what led her to study in this field, how she views the role of library practitioner and what it means to start a new career as she approaches 40.
‘Don’t pass up opportunity for growth (within reason!)’
I started my Diploma of Library and Information Services in August 2023. I am 38 years old and have never been lucky enough to have a job that enticed me towards a career. I have worked in administrative assistant roles for the past 15 years, with a short stint in retail before that. I did my bachelor’s degree in art history and Italian language nearly 20 years ago, so hopping back into my student and study habits was quite a task at first. I am also on maternity leave with my second child, while my first is attending kindergarten.
Starting this diploma is something I dilly-dallied around with for the couple years without ever feeling ready to start. I finally made the leap when a friend told me about TAFE’s current free enrolments. When I opened up my first unit and started reading about the history of libraries and even the legislation behind them, I was hooked. I gobbled up all the reading for the first unit in just a few weeks, and I suddenly understood my peers’ natural inclinations towards career paths and striving higher.
As I continue my studies, I have been thrilled to search out all the library connections and information in my area.
I have always loved reading, wearing cardigans and going to the library, so when I told a few people what I was studying, they immediately responded with how perfectly suited I was for this. Of course, I am aware there is more to being a librarian and information professional than fashion choices and reading your favourite novel. As I see it now, the role is limitless. The library connects people and brings communities of all sizes together. Therefore, I see working in a library as something akin to being a guide to the universe and its wealth of information.
As excited as I am by the prospect of this career, the vast knowledge required in the role overwhelms me at times. I make daily attempts to connect to more sources and subscribe to more information while also maintaining motherhood and my family life. It’s a tricky balance but one my family is thrilled to aid me with as they can see my excitement and newfound joy. My only regret is not having found out before now … but then again maybe now is the perfect time. I am looking forward to finishing my studies in the next two years and starting my first-ever career — a grand way to celebrate my 40s.
Phyllis Mander_Jones, c.1970s–1980
Photo: State Library of NSW
Opposite Exhibition launch, 1935
Photo: State Library of NSW
Phyllis Mander-Jones was a modern librarian with a strong association with Australian archives and historians. Mander-Jones joined the Public Library of NSW, now the State Library, in May 1925. On her admission to this institution, she intended to pursue a career in linguistic and historical scholarship. She was well placed to do so there. The annual reports of the Public Library of NSW from the late 19th and early 20th centuries reveal a library founded on British ideals and European histories. In 1910, the library added the Mitchell Library, a specialised branch dedicated to collecting Australian content.
Mander-Jones served the NSW public by accurately preserving records that depicted Australia’s national character. According to the annual reports, the library staff attended to the ‘cultural and economic welfare of the people’ of NSW and Australia. When the Second World War started in 1939, this mandate changed Mander-Jones’ experience as a library staffer.
The Mitchell Library became a crucial collection in Australia’s attempt to understand the Pacific region better. Significantly, as a political and military force associated with the Allies, Australia was an entry point for imperial forces to access information about other cultures, geography and politics in the Pacific region. As military forces requested staff provide them with information about Australia and the Pacific region, it became apparent that the collection lacked information. This led to the recognition that Australia needed to
improve its collections concerning other societies and environments in the region.
In 1942, prompted by the requirements of war strategists, the Mitchell librarian and mentor of Mander-Jones, Ida Leeson, was asked by the Allied Geographical Section (AGS) to provide ‘all essential facts regarding books, journals, maps, charts’ about Australasia. The AGS was a joint Australian-American project, a unit formed by the US General MacArthur to harvest information from Australian cultural institutions as well as from expatriates evacuated from New Guinea and Papua. AGS staff created reports based on the work of experts or specialists involved in fields such as geography, geology, meteorology and anthropology. Under the supervision of Leeson, staff like Mander-Jones collaborated with the Canberra divisions and the Public Library of Victoria to locate the information requested by Allied military forces in the Pacific. The Mitchell Library team became responsible for finding information about New Guinea and Papua.
The Allies’ ambitions to understand the Pacific Islands’ geography and cultures were extensive. The information that the AGS requested was immense. This merged with other requests that librarians were receiving from research organisations, government departments and manufacturers. The librarians, such as Mander-Jones, began seeking the information requested. Earlier surveys of overseas archives from the 19th century by Australian librarians, such as that conducted by
Leeson, on behalf of the Public Library of NSW in 1927, had revealed that a significant proportion of archives relevant to Australia existed elsewhere, mainly in Europe. Libraries, like the Mitchell, expanded their collections to reflect these research demands.
Mander-Jones, supervised by Leeson, ‘dug up photos which showed the coastline, descriptions of islands, maps, charts, and books on every aspect of the Pacific’. Her training at the Mitchell began to highlight that the location and preservation of Pacific records was just as important as it was for Australian records. Reflecting on this period in an interview 40 years later with Barbara Berzins, Mander-Jones described her employment as fascinating and crucial to Australia’s war efforts. Working with the AGS was, she stated, ‘a highly secret job … [w]e received orders to collect everything we could lay hands on about certain areas in the Pacific region. We knew this meant an attack on certain islands or plans for bigger things, such as the invasion of South-East Asian mainland.’
When the Second World War ended, Australia’s demands for historical records concerning the Pacific Islands did not cease. The destruction and loss of imperial records during the war seemed to have influenced the post-war archival ambitions of Australian librarians. The post-war period communications between HL White, Australia’s first national librarian, and CA Burmester, who was posted to London by the National Library of Australia as an Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP)
Officer, demonstrated an eagerness to copy historical records for Australian researchers. In 1948, White asserted to Burmester that, ‘[i]n view of the disturbed state of Europe, there are urgent reasons for quickening the rate of copying’. With the belief that the Australian and Pacific records held in Europe were subject to violent acts, Australian librarians supported using surrogate records to build unique collections for Australian researchers.
A training trip undertaken by Mander- Jones to Europe at this time proved a serendipitous moment for the young librarian. While attending a conference in Paris, France, Mander-Jones saw the British archivist Sir Hilary Jenkinson’s keynote address. Jenkinson was a fierce advocate for librarians being able to act as archivists. ManderJones supported Jenkinson’s advocacy for the continuous custody of records to ensure archival quality, as promoted in Jenkinson’s A Manual of Archival Administration (1937). Crucially, she also asserted that the role of the librarian was collaborative, not just reactive to users’ demands for certain records. Based in the colonial space of the British Public Records Office, Jenkinson explained the importance of establishing principled collections processes concerning preservation and agreed-upon codification systems. These experiences ensured that Mander-Jones understood the importance of provenance and the value of assisting specialised researchers when working on future collections, such as the AJCP’s Miscellaneous Series (AJCP M-Series).
Mander-Jones used Jenkinson’s archival theories to provide order to her work in the diverse Australasian collections at the NSW library. Jenkinson’s influence was also seen in her actions to support historians conducting research. Mander-Jones explained at a lecture in Sydney that it was ‘the original research of individual scholars that often gives the impetus to a comprehensive scheme and which must be done even when a general plan exists’. This professional worldview led her to create a network of scholars, including historians, to acquire records about the AJCP in the M-Series.
Mander-Jones collaborated with many institutions, communities and people to preserve Australian-Pacific collections, especially records from archives in the British Isles. Mander-Jones was guided by principles of modern library culture focused on providing intellectual freedom, access to resources and improved knowledge. A standout instance of Mander-Jones’ collaboration with scholars was her work in the 1950s and 1960s reconnecting scattered archival materials with Pacific historians.
Mander-Jones collaborated with many institutions, communities and people to preserve Australian-Pacific collections, especially records from archives in the British Isles. Mander-Jones was guided by principles of modern library culture focused on providing intellectual freedom, access to resources and improved knowledge.
Dorothy Shineberg, an early Pacific historian, corresponded with Mander-Jones in the 1960s about locating records for research and teaching at the Australian National University (ANU). Through her research and teaching, Shineberg defined the parameters of Pacific history in the 1960s. Amongst numerous folders of thermal paper, photographs and copies of Pacific archival material from imperial archives at ANU are Shineberg’s course notes and teaching cards. Around 1964, when she was appointed as a Research Fellow in the Department of Pacific History at ANU, Shineberg repeatedly asked students, ‘What is island-centric history?’ Half the card is covered in her clear handwriting, in blue pen. Shineberg continued to write, ‘Don’t find it odd that Europeans are studying the Pacific history, because at the moment they accidentally happen to be well placed in a physical sense to do so, & therefore they should do it as well as they can to be of use to Pacific islanders to join in the business.’ This was the case due to Mander-Jones and Shineberg’s collaborative efforts. Shineberg produced Pacific histories using records copied as part of the AJCP. In 1965, Mander-Jones and Shineberg corresponded
about evidence concerning Captain Thomas Beckford Simpson and Captain Edward Woodin, general traders in the South-West Pacific. This information would significantly inform Shineberg’s book, They came for sandalwood: A study of the sandalwood trade in the South-West Pacific 1830–1865. This was an important text. It challenged the notion that the sandalwood trade was a predatory process and acknowledged the agency of Islanders involved in the market.
In 1970, the Pacific historian Harry Maude argued that Mander-Jones would have appreciated a Festschrift, a celebratory demonstration of her role and impact as an Australian scholar. While no evidence exists that a Festschrift occurred, scattered through Australian libraries and archives, in the form of Mander-Jones’ signature on memos of accession and in book acknowledgements, is evidence of Australian-Pacific historians’ acknowledgement that her advocacy and collaborative actions were crucial to their research outcomes.
Earlier this year we were proud to launch our new Strategic Plan that sets out how we will shape the next three years of ALIA. At the high level it will guide our decisions, inform our investments and provide the framework for our annual plans and budgets. It is also a plan of action focused on the practical measures we will take to support our members and to reinforce that libraries continue to be critical institutions at the heart of a thriving democracy.
As you all know, libraries evolve with the communities and contexts that surround them. In developing the Strategic Plan, we took into account changes to our social, economic and environmental landscapes; shifting work cultures, behaviours and technologies; the political climate; and facilitating sharing and learning on a global level.
What’s in it?
The strategy covers:
• our purpose — the ‘why’ we exist
• our role — to influence, empower and strengthen
• our beliefs — what guides our work
• our impact — the outcomes we are focused on in the community, across the sector and within the membership.
Together they combine the need to invest in the organisation’s foundations; to build scale and connections in our membership; and to evolve how we work with and alongside others to strengthen our advocacy, workforce and profile.
What’s in it for me?
ALIA is only as strong as its members, and as much as the Strategic Plan provides guidance to the ALIA Board and staff, it exists to support you as a valued member and foster a dynamic sector you can be proud to be part of.
Included in the strategy is a commitment to:
• provide an evolved membership model
• secure funding
• support an active sector enabled through deeper connection with each other
• ensure a skilled workforce that is inclusive and empowered.
What does success look like?
For each of our commitments we included details of what progress and success looks like. For example, our role to influence, empower and strengthen is reflected through runs on the board with our advocacy action, formal partnerships with stakeholders and increased engagement with decision-makers who proactively seek us out to contribute to discussions. We will also report against the Strategic Plan at each ALIA Board meeting and in our annual reports.
Too long; didn’t read?
We have also developed a ‘Strategy on a Page’, which includes all the key components of the plan in an easy-todigest format.
The Strategic Plan 2024–2026 and Strategy on a Page are both now available to read and download on the ALIA website
Our purpose. The why we exist.
A strong library and information services sector for a thriving democracy.
Our role. The work we do.
To influence. A national advocate for the library and information sector.
To empower. Enabling belonging, connection and elevating the voice of our members.
• To strengthen. Building capabilities, supporting workforce pathways, and advocating for sector investment.
Our beliefs. Guiding our work. We believe… libraries are for all.
• the free flow of information and ideas supports a thriving culture, economy, environment, and democracy.
• essential literacies are fundamental for people to participate in society. with, for and alongside our members we have the authority to advocate and make an impact as the national voice for library and information services. in respect and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges, culture, and Country. we have a responsibility to elevate the voices of First Nations peoples and of diverse and multicultural communities, all too often unheard.
• collecting, sharing, and preserving diverse voices is important for an inclusive society.
Strong. Active. Influential. Libraries at the heart of our democracy.
Our impact. The outcomes we are focussed on.
In the community…
Libraries and information services are the heart of communities, collecting, preserving and ensuring access to knowledge and culture, and the literacy skills needed for democratic participation in society
Across the sector…
Library and information services are sustainable leaders, vibrant promoters of essential literacies and trusted institutions maintaining and preserving collections for the use of their community.
Our strategic journey. Our next three years.
Within the membership…
We are a unified, empowered, and skilled library and information services sector, equipped and ready to serve the community today and in the future.
01 02 03
STRONG foundations ACTIVE sector INFLUENCE together
1.1. Evolving our membership. We will work with our members, cross-sector partners to ensure our membership proposition continues to be valuable and relevant.
1.2. Securing our funding. Ensure we show returns for those who traditionally invest in us by delivering on our purpose, alongside exploring extended or diversified revenue opportunities that support our purpose.
1.3. Scaling our member-base. Broaden our member-base from across the workforce and sector. We are pursuing a bigger, stronger member-based network.
2.1. Deepening connection and belonging. Investing in programs, events, and services that facilitate connections and a sense of belonging across the workforce and institutions.
2.2. Equipping the workforce. Working alongside the sector, members, and institutions to promote the adoption of the framework of skills, knowledge and ethics.
2.3. Empowering local leadership. Supporting local library and information networks to lead deliver and advocate for high quality, sustainable library and information services.
Our enablers. Supporting our strategy.
3.1. Setting a national agenda for library and information services. Articulating a national agenda informed by our members and stakeholders.
3.2. Building profile for position. Elevate ALIA’s profile as the national voice with the authority to speak for the library and information services sector, to be at the table for discussions that matter and to be seen by decision makers as a reliable partner and a trusted source of advice.
3.3. Purposeful collaboration. Deepen existing and build new partnerships that have a clear and shared value for ALIA, its members and for the sector. Look beyond what we do ourselves and directly invest in collaborations and/or connections that complement our work, maximise collective resources and limit duplication in effort.
Effective and responsive team Engaged members. Skilled and diverse governance Fit-for-purpose data and digital
The ALIA Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Scheme, one of ALIA’s most valued member benefits, is having a makeover! The following changes will come into effect on 1 July 2024:
• The scheme will now be available to all professional members, including student and personal members.
• Specialisation competencies will be aligned to the ALIA LIS Workforce Framework.
• All participants will receive annually updated certificates acknowledging CPD hours and years in the scheme.
• Professional members can achieve Certified Professional (CP) status after one year in the scheme and 30 hours of CPD, and Distinguished Certified Professional status after five years in the scheme and 150 hours of CPD.
Record and reflect
Your CPD logbook is in your Member Centre when you are logged into the ALIA website. It provides a place for you to record and reflect on your professional learning activities, consolidating your learning. Over time it becomes a wonderful resource that makes your professional progress visible. You will be able to log your CPD for the previous CPD year (1 July – 30 June) until 31 December.
Be recognised
Keeping a dedicated log of your CPD activities not only gives you a sense of achievement, but also ensures your efforts are acknowledged by ALIA with formal certificates of recognition. As noted above, if you are a professional member, the CP postnominal is available after one year in the scheme.
Promote your professional achievement
Refer to your involvement in the CPD Scheme in job interviews, workplace reviews and your online profiles. Being a lifelong learner is something to be proud of and celebrate!
And remember, there are myriad ways to accrue CPD hours, such as by participating in an ALIA Group, attending conferences, training or seminars, even reading this very magazine! We also send all ALIA Members the monthly CPD Digest enewsletter, which is full of free CPD activities. We also send all ALIA personal members the monthly e-newsletter which is full of free CPD activities and information. If you’re seeking further inspiration, you can also explore our document of 100+ ideas for your CPD, which is available on the ALIA website here
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ALIA Students and New Graduates Group, aka ALIA SNGG, is a specialist interest group (SIG) that provides a space for students and graduates to communicate with ALIA, other ALIA groups, and colleagues from the GLAMR (galleries, libraries, archives, museums) sector.
Over the past two years, ALIA SNGG has been busy creating a new website and WordPress blog that recognises the past work of the ALIA SNGG social media team, regional coordinators, Resume Review Service and executive team (convenors, secretaries and treasurers).
This group aims to promote library advocacy and networking and support professional development learning and skills for students, graduates and the LIS community and enable members to engage, participate, develop and advise in relation to this area of interest.
ALIA SNGG was founded in 2003 by Alison O’Conner as the New Generations Group, before becoming the Students and New Graduates Group (SNGG) in 2014.
It provides support to graduates and other established GLAMR professionals through posts on social media via Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter),
LinkedIn, and our WordPress blog and YouTube channel. We focus on:
• providing our #GLAMRmatch networking event to all ALIA members
• professional development learning posts with library design, creative design and social media tips
• library-related news and trends.
ALIA SNGG works closely with the ALIA New Generation Advisory Committee (NGAC) on topics important to students, graduates and emerging and established professionals.
ALIA SNGG aims to:
• promote library advocacy and networking
•provide professional development learning and skills for students, graduates and the LIS community
• equally support students, graduates and all ALIA Members in their library job search/career with professional feedback on all resume reviews via ALIA SNGG Resume Review Service
• provide and build GLAMR networks via our #GLAMRmatch networking event
• provide answers to library sector questions
• encourage ALIA membership and participation.
Trends in the LIS field change as quickly as a library display. Maintaining engagement focused on providing accessible, diverse and
easy-to-understand information through our communication channels is vital to us as information professionals. By asking questions, we learn and grow.
In January, we were thankful to have an ALIA SNGG Public Library Q&A chat with ALIA Board President Jane Cowell AALIA (CP).
Tips we learned from Jane when applying for public library jobs are:
• remember you are applying for a role at a council
• when unsure about a part of the position description, call or email to ask questions
• volunteer experience is experience. Share the customer service and interpersonal skills you have learned as a volunteer and think about how that volunteer experience connects to the job
• follow the social media pages of libraries and read any blogs created by the place you want to join to stay in the loop on library news and changes
• follow any blogs and social media of GLAMR professionals who inspire you.
You can watch the Q&A on our YouTube channel
As an ALIA Group, we encourage student and general and professional (associate/ graduate, library technician and allied field) ALIA Members to join us and get involved.
Why we joined SNGG
Jack Walter Kelly, ALIA SNGG Convenor
For me, becoming the new convenor of ALIA SNGG involved a mix of personal and professional reasons. I wanted to:
• connect with people across GLAMR through networking events and professional development opportunities
• befriend fellow students, graduates and early career professionals
• understand the issues and opportunities facing ALIA SNGG members and the wider library sector
• refine leadership skills and help facilitate curiosity and information sharing across the ALIA SNGG and the GLAMR sector.
Rhodora Spring, ALIA SNGG National Secretary and Social Media Coordinator (X)
My SNGG story started by joining the ALIA SNGG social media Twitter (now X) team team. This was a place where I could share my interest in social media and learn from other students, graduates and GLAMR professionals.
I accepted the opportunity to become the ALIA SNGG National Secretary to:
• further support ALIA SNGG by learning more about ALIA, ALIA Regional and ALIA Special Interest Groups. Connecting students, graduates and ALIA members to physical and online professional development and networking events
• build new GLAMR connections by learning from other libraries, librarians and established professionals
• connect ALIA SNGG to the resume service and library professional development advice and tips.
Why should you join ALIA SNGG? Students and new professionals alike should consider joining ALIA SNGG to:
• connect with other students and graduates and share your GLAMR experiences
• broaden your GLAMR knowledge, professional writing skills, creative design and social media skills as an ALIA SNGG Social Media Coordinator
• assist ALIA SNGG in supporting the needs of current and future groups of information professionals in Australia. All ALIA members have access to ALIA SNGG Resume Review Service. It is a free service offering resume reviews with feedback from an established GLAMR professional for up to three reviews a year.
We look forward to supporting ALIA Members, students, graduates and emerging and established professionals to build their GLAMR networks during #GLAMRmatch 2024. Further, we invite ALIA Members to connect with us via our ALIA SNGG socials and to share their GLAMR stories with our group as post on our ALIA SNGG WordPress blog.
ALIA Students and New Graduates Group. (2024, January 29). ALIA SNGG QandA Public Library Zoom Chat with Jane Cowell [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=aDHyT_r1pD8
Several outstanding leaders within the Australian library and information sector were recognised last week at an awards ceremony held during ALIA’s National Conference in Adelaide. ALIA President Jane Cowell announced the recipients of the HCL Anderson Award, Metcalfe Award and Library Technician of the Year Award in front of an audience of over 500 conference delegates.
This was the first time the awards have been presented at the ALIA National Conference dinner and the encouragement and positivity in the room was palpable. Attendees leant their audible support to the ALIA award winners as they came up to receive their certificates. The winners of the Library Design Awards were also handed out during the dinner and a feature article about these awards will appear in the September 2024 edition of INCITE
HCL Anderson Award
The first award of the night was the HCL Anderson Award — the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an associate member of ALIA. This year the HCL Anderson was jointly awarded to Dr Gabrielle Haddow and Geoff Strempel, two exceptional leaders within the sector whose achievements span pedagogy, research collaboration, innovative and creative leadership and intellectual contributions to the sector.
This is a fabulous and completely unexpected honour for doing things that I love. Libraries play such an important role in our society, in so many ways, and I feel very lucky to be part of it. Thank you, ALIA!
Dr Gabrielle Haddow
Dr Haddow, who is currently Associate Professor in the School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry at Curtin University, was awarded for her exemplary dedication to teaching and mentorship and for her profound impact on research and collaboration within the discipline.
In addition to her exceptional teaching prowess, Dr Haddow’s collaborative approach to research and professional practice has fostered a culture of cooperation and collective growth within the field of librarianship. Her willingness to collaborate with peers, practitioners and institutions nationally and internationally has led to the development of interdisciplinary partnerships and initiatives that have enriched the profession and enhanced its impact on society. She has also been a co-editor for the Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association and its predecessor Australian Academic and Research Libraries. She has served on numerous editorial boards, as well as ALIA and IFLA committees.
Geoff Strempel was honoured for a distinguished career spanning almost 40 years. As Director of the State Library of SA, Geoff’s leadership has resulted in a stronger library network within SA. He successfully established the statewide public library consortium that resulted in the ‘one card network’, an initiative requiring the cooperation of dozens of local councils to connect the systems of over 130 libraries across the state.
Geoff has also been a very active member of National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) and proactively champions a spirit of collaboration for NSLA’s initiatives. These initiatives have benefitted both the citizens of SA and also the wider Australian population. At a national level, Geoff was an effective member of the Libraries Australia Advisory Committee (2008–212) and has been a member of the Trove Strategic Advisory Committee since 2022. He has contributed deeply to the ALIA Professional Pathways work, including the ALIA Framework of Skills, Knowledge and Ethics for the LIS Workforce.
I have loved every role I have had working in libraries over decades and have been pleased to work with colleagues locally and nationally to contribute to the strength of the library sector. To be recognised by my peers through this award is an unexpected and treasured bonus.
Geoff Strempel
Metcalfe Award
ALIA’s Metcalfe Award for 2024, recognising high achievement by a personal financial member of ALIA in their first five years of practice in library and information services, was awarded to Emilia Bell. Through their commitment to ALIA groups, research and inclusivity, Emilia has made a significant positive impact on the LIS sector.
Emilia is currently the co-ordinator (Evidence-Based Practice) at the University of Southern QLD and was elected to the ALIA Board in the 2024 elections. In their role at USQ, they are responsible for the university library’s Evidence-Based Practice team. They also support the leadership team in understanding performance and data for strategic decision-making, as well as the entire workforce of the university library to use evidence to inquire, innovate and improve the student experience.
Finally, the Library Technician of the Year award went to Chloe Delaney from Carindale Library in QLD. Chloe was recognised for her outstanding level of professionalism in interactions with library customers and team members, her creative output for digital content and social media platforms showcasing Carindale Library’s offerings, and the development and successful implementation of a wellbeing strategy for Carindale Library.
Chloe’s commitment to diversity is notable in her culturally sensitive provision of Home Library Services to a local First Nations Aged Care Facility. As a Makerspace sewing champion, Chloe has also created an inclusive environment in the library’s Makerspace area, by ensuring minority groups feel welcome, safe and empowered to utilise the space.
You can see Chloe’s full acceptance speech here
We congratulate all the night’s winners on their awards and achievements. Visit the ALIA website to learn more about our awards
It’s an honour to be recognised by my peers with the Metcalfe Award, and I’m grateful to have had opportunities to contribute to building an inclusive and impactful library and information services profession.
The Award is also a testament to incredible colleagues and mentors who have provided support, encouragement, and guidance in the early stages of my career. I am deeply appreciative of them.’
Emilia Bell
I am so proud to be part of an industry that is full of people who aren’t done learning, full of people who strive every day to make libraries better, and full of people who dare to use their voice to advocate for change. I am really passionate about wellbeing and mental health, and dedicated to ensuring that we have the education and resilience toolkits that we need to be able to support each other through this time of increasing demand in libraries.
Chloe DelaneyWhat is the relationship between a library and democracy? Has it always been this way? Will it continue unchanged, even in the global context of geopolitical conflict and social unrest? What is it that libraries do that can possibly make a tangible difference to living in an open, democratic society?
Learn more about this year’s Library & Information Week theme, and download the free resources at alia.org.au/liw2024
For most librarians in this action-oriented world, it is difficult to find the time to sit back and reflect on their career journey, to think about where they’ve been and what they would like to achieve. At the start of 2023 I was in this position when I heard about the ALIA Mentoring Scheme. I had been at the same workplace since 2010, NT Health Library Services, and the timing felt right to explore other possibilities and to consider whether to challenge myself. I have been a team leader for five years but am still doing frontline work, having been working in education and training roles for a long time. While I still enjoy this, I decided I would like to work towards a goal of a higher-level management position, potentially at a university library.
Most people think of mentoring as something for new library professionals or those searching for their first job. While this can be helpful for new librarians, those who are experienced can also learn and develop. I am a big lifelong-learning advocate.
I wanted to find a mentor who was in a senior library management position at a university library to support me through exploring possibilities and taking some risks. After applying for the scheme, the team at ALIA (led by Jacqui Lucas) matched me with an amazing university library director in Queensland who has been superbly
supportive and reassuring and has provided me with great insight about working at that level. We have been meeting monthly via Zoom.
Of course, when I submitted my application as an experienced librarian (and ex-nurse and midwife), Jacqui asked if I would also be a mentor for the program. So I would be doing both roles! They needed a match for an ex-nurse in Adelaide who is undertaking the Graduate Diploma and working casually in libraries. Her aim is to get a full-time role at the end of 2024 when she finishes her studies. We have been meeting virtually once a month.
Some keys things I have learnt during this journey:
● We all need goals — break them down into achievable chunks (and they may change over time).
● The experience is never one-way — engage with your mentoring partner’s stories.
● As a mentor, share your experiences that relate to an issue your mentee has — this is a valuable way to help them problem solve.
● Have a growth mindset and lifelonglearning attitude.
● As a mentor, be kind, supportive and enthusiastic about the mentee’s journey.
The team at ALIA Head Office in Canberra have been well organised, responsive and
generous with their time. They provided us with the tools for the mentoring partnerships to ensure this was a positive experience, such as a planning workbook for the year. They also organised monthly webinars on useful topics such as confidence, networking and changing sectors, and for these they enlisted varied and knowledgeable speakers from the library world. I found it useful to take a few notes during the webinar as I could use them as discussion points in the monthly mentoring meetings.
With encouragement and support from my mentor, I recently applied for an associate director position at a local university. I was not successful but did get shortlisted and interviewed (which I learnt a lot from) and my mentor helped me through the disappointment of not getting the job.
I would like to conclude with a quote from Michelle Obama (lawyer, writer and former First Lady of the US): ‘One person might be senior and be wiser and have more experience, but I’ve learned a lot from the people I mentor.’
If you would like more information about the ALIA Mentoring Scheme, click here
Gabrielle Watt — librarian, researcher, community leader and qualified milliner — was an ALIA member for more than 70 years. Gabrielle passed away in May last year and, as part of her dedication to the future of library and information services, left a bequest to ALIA to establish a scholarship for a person in a remote location in the field of librarianship and information management and the development of Indigenous libraries. This bequest was used to create 12 bursaries for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people working in libraries to attend the ALIA National Conference in Adelaide.
Following matriculation from the University of Sydney in 1947, Gabrielle started work at the university’s Fisher Library as a librarian in training, earning 64% of the then Male Basic Wage. Continuing education providers offering library studies were not yet in existence, so in 1949 she joined the Australian Institute of Librarians, sitting examinations to pass its Preliminary Certificate.
Gabrielle took her burgeoning career to London. Her membership of the Library Association of Australia (LAA) helped her to gain a casual library position — on equal pay. It was not until 1972 that the Australian Public Service introduced equal pay for equal work.
Back in Australia in 1960, the National Library of Australia increased staffing levels by 30%, offering free tuition to those aspiring to become librarians. Gabrielle was successfully recruited into this program and awarded the Registration Certificate of LAA in 1962.
While undertaking her studies, Gabrielle was introduced to computers, an interest that led to 24 years with the CSIRO as manager of library and information services at the Computing Research Laboratory (later CSIRONET). When she started this role in 1964, computer technology was supersized when compared with the handheld devices we use today. Gabrielle worked in a space she described as ‘a huge hall, twice as long as my house’ (The Chronicle, 10 June 2014).
In 1986, the CSIRO underwent a restructure and Gabrielle was made redundant. Her passion for librarianship and interest in small special libraries inspired her to take up positions with the ACT Special Libraries Group, ultimately becoming the federal president of Specials. She was one of only two librarians selected to represent LAA at the First World Special Libraries Conference in Hawaii.
Gabrielle continued working in libraries until 1989, after which she began anew, completing a Certificate of Millinery and establishing a business selling hats and other craft works. Gabrielle joined several art and design groups throughout the ACT, entering her work in many exhibitions and often modelling her own designs.
Although no longer employed as a librarian, Gabrielle’s continuing membership with ALIA was a measure of the value she placed in the work of the Association. As the sector adapted from a focus on books to using banks of computer data and beyond, Gabrielle recognised the evolution of the library and information profession, remarking that the ‘profession continues to need people with enquiring minds to sift through all the data’ (PROACTIVE newsletter, February 1998).
ALIA is very excited to soon release the ALIA Code of Ethics for the Library and Information Services Workforce. The draft Code of Ethics is currently open for consultation across the sector until 7 July 2024. This your opportunity to provide input and play a part in shaping this important document. Download the consultation paper.
Right across the diverse landscape of library and information services, from schools and universities to public and special libraries, with all the different roles and communities we serve, it is our shared ethics and values that are the common thread for our workforce. These are especially important in times of turbulence when shared ethics and values provide a critical reference point for a unified voice.
The impetus to create a Code of Ethics for the LIS workforce in Australia came from you, the workforce, during consultations and workshops developing the ALIA Framework for Skills, Knowledge and Ethics. The proposal to develop a Code of Ethics for the sector was endorsed by the ALIA Board of Directors and the
LIS Workforce Advisory Board.
The Code of Ethics project team is indebted to the International Federation for Library Associations (IFLA) Code of Ethics for Librarians and Other Information Workers, which, alongside many other library associations around the world, ALIA endorsed in 2018. The IFLA Code was released with the invitation for library associations to create their own with consultation and adaptation to local contexts.
The ALIA Board and the LIS Workforce Advisory Board have provided formative feedback and steered the development of the Code of Ethics through several initial drafts and are pleased to open this up for public consultation.
Jane Cowell, ALIA President, says, ‘You spoke, and we listened. People are the heart of the LIS sector and it’s incredibly important that ALIA is committing resources to support the workforce in the areas that matter. The Australian Code of Ethics has clearly been identified as a resource that matters to the people working in LIS, and we are looking
forward to making this draft stronger with your feedback.’
Geoff Strempel, Chair of the ALIA LIS Workforce Advisory Board, says, ‘Throughout the prior consultation periods, focus groups and workshops, we heard just how important the ethics and values that unite the library and information services sector are to those who work in it. They are our foundation and unite and guide our work to provide services to our communities.’
Consultation is open to everyone in the LIS sector. The Code of Ethics is intended to be representative of the entire LIS sector, so all are invited and welcome to contribute feedback, with the aim of creating a Code of Ethics that embraces the sector’s diversity and unites the workforce in ethical practice.
MORE INFORMATION
Consultation concludes on 7 July 2024, and we welcome feedback in any format, through answering the questions in the consultation paper, an email (education@alia.org.au), or phone call (02 6215 8222).
For the third year running, ALIA has had a float at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. This year, the theme ‘Library Love’ was chosen. A simple statement, yet one that embraces a multitude of possibilities: the love that communities feel and express for libraries; the love library workers bring to their daily professional practice; and love for the transformative experiences that occur every day in libraries through access to information, programs and services.
The theme was the perfect springboard to celebrate libraries with positivity and joy, a counter to the challenges many Australian libraries faced about their collection policies and programs throughout 2023. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras theme itself was ‘Our Future’, and what better way to manifest a positive future than through the power of love!
A feature of this year’s float was the diversity of participants. Not only was there representation across the LGBTQ acronym, but also people travelled from far and wide including major cities Meanjin/ Brisbane, Narrm/Melbourne, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong and Canberra. Regional centres were well represented this year with library folk coming from Canowindra, Muswellbrook, Queanbeyan and even Mparntwe/Alice Springs! We had teacher librarians, school librarians, library technicians, medical librarians, university and TAFE librarians, public library people, art library people, library and information services (LIS) educators, representatives from National and State libraries and, most excitingly, a number of LIS students from Charles Sturt University. It truly was a library rainbow!
In the lead-up to the big day, participants learned a choreography routine to a mix of Donna Summer’s ‘Love to Love You Baby’ and ‘I Feel Love’. Everyone worked on costumes that involved an ALIA ‘Library Love’ t-shirt, but apart from that, self-expression was fully encouraged. Much bedazzling and t-shirt adaptation was undertaken — including
the creation of accessories such as headdresses, homemade recycled book page scroll wingsand skirts with lights sewn in — and progress reports were joyously shared in a chat group.
Library folk always have hidden talents and the ALIA float was joined by Michael on his unicycle with programmed digital poi, and Alana, an accomplished burlesque and drag performer who, with gorgeous feather fans, was like a library angel looking over the group.
For a beautiful moment in time on Saturday 2 March, the group were all finally together — radiant, proud, diverse and strong, supporting each other and pushing limits, all united by the shared purpose of contributing to a better world through the power of libraries.
Immense gratitude goes out to former ALIA State Manager Rob Thomson, who not only brought his trademark care and wisdom to the show, but also who supported the float with excellent driving of the utility truck he arranged and coordination of sound equipment. Although the ALIA float was only on the ABC broadcast for a few seconds, tens of thousands of people experienced the
For a beautiful moment in time on Saturday 2 March, the group were all finally together — radiant, proud, diverse and strong, supporting each other and pushing limits, all united by the shared purpose of contributing to a better world through the power of libraries.
float as a live audience, creating many touching moments for the marchers. One moment in particular was as the library float passed the 78ers (the first Mardi Gras participants), they excitedly reached out, touching hands and expressing their gratitude for libraries as safe spaces and important actors in the preservation and telling of LGBTQIA+ histories. Calls and cheers from the crowd of ‘We love libraries!’ and ‘Thank you libraries!’ punctuated the entire journey.
Many new and lasting connections were formed throughout the process of preparing for and performing at Mardi Gras, some of them professional networking connections and others enduring friendships. The camaraderie and warmth of the group truly embodied the theme of ‘Library Love’.
Now that the party is over, ALIA remains committed to supporting a diverse library and information workforce and ensuring that libraries exist as safe spaces with representative collections. With the ALIA Rainbow Group officially reignited at the ALIA National Conference, there are now lots of opportunities for interested members to get involved. To find out more email jacqui.lucas@alia.org.au
Above
Shane (CSU LIS student), Ron (Alice Springs Libraries) and Rossanne (Canowindra Libraries) holding the ALIA float signs.
Enhance your library’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan to welcome all families
Libraries as Community Connectors is a free online course for all Australian libraries to enhance inclusion. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
The project is developed by Plumtree Children’s Services, a not-for-profit community-based organisation located in Marrickville NSW that’s been supporting children with disability or developmental delay and their families for over 30 years.
Co-designed by libraries, families and professionals
The online course was designed in collaboration with librarians, families of children with disability or delay and professionals to ensure it is relevant and fit-for-purpose. It was piloted by libraries across ten Local Government Areas.
Identify areas for improvement in your existing inclusive programs and services
Create resources for lively and engaging
Storytime and Rhymetime sessions
Encourage participation
Welcome and connect all families
Enhance your Disability Inclusion Action Plan
Earn 4 hours towards your CPD
What participants say
“Inclusion is no longer an option. Like us, you may find that you don’t need to start from scratch and are already doing a lot of inclusive practices. [The libraries project] helps you to evaluate where you’re at, where you need to be, how to fill the gaps—and make it manageable.”
Elizabeth Khater, Children’s Librarian City of Canada Bay Libraries
Learn more and enrol in the course !
https://plumtree.org.au/courses/library-project/
The National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature Inc is the national collection of Australian children’s literature, and we are proactively pushing our collections beyond the confines of our physical space. As part of celebrating our 50th birthday this year, we are poised for our next phase including virtual access to our collections, which are currently valued at over $12.8 million. How did we reach this pivotal stage?
Lu Rees AM MBE (1901–1983) was the founder of the collection now known as the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature Inc (NCACL). She was an Australian bookseller, book collector, children’s literature advocate and the founding president of the ACT Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA). When the Australian Government gave $500 to each branch of this council, Lu proposed that a national collection of Australian children’s literature should be established, and all of the CBCA branches agreed. This was 50 years ago, in 1974.
Quickly outgrowing private homes, the collection of around 1,000 books and 50 files of material about authors and illustrators moved to the Canberra College of Advanced Education (CCAE) in 1980. There it has remained. In 1990, I took on the voluntary role of managing the then Lu Rees Archives. Many other volunteers have also shared their expertise and passion for Australian children’s literature over the last five decades.
Today the collection holds more than 58,000 Australian books for young people, plus authors’ papers and manuscripts and illustrators’ artworks. There are 580 files
of research material about authors and illustrators. These collections have reached thousands of students, researchers and others interested in Australian children’s literature. But we have not stopped there.
More than just books and files
Books remain central to the collection. In 1981, Lu Rees persuaded 20 Australian publishers of children’s books to donate their new books — and publishers have continued this practice, including translations of the books.
We hunt down every Australian book created for young people, in every edition and reprint. For more than 20 years, our Canberra Lifeline ‘spotters’ have diligently hunted down ‘missing’ books. One such Lifeline spotter reveals the ‘thrill of the hunt’ and her personal satisfaction in this pursuit in her blog post.
Pursuing personal donations continues as another essential activity. In 1988 we registered with the Australian Government as a tax-exempt charity. Since then, we have received more than 80 Australian Government-approved donations. The collection is now much more than books.
Early on we began collecting artwork and manuscripts. Now a very large and valuable collection, it reveals the creative process, usually unseen unless collected, documented, exhibited and shared. These are the stories behind the stories we love. Our storytellers at the centre include Graeme Base, Freya Blackwood, Jackie French, Bob Graham, Libby Hathorn, Alison Lester, Deborah Niland, Wendy Orr, Emily Rodda (aka Jennifer Rowe), Margaret Wild and many others. These collections that explore creativity in words
and images are documented and available from our website as ‘finding aids’ or ‘artwork frameworks’.
In recent years, organisations with related aims to the NCACL have deposited their papers with us for safe keeping and research. These include the International Board on Books for Young People — Australian section, the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and the CBCA Children’s Book Week Art Collection. We also hold the publishing archives of Omnibus Books (think Possum magic) and Walter McVitty. These are the stories behind the creators’ published works.
Close to the end of her life, Lu Rees pointed her finger at me and said, ‘It’s up to you now, Belle, to continue building the collection.’ I was involved from its beginning. In late 1973 I migrated to Australia, and in early 1974 I joined the CCAE as a lecturer in children’s literature and school libraries. I joined the Canberra branch of the CBCA, and I have fond memories of consuming glasses of sherry and scones with jam and whipped cream in Lu Rees’ home while marvelling at this growing ‘national’ collection. When the collection outgrew its shelves, I advocated for its move to the CCAE.
And so, in 1980, this initial collection of just over 1,000 books and 50 files of material about authors and illustrators moved to the CCAE. Over the years, highly qualified volunteers have worked on the collection. They have catalogued the books, created guides to papers, manuscripts and
By Dr Belle Alderman AM Director, National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature Inc
artworks, and helped students, researchers and others explore the collection. In recent years, they have also managed our website and created teaching resources. Under my supervision, many students created guides to these collections. University students across Australia have also gained experience by working in the collection. My wider role has been to encourage donations and to ensure books are catalogued and material is arranged, described and documented in guides available from the centre’s website. We have organised public exhibitions and loans of artworks across Australia, thus showcasing creators while promoting the
collection. The CCAE’s very important role has been to encourage development, offer expert advice, provide archival storage and, above all, promote the collection and reach an international audience.
A physical location can be limiting for any collection. How can people around the world experience the richness of Australian children’s literature? Why not via the centre’s website? So began our commitment to databases. These have provided in-depth insight into Australian books for young people. We determined that these would be
Below Dr Belle Alderman in the book room Photo: Supplied
free, easy to use and continuously updated. First came the cultural diversity database, which we knew Australia wanted and needed. We anticipated users to be public and school libraries, parents, home-schooling groups, caregivers, teachers and teacher librarians. We discovered that creators and publishers also wanted to know what was already ‘out there’. Assuming users’ access to computers and the internet, databases are easily accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime, delivering just what is needed.
The Australian Government funded the NCACL to create our second database, this one of books by and about Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander peoples. It was launched in 2020, and the time was auspicious — attitudes were changing and we needed authentic books for young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people joined our team of culturally diverse individuals with expertise to research this area. We added a new database feature: free, online teaching resources. Books in
Below Translated copies of Margaret Wild’s Fox Photo: Supplied
our centre’s database are now the subject of research. But we did not stop there.
Our next venture was a little known, rich literary form — verse novels. Australia’s extended narratives told in free verse for young people are respected worldwide. We used Microsoft Sway to present the Australian Verse Novels Resource. As we constantly see new and older books, we noticed another genre at which Australia excels but is unexplored: picture books for older readers. We launched the Picture Books for Older Readers resource in 2023. Here we explored art, words and story in books aimed at young people from grade five through secondary years. We found a passionate following for these books, showcased by Anna Davidson, teacher librarian, who commented that this ‘database is a one-stop-shop for selecting engaging, relevant Australian picture books to engage older readers’.
The centre’s online free databases are accessed by people around the world, which we know from our website statistics. We also
Below NCACL database: Books by and about Aboriginal and or torres Strait islander peoples Photo: Supplied
know Australian children’s literature appears in many languages and is enjoyed the world over, and translations are a strength of the centre’s collection. As of 30 June 2023, the centre held more than 5,577 translations in 79 languages. We often hold the only copy of a translated title in Australia. Researchers have come to exploit this collection, such as Dr Lara Cain Grey. We were approached by a mothers’ group keen to read aloud Australian picture books in Spanish with their toddlers. We knew we had such books and for them created Ten Australian Children’s Book in Spanish for the Very Young
We know that as a national collection we must reach beyond our walls and our databases. We are exploring stories through providing digital access on our website. We will not forget that the way stories are told is ever changing. What’s next for Australian children’s storytellers is an avenue open for exploration.
We are creating virtual resources delivered via our website, but we also have a bigger vision. Countries worldwide have places, specialists and funding where children’s stories and their creators reach out in a multitude of ways. This is important because the human imagination feeds on stories that bring us together in ways that the world needs now and in the future. Here are three well-known places that continue to morph in the ways that they share stories:
• Seven Stories in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
• the Carle Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts
• the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.
Our centre offers Australia the nucleus of such a place — a place that invites exploration of preliminary and published stories, inspires story makers of all ages, celebrates story creators, develops young people’s creativity, and brings all ages together to understand ourselves through stories. Australia needs such a place. We are ready to deliver.
Throughout 2024, over four billion people in at least 64 countries will have the opportunity to vote for new, national leadership through elections. This means almost half of the world’s population will engage in federal elections this year. As TIME magazine recently pointed out, this means there will be more voters this year than ever in history, and it will shape our world for years to come.
As we look to the outcomes of these elections, we must also grapple with the reality that the state of democracy globally is in decline. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) reports that half of all 173 countries have slipped in at least one indicator of democratic performance in 2023. Similarly, Freedom House noted that 11 of the 29 countries they tracked in 2023 saw declining democracy scores. These declines involve the weakening of democratic institutions, such as the peaceful transition of power or free and fair elections, or the violation of individual rights that underpin democracies, especially freedom of expression. In July 2023, the Australian Government established a Strengthening Democracy Taskforce to combat ‘a range of challenges, including foreign interference, rising disinformation and discord online, polarisation, and declining reserves of public trust’.
Libraries have long stood as institutions that protect and promote our democratic ideals. In establishing public libraries across the US, Andrew Carnegie stated, ‘There is not such a cradle of democracy on earth as the free public library.’ ALIA has recently introduced its new Strategic Plan, and along with it, our newly clarified purpose, which puts libraries — all libraries — at the heart of a thriving democracy. It’s a notion that may sound like hyperbole, but is, in fact, quantifiably true.
It is critical for library and information workers to have a concrete understanding of the core elements that underpin a thriving democracy as we step into this momentous time in history. With this understanding, library and information workers will be positioned to improve and expand the programs, services and resources that serve to strengthen an open, democratic society and to successfully communicate the purpose and impact of their work to government, civil society and community stakeholders.
To facilitate our understanding, I’ve turned to the International IDEA indices used to track the Global State of Democracy annually These indices fall into four main categories: representation, rights, participation and rule of law. Each of these categories is made up of a collection of sub-themes, and while libraries
do not necessarily influence or support each sub-theme within a category, our work clearly supports at least one sub-theme per category. Below, I’ve provided definitions and sub-theme details to help build a shared understanding of the four main categories that make up a thriving democracy. I’ve also provided examples of library and information workers delivering on these efforts.
1.
Representation: The International IDEA defines representation as ‘a measure of the credibility of electoral processes’. This credibility is measured by things like elections that are free from irregularities, political parties that are free to operate, the inclusiveness of the right to vote, and the extent to which national offices are filled by elected individuals.
While declines and advances in credible electoral processes may seem beyond the purview of libraries, attacks on the media and limited access to information in the context of elections has been noted as a central driver for declining representation. We can certainly point to library and information staff in all kinds of libraries across Australia, and globally, delivering training in information and digital literacy skills to combat misinformation and disinformation. In Kenya, the United Nations Code for Africa appointed two librarians to address misinformation and disinformation on elections and climate change. The librarians played a pivotal role in identifying and correcting misinformation and disinformation surrounding the 2022 Kenyan general elections, making timely reviews of and edits to Wikipedia.
Rights: Rights are defined by International IDEA as ‘an aggregate measure of a fair legal system, respect for civil liberties, the extent to which the material and social supports of democracy are available, and the degree to which political and social equality between social groups and genders is realised.’ In a follow-on to that definition, International IDEA states, ‘Public control over decision-making is meaningless without equality in the exercise of that control.’
From a global perspective, there is a worrying trend of decreasing rights becoming the norm. However, Australia’s ranking remains consistently in the top 10 performing countries. The heavy lifting of Australian librarians in protecting civil liberties and supporting social equality is in no doubt a contributing factor to this strong score. Australian library staff protecting access to books in the face of increasing book bans and ensuring libraries are safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ communities are powerful examples of our commitment to protecting civil liberties and social equity. In 2019, The Guardian published an opinion piece titled ‘Public libraries are not just about books. At their heart, they are about social equity’, outlining the ways in which our work to support digital inclusion, often for the most digitally excluded groups, brings about equitable access to information and protects rights.
Participation: The sub-themes defining participation include the context within which civil society operates, the strength of interest groups, the degree to which people are engaged with associations and trade unions, and voter turnout in national elections.
It would be easy to assume that Australia is inherently strong in this category or that Australian libraries have less opportunity to support participation due to the infrastructure in place for mandatory voting. But International IDEA and others recognise strong democracies as needing participation beyond voter turnout, and it’s important to note that Australia doesn’t make the top 20 list for this category. International IDEA notes, ‘Organs that facilitate public participation are key to thriving democracies, because they enable people to take ownership of the institutions that shape their political and social lives, and ensure that community- level priorities are channelled upwards to various government bodies.’
Photo: Alistair G McLellan
Increasingly, we’re seeing libraries elevate their role as providing a neutral space that is well-positioned to facilitate public participation. In 2020, Pennsylvania libraries in the US launched civic forums they called ‘Hear Me Out’, in an effort to highlight common ground on issues and provide input to local leaders. In rural Victoria, Echuca Library was recently transformed into a parliamentary chamber for the regional sitting of the Legislative Council, a move the Victorian Parliament described as ‘taking parliament to the people of northern Victoria’.
Rule of law: At its surface, this category may appear to be the most difficult case for libraries to make, as rule of law concerns the independence of the judiciary, the extent to which the public administrators use their offices for personal gain, how predictable enforcement of the law is, and the degree to which people are free from political violence. Central to this category is the degree to which a country is free from corruption. Civil society organisations recommend a range of actions to combat corruption, such as institutional reform, powerful legal sanctions, and the creation of regulatory bodies. As we look at these recommendations, it is clear that transparency plays a vital role in combating corruption and maintaining the rule of law.
In his 2007 article, ‘Corruption, transparency, and a role for libraries’, Paul Sturges writes, ‘Transparency is a term that is comparatively little used by the information professions themselves and yet it encapsulates a great deal of the rationale behind the provision of good information systems, be they libraries, archives, databases, or reporting and monitoring systems.’
As governments have increasingly responded to requests for transparency by providing information, and even requesting public comment on information online, libraries that maintain public access terminals ensure that this transparency is accessible equally. The case can further be made that transparency in government is meaningless without a literate, information literate, and digitally literate citizenry to navigate and read the information. Libraries daily play a crucial role in supporting anticorruption activities.
Research by the Human Rights Foundation indicates that thriving democracies contribute not only to political freedom but also to the realisation of every other basic individual right and societal aspiration. By fully understanding the components of democracy, libraries will be better positioned to respond strategically and holistically with resources and services that contribute to all aspects of a thriving democracy.
Academic librarianship, for all its virtues, must surely rank among the professions least represented in popular culture. Rarely do I meet anyone who knows how I spend my working days, much less someone who is interested to know. It came as a surprise, then, when I was asked by a parent at a children’s birthday party to explain the meaning of a h-index along with what constitutes plagiarism.
The catalyst for this enquiry was press coverage about Dr Claudine Gay, former president of Harvard University, who at a congressional committee hearing into antisemitism on university campuses last October was unable to unequivocally state that calling for the genocide of Jews contravened the university’s code of conduct. Criticism of her testimony
was passionate and prolonged, eventually devolving into belittling her h-index (this is a metric for measuring an author’s scholarly performance) and allegations that she plagiarised parts of her doctoral dissertation.
This latter accusation appeared to summon an enormous amount of derision toward Dr Gay, and while her alleged past academic misconduct was plainly a proxy, plagiarism’s rare and fiery incursion into the public’s consciousness led me to reflect on why this form of intellectual theft is so widely maligned. More specifically, I began to wonder if an examination of the reasons behind our collective punitive attitude toward plagiarism might be a good place to start a conversation about it with students new to university study, in particular those who may feel shame about having been accused of it.
[T]he morality of plagiarism is linked to the Western ideological perspective of the ownership of texts.
Introna and Wood
While academic librarians provide no shortage of instruction and material to students to help them avoid plagiarism, we seldom seem to speak about why it constitutes academic misconduct in the first place. And if one’s first thought upon reading that statement is that it is glaringly self-evident because copying another’s work without attribution is morally wrong, then perhaps it’s useful to remind ourselves that morality originates from cultural and historical traditions and, as such, is neither universal nor immutable.
In their 2003 article, ‘Cultural attitudes towards plagiarism’ (p. 17), Lucas Introna and Elspeth Wood contended that ‘the morality of plagiarism is linked to the Western ideological perspective of the ownership of texts’. In other words, our values are shaped by the Western concept that the creator of a piece of information is its owner. This idea dates to the Enlightenment, prior to
which man was viewed not as the centre of creativity but as a conduit through which a divine God spoke, a notion reflected by the fact that literature during the biblical era through to the medieval era is largely unauthored. This shift in thinking toward individual ownership of text turned what was a divine textual commons into personal plots of private intellectual property, thus transforming copying without permission into a form of theft and, in turn, spawning the introduction of copyright law in the 18th century. To further underline the fluidity of this concept, the postmodern era of the late 20th century again challenged ideas about who is the true creator of a text, moving back toward a collective ownership model, but this time by reason of each of us being born into, and shaped by, shared structures of language.
To mention all this is not to invite debate about cultural imperialism or moral authority, but merely to prompt reflection
on the notion that authorship is culturally specific and subject to change. It is also to suggest that by offering a brief history of how we arrived at scholarly attribution when teaching students how to adhere to its principles, we might dampen potential shame concerning transgressions and any public rush to judgement when those principles are violated, which, in my experience, is often unintentional.
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The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is the largest stupa in the Western world. It is located near Bendigo, Australia, stretching 50m square at its base and nearly 50m high. A stupa is the most sacred building in Buddhism, symbolising the enlightened mind and the path to enlightenment.
Inside the Great Stupa is a special library providing a specialised collection on Buddhism, interfaith and science. The library was established in 2016 and, in 2023, it moved to new premises located within the stupa. It was a vision of Lama Yeshe, who saw a library as an important part of the Great Stupa. The Dalai Lama recommended that the library encourage study and research in the areas of interfaith dialogue and world religions, and the interface between Buddhism – and faith in general – and science.
The library provides resources in a variety of formats, including print, multimedia and digital, archival and research materials relating to the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, and collections of cultural significance. An online library catalogue is available at greatstupa.intersearch.com.au,
and the Victorian Collections catalogue is at victoriancollections.net.au (search for Great Stupa of Universal Compassion).
The library is managed under the direction of an advisory committee. The members of the committee are Jon Breukel (BA, Dip Ed, Grad Dip Lib), Alison Ribush (former Director of Tara Institute and Mandala Books) and Barbara Rozmus (BA, Grad Dip Lib, Grad Cert Mngt), who currently manages the library, staffed largely by volunteers.
Surrounded by beautiful gardens and the peace park, the stupa is a great place to unwind, relax and learn about Buddhism. It is pet friendly (leads required) and includes the StupaView Café offering a fully vegetarian menu with vegan and gluten- free options.
The total construction cost of the Great Stupa is estimated to be $20 million, not including the artworks. Building of the new library inside the stupa was enabled through the funding received from the Victorian State Government, assisted by an endowment from the Ribush family.
After years of refurbishment works, we were excited to reopen the TL Robertson Library to the Curtin University community in February 2023.
The TL Robertson Library is an iconic building at the heart of the Curtin University Perth campus. Originally opened in 1972, the building required significant works to address end-of-life services and ensure reliable and sustainable operations moving forward. The refurbishment also presented the opportunity to modernise our facilities to better meet the preferences of our students, staff and the community.
Understanding clients’ needs has been the key to our refurbishment’s success. Prior to the refurbishment project we noted a trend of physical loans decreasing and increased
demand for study spaces, including bookable study rooms. This finding was a guiding principle for the project and resulted in our physical collection being relocated to a Compactus area on one floor, freeing up new space for student study areas. As part of the refurbishment, we were able to provide more than 3,000 seats for studying across six floors (including 660 quiet individual study spaces) and 90 bookable study rooms.
We were happy to see our plans result in positive (often humorous) feedback from our clients, including ‘A major SLAY’, ‘Goodbye home … I live here now!!!’ and ‘So exciting! Looks amazing after a well-deserved wait. Finally time to live the uni student life’.
It was also heartening to see clients ‘vote with their feet’ — the TL Robertson Library has thrummed with activity since reopening. In 2023, we counted more than 1,307,900 visitors to the library, with more than
10,600 visitors on our busiest day. More detailed feedback will be sought in a survey later in 2024, and we look forward to seeing where to direct our efforts next.
Some highlights of the refurbished TL Robertson Library include:
● a dedicated exhibition space
● a purpose-built Makerspace
● new sculpture and artwork at our entrances
● a new floor added to the building, which includes study areas and function spaces
● an outdoor terrace providing fresh air and connection to nature
● a quiet, scenic reading room
● a student café and kitchen.
While the process of refurbishment was difficult at times, having a space geared towards the needs of current and future students is exciting, and ensures we stay relevant at the heart of Curtin University.
Left
A dedicated exhibition space was created near the main entrance.
Photo: Curtin University
Left
Our new events space overlooks the pine trees at the centre of campus.
Photo: Curtin University
I adore the smell of books. In fact, I proudly wear a badge at work that labels me as a ‘book sniffer’. Students often comment in amusement asking if I really sniff books, to which my response is ‘of course!’. There is nothing like holding a book in your hand, feeling the paper between your fingers and the soft smell of the words between the pages. However, the reading landscape has evolved — we are in the digital era. The power that digital reading material (audio and ebooks) can play in the lives of young people is transformative. It has the potential to bridge the gap in student reading engagement regardless of location, reading difficulties, comprehension, reading motivation or socioeconomic status — offering substantial benefits. While there is still stigma in education based on assumptions about active reading engagement, digital reading material offers powerful advantages.
In this day and age, young people generally have access to their own devices, be it laptop or smartphone, allowing them to access digital reading material. In the research conference report Educational disadvantage in regional and rural schools (2014), Stephen Lamb, Sara Glover and Anne Walstab presented findings proclaiming that young people living in regional or rural areas are lower in reading and literacy achievement compared to those living in metropolitan regions. For young people living in rural locations, whose nearest library may be hundreds of kilometres away, or for those who do not have access to a school or local library, digital reading material is always readily available. Having the ability to read anywhere, anytime is so impactful because it allows all young people access to reading material despite their location.
Breaking down barriers to reading is the essence of digital reading material. Young people with dyslexia, other reading difficulties or visual impairment, or English as a second language (ESL) speakers, can engage with reading materials that otherwise may prove too difficult in print form. The personalised customisation of an ebook or audiobook allows the reader to access the text where they are on their reading journey. Features such as dyslexia fonts and backgrounds; highlighting and defining unknown words as they read; being able to stop, start or play back an audiobook; and being able to listen to a story while reading along with the print text in hand are all powerful features of digital reading materials that directly support struggling readers.
A common misconception about digital reading material is that it lacks rigour and engagement. With the right book, whether it be print or digital, this could not be further from the truth. Young people will engage with reading material if they are immersed in the content. The features within ebooks provide young people with tools to highlight, note-take and annotate as they read. Similarly, audiobooks allow students to visualise scenes as they are being described, model fluent reading and pronunciation and actively encourage them to predict what will happen next in the story as they listen intently. All these features point to increased reading experiences through comprehension, critical thinking and making connections — active reading.
For young people who identify as reluctant readers, digital reading materials may offer the motivation and engagement needed to shift this self-perception. Irene Picton (2014) revealed in her study The impact of ebooks on the reading motivation and reading skills of children and young people that students with access to digital reading materials had higher levels of reading engagement outside of school. This notion was supported by Emily Best (2020) in her report Audiobooks and Literacy, asserting that the ‘cool factor’ of digital reading material was pertinent for reluctant readers, particularly boys, to begin to expand their reading experiences. The integration of digital reading materials into educational settings not only aligns with the technological proclivities of young people but also serves as a catalyst for transforming the reading habits of reluctant readers, as evidenced by the increased engagement and diversification of reading experiences outside the classroom — ultimately, positively shaping their reading identities.
Digital reading materials, particularly if purchased as part of a shared collection, can be a cost-effective way for school libraries to build a robust collection. While the charm of print books on our shelves remains irreplaceable, digital reading materials offer a cost-effective solution for those with budget constraints. Often the price of these resources is lower than their print counterparts (due to lower production costs) and often the ongoing costs to repair or replace damaged print books can prove to be costly on limited library budgets. The strategic incorporation of digital reading material in
Children who read using a mixture of formats had better overall reading for enjoyment and were more likely to self-identify as a reader and to have a favourite book.
school libraries would represent an investment that balances budget allocations with the timeless value of print books, ensuring that young people in our schools have access to a diverse and enriching literary world.
I began this article declaring myself as a book sniffer, emphasising the fact that print books are timeless and irreplaceable; however, the benefits of digital reading material cannot be denied. Picton (2014) sums this sentiment up perfectly in her study: ‘Children who read using a mixture of formats had better overall reading for enjoyment and were more likely to self-identify as a reader and to have a favourite book.’ Regardless of location, reading difficulties, comprehension, reading motivation or socioeconomic status, digital reading material can help bridge these divides — allowing equality for all young people and having a positive impact on their reading journey. Young people who learn to enjoy reading tend to grow into adults who read, sharing this passion with their own families and keeping the love of reading alive through generations.
We are very excited to announce that CHOICE® from the Australian Consumers’ Association is now available in Gale OneFile: Australia and New Zealand (Full-Text content only) as of 2024.
• Choice magazine backfile from December 2021 up until the current issue (March 2024)
• Gale has negotiated no official embargo for the monthly publications.
Gale Books & Authors helps to connect readers with books. Among many benefits to your library, it can increase circulation of fiction and non-fiction, build and promote book clubs and programs in your library and help patrons make informed reading choices. Since November 2021, we have been working with an Australian librarian as our local ANZ Subject Matter Expert and have now added over 500 new Australian and New Zealand titles and authors
Speak to your Gale Account Manager to arrange a free 30-day trial or discuss how a Gale local content solution will meet your library community’s needs.
Laura
@cengage.com
@cengage.com