There is so much going on here i can't cover even this mornings stuff in this entry - i was just chatting to two health librarians about doctors ringing them from the surgery wanting help during an operation - and we thought our jobs were stressful! anyway, Chasing the sun is a global reference service for medicos - it sounds like it started out as a phone line and is now live reference.
One of the speakers this morning was talking about getting over the lack of resources and just doing things - a nice idea and an ideal - how can we do this? it requires confidence to play with stuff (the fun theme again) and setting aside time - and lots of it. How do we manage this lack of time problem - culture change to enable staff to work more fluidly maybe.
I'm struck though - so much talk here, depending on your global position, about increased literacy and kids reading so much and the development of super futures - but there's also been a lot of stuff on indigenous and remote lack of access in Australia. So many libraries are grappling with it.
I've yet to meet a law librarian - why not? everyone else on the planet is here.
Friday, September 5, 2008
One of the best things I have learned from this conference is that "Indigenous Literacy Day" is on 3rd September each year. Next year I am hoping to do something to celebrate it. A display in the Mitchell Reading Room would be fantastic but an actual function with Public Library Service would be unreal. Its something Ronald and I will have to "workshop" over coffee at Cafe Trim during the next couple of months.
On a personal side - I have reunited with so many people I have known within the profession over the years. Those "Old Timers" like me will remember Kate Irvine. She was one of my mentors when I first started at the library. About 10 years ago she and her family moved to Victoria and she now works for the State Library of Victoria. Catching up with her was definitely one of my conference highlights.
Posted by Melissa Jackson
Award presentations
Derek Whitehead (president of ALIA) presented two ALIA Fellowships yesterday to:
- Roxanne Missingham - Parliamentary Librarian
- Christine Mackenzie - Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries
I had the honour of presenting three awards:
- International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) - Ena Noel Australian Encouragement Award to Markus Zusak.
- ALIA Marjorie Cotton Award - Melinda McNaughton from Sutherland Shire Libraries (NSW)
- ALIA Bess Thomas Award - Bidyadanga Community Library (WA)
Margaret Whitaker from City of Sydney Libraries received the ALIA Study Grant to research public music libraries and write a proposal for Sydney.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Learning from art libraries
Joye Volke and Jennifer Coombes (a librarian and an archivist) talked about Creating visibility : archives, ephemera and oral history at the National Gallery of Australia.
They are a participant in the Dictionary of Australian artists online. They are also contributors to Prints and print making Australia Asia and Pacific.
Joye and Jennifer talked of the difficulty of providing access to detailed personal archives containing letters, papers, photographs, sketches…There is a challenge to create more visibility for these collections and a start is a more detailed catalogue entry. As well the NGA has started cataloguing their ephemera onto Libraries Australia as well there is a pdf listing of collections which NGA holds ephemera.
They have made some oral histories available online and have been contacting people and their descendants for permission and will add more over time.
Ellen Thompson and Kelly McKeon talked about M is for meeting places which is about how the Art Library Society of Australia and New Zealand (which has about 120 members and a mix of specials and academic) to meet online. They wanted to harness the power of the crowd of the members using the idea of an online clubhouse – using web 2.0 tools. The ARLIS web site allows multiple levels of user access and it built in drupal. They plan for the site to be in perpetual beta.
They are a participant in the Dictionary of Australian artists online. They are also contributors to Prints and print making Australia Asia and Pacific.
Joye and Jennifer talked of the difficulty of providing access to detailed personal archives containing letters, papers, photographs, sketches…There is a challenge to create more visibility for these collections and a start is a more detailed catalogue entry. As well the NGA has started cataloguing their ephemera onto Libraries Australia as well there is a pdf listing of collections which NGA holds ephemera.
They have made some oral histories available online and have been contacting people and their descendants for permission and will add more over time.
Ellen Thompson and Kelly McKeon talked about M is for meeting places which is about how the Art Library Society of Australia and New Zealand (which has about 120 members and a mix of specials and academic) to meet online. They wanted to harness the power of the crowd of the members using the idea of an online clubhouse – using web 2.0 tools. The ARLIS web site allows multiple levels of user access and it built in drupal. They plan for the site to be in perpetual beta.
big picture advocacy and small
advocacy has been discussed here this morning big and small. there is a lesson in talking about what we do to others - and to our own colleagues. just being part of a blog conversation demonstrates that to 'be talking' with others of value to you is 50% of the advocacy battle.
I'll be interested to see how our organisation embraces the talking and blogging as a tool to talk - and i also wonder what it means for our clients? how many of them know us and what we really are doing?
I'll be interested to see how our organisation embraces the talking and blogging as a tool to talk - and i also wonder what it means for our clients? how many of them know us and what we really are doing?
Inga Lunden
Inga Lunden City Librarian, Stockholm, and Director of Stockholm Public Library talked about creating public paradise (an effective library) in the connected age. Inga talked of libraries being you find thing you did not know you were looking for – the net library should be the same – you also meet people you did not know you were longing for – and you can mix in an actual space with people of all ages, culture…She also highlighted the need to have stories to tell about the library to funders and to people using the collections and services, of the need to deliver facts and figures as well as stories of today, yesterday and the future. The final decision about the new Stockholm Library will be made in November or December this year – the decision is not yet certain. In planning for a library service it is necessary to focus on people’s needs and dreams, developing products and services that people desire.
New city libraries are libraries planned for Oslo, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. The plans for the new central library in Stockholm show the discovery library, the secret garden, and the house of narration. The house of narration is story telling for all ages and culture. The discovery library is for all ages – where curiosity is celebrated. Inga talked of the possibility of whispering walls and talking floors. Connecting both hw discovery library and the house of narration would be an agora and secret garden – which would open when the trains are running (a new railway station in planned for this area).
Claudia Lux
Claudia Lux
Director Berlin Public Library, and President of IFLA
This session covered very useful material to assist with advocacy for libraries.
Libraries always in culture and education but the role of libraries in city planning, family policy, health, economy and administration is understated – so exploring these options may open other resource streams . This worked in Berlin. We also have to become better at showcasing what libraries actually do. The following are some helpful dot points provided by Claudia to help with advocacy.
Advocacy to do
• never say bad about the others
• focus positive on goal – don’t whinge
• present success stories
• use statistics – but believe in more
• create pictures in their minds
• be patient
• be stubborn
• always stay controlled – makes you stronger, more professional
• start now – the rest will come later
• promote knowledge on advocacy – professional development, can be learned
• love the professions
• have fun
Project on stage
• personality is key
• talk clear and short – no reading, bullet points with statistics
• ask questions
• add humour
• smile and thank
Podcasts
Loriene Roy recording a podcast about Indigenous Literacy Day with Melissa. Loriene Roy recently spoke at the State Library of NSW.
local speakers
Melissa Jackson, Ronald Briggs, Fiona Blackburn and Sylvia Perrurle Neale before their talks yesterday.
Akaltye Antheme
Fiona Blackburn and Sylvia Perrurle Neale of the Alice Springs Public Library spoke about the Akaltye Antheme collection at their library. Akaltye Antheme means giving knowledge. This mostly Indigenous language collection is a partnership with staff and management (library and council) and community organizations. The collection was set up in 2002, with funds from The Alice Springs Town Council, and expended in 2003 with some funding form Northern Territory Libraries. The Town Council continues to fund the collection. They have also received donations from local Indigenous organizations of local material showcasing local indigenous life and culture. Some donations now digital. The Central Land Council has donated an image database which they continue to add to. There is a new collection of materials of languages spoken in Central Australia . The library has bought all materials available. This area is a popular and well used part of the Alice Springs Public Library. This photograph shows Akaltye Antheme.
Indigenous languages
Walking to the Alice Springs Public Library on Monday I heard something I had never heard before – people speaking an Indigenous language in Australia. It was not just one instance of hearing this – many people were walking around talking languages other than English, but not languages spoken in other countries, It was exciting hearing local languages being so vibrant and strong.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Library stars: access, entrepreneurs, meeting places - Nhulunbuy
One of the showcased library stars was Shirley Shepherd of the Nhulunbuy Community Library talking about the Yirrkala storytime.
View Larger Map
Nhulunbuy (a mining town) is on the east coast of Arnhem land, 600 km from Darwin, and a 12 hour drive for 4 wheel drive (the road is closed during the wet season). Nhulunbuy is a joint use school and public library. The largest and closest Indigenous community is at Yirrkala which is a restricted access traditional community. The traditional languages are strong. Many preschool aged children have little or no English. Shirley started a weekly storytime outside the Women’s Centre in Yirrkala. The stories are told in English and translated into Yolngu, there are activities and times for the children to look at non-fiction books. There is a challenge to select stories appropriate for instant translation. Shirley and other staff are learning Yolngu
What’s next?
Shirley plans to work on outreach to the community so that the storytimes outside the library continue as vital part of the library service.
This was an exciting service to hear about as it was responsive to the community, and worked with local partners.
View Larger Map
Nhulunbuy (a mining town) is on the east coast of Arnhem land, 600 km from Darwin, and a 12 hour drive for 4 wheel drive (the road is closed during the wet season). Nhulunbuy is a joint use school and public library. The largest and closest Indigenous community is at Yirrkala which is a restricted access traditional community. The traditional languages are strong. Many preschool aged children have little or no English. Shirley started a weekly storytime outside the Women’s Centre in Yirrkala. The stories are told in English and translated into Yolngu, there are activities and times for the children to look at non-fiction books. There is a challenge to select stories appropriate for instant translation. Shirley and other staff are learning Yolngu
What’s next?
Shirley plans to work on outreach to the community so that the storytimes outside the library continue as vital part of the library service.
This was an exciting service to hear about as it was responsive to the community, and worked with local partners.
NSLA Indigenous Services Working Group
This is my third day in Alice Springs and it's been great.
In case you don't already know NSLA has an Indigenous Services Working Group where representatives from Australian State libraries, the National Library, AIATSIS and the National Library of NZ can discuss issues and developments about Indigenous services, collections and initiatives.
On Monday and Tuesday the Working group met, with some delegates by teleconference, with a very full agenda. Each member is able to talk about what their library has been doing in regards to Indigenous services.
I spoke about the State Library NSW recently receiving a grant to train new Indigenous staff and the upcoming Indigenous online collections on Aboriginal languages.
The Working Group also looks at collaborative projects and other areas where we can share knowledge and experience.
Today the ALIA conference has begun in earnest and I spent this morning at the Indigenous sessions - of course. Martin Nakata was keynote speaker and brilliant.
I've also had an interview with the SMH about the online languages collection this morning, organised by Vanessa Bond - Thanks Vanessa!
More to come.
Cheers
Ronald Briggs
Indigenous Services
ALIA at Alice Springs hello
Greetings to my colleagues from Alice Springs and the ALIA conference. Well it's been great, even this first morning, meeting colleagues from beyond the walls of my usual sphere of LIAC. The Library 2.0 tools have been much in evidence - Google Maps, all sorts of blogs and video streaming - it sure adds colour to boring web sites. Good discussions also with staff from libraries far afield who are exploring ways to reach out to clients.
The Convention centre is a place big enough to cope with this wide brood of folk and small enough to encourage chats with everyone easy. And fun is big here. It's easy in such a beautiful environment with the red cliffs dramatic and inspiring us all on all sides.
Must dash now - lunch and chatting and learning call.
Jeanell
The Convention centre is a place big enough to cope with this wide brood of folk and small enough to encourage chats with everyone easy. And fun is big here. It's easy in such a beautiful environment with the red cliffs dramatic and inspiring us all on all sides.
Must dash now - lunch and chatting and learning call.
Jeanell
Library stars: access, entrepreneurs, meeting places - a perspective from Stockholm
This photograph shows the conference venue 
The key note for the day was given by Inga Lunden, City Librarian, Stockholm, and Director of Stockholm Public Library.
Inga highlighted the themes for the day providing examples of how public libraries provide access, invite entrepreneurs, and create meeting places. She described a library she had seen at the IFLA conference in Durban, where at Thekwini (between Durban and Pietermaritzburg) the library staff talked with the people in the community while they were growing a vegetable garden together. This garden grew, outside the library, as ideas were shared about health, and raising children, and over time more and more people joined together. This is a culture of participation, where people participating in growing beets, also came to participate in using the library.
The mission for Inga’s library is that “Stockholm Library will inspire to knowledge and imagination with knowledge and imagination”. She highlighted the need for all library staff to have a sense of curiosity and sense of adventure, the need for big ears and fast feet, intuition and sense of trust and timing and the confidence to use it as well as the networking skills of s spider. She said that we are working to change from information systems to communication systems, from intermediary culture to participatory culture, from final cut to always beta and not have to wait until everything is perfect.
Inga talked of the need for new skills – for patrons and staff, including reading and writing, research and analysis, negotiating across culturally different communities, forming bonds with community leaders and that libraries have to role to encourage people to play/stimulate/perform/appropriate/sample/remix
Stockholm is growing (to around 800 000 people). It is also growing in knowledge, diversity and complexity. Inga stressed that in libraries we can make use of people’s creativity and capacity – not only within the elite, that we should work with partners who we don’t usually work with
Inga also mentioned that libraries and museums are in the security business – libraries want to make people less scared of each other – to make them meet people from other areas. Stockholm are working on the library net, the net library and a new central library. They are linking ideas from the three areas so that each works better. For example every time someone wants to renew a book they have the opportunity to comment on the book and write a review for others in the library to read.
“When people in motion meet a library in motion everything is possible” comes from the Stockholm strategic plan, This has Stockholm public libraries striving to be more accessible, urgent, effective.
Claudia Lux, Director Berlin Public Library, and President of IFLA spoke of the IFLA libraries success database which is used for advocacy on an international level. All kinds of libraries were asked to add their success stories to the database
The key note for the day was given by Inga Lunden, City Librarian, Stockholm, and Director of Stockholm Public Library.
Inga highlighted the themes for the day providing examples of how public libraries provide access, invite entrepreneurs, and create meeting places. She described a library she had seen at the IFLA conference in Durban, where at Thekwini (between Durban and Pietermaritzburg) the library staff talked with the people in the community while they were growing a vegetable garden together. This garden grew, outside the library, as ideas were shared about health, and raising children, and over time more and more people joined together. This is a culture of participation, where people participating in growing beets, also came to participate in using the library.
The mission for Inga’s library is that “Stockholm Library will inspire to knowledge and imagination with knowledge and imagination”. She highlighted the need for all library staff to have a sense of curiosity and sense of adventure, the need for big ears and fast feet, intuition and sense of trust and timing and the confidence to use it as well as the networking skills of s spider. She said that we are working to change from information systems to communication systems, from intermediary culture to participatory culture, from final cut to always beta and not have to wait until everything is perfect.
Inga talked of the need for new skills – for patrons and staff, including reading and writing, research and analysis, negotiating across culturally different communities, forming bonds with community leaders and that libraries have to role to encourage people to play/stimulate/perform/appropriate/sample/remix
Stockholm is growing (to around 800 000 people). It is also growing in knowledge, diversity and complexity. Inga stressed that in libraries we can make use of people’s creativity and capacity – not only within the elite, that we should work with partners who we don’t usually work with
Inga also mentioned that libraries and museums are in the security business – libraries want to make people less scared of each other – to make them meet people from other areas. Stockholm are working on the library net, the net library and a new central library. They are linking ideas from the three areas so that each works better. For example every time someone wants to renew a book they have the opportunity to comment on the book and write a review for others in the library to read.
“When people in motion meet a library in motion everything is possible” comes from the Stockholm strategic plan, This has Stockholm public libraries striving to be more accessible, urgent, effective.
Claudia Lux, Director Berlin Public Library, and President of IFLA spoke of the IFLA libraries success database which is used for advocacy on an international level. All kinds of libraries were asked to add their success stories to the database
Library Stars: Meeting Places and Entrepreneurs
Meeting spaces
VerbYL is a very successful youth centre and youth library in Yeppoon, Queensland. Debra Burn, the library manager, described the roles of the library staff and youth workers in making the centre a popular hangout for local teenagers which attracts both ‘elite’ and ‘at risk’ young people.
The meeting places poster sessions were:
- Creating meeting places for readers ~ Yarra Plenty Regional Library, VIC
- The third place ~ Sunshine Coast Libraries, QLD
Entrenpreneurs
Riding a tide of local history: Launceston Library’s publishing program 1999 – 2008 was presented by Peter Richardson from Launceston Library and Online Access, Centre, State Library of Tasmania. Launceston is the site of the third European settlement in Australia and sits on the junction of three rivers. They have had a library in the community since 1842. The Launceston Library is custodian of the city’s documentary heritage and has a publishing program that engages local community members and aims to increase understanding of their collections and their use.
One example of a successful project published on the web http://www.launcestonfamilyalbum.org.au/
- The entrepreneurs poster sessions were:
The Jane Austen Book Club ~ Central West Libraries NSW : this project included resources for book clubs based on each of Jane Austen’s novels and a very successful local premiere of the movie. - WikiNorthia ~ Darebin, Moreland and Yarra Plenty Libraries, VIC : http://www.wikinorthia.net.au/ is a partnership between these library services to provide their communities with the opportunity to contribute their memories and information to document life in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
Indigenous Literacy Day - today!
Did you know that today is indigenous literacy day? www.worldwithoutbooks.org is the website. I am looking forward to Anita Heiss's presentation on Indigenous Literacy.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
ALIA National Advisory Congress
The National Advisory Congress (NAC) was chaired by the ALIA president, Derek Whitehead. All members of the ALIA Board attended with the exception of Kate Watson.
Why have an NAC?
The aim of the NAC is to provide a forum for ALIA members to contribute to the strategy of the Association. Summaries of the regional meetings are available online and 3% of ALIA members participated in these meetings. The National NAC is held every two years at the ALIA Conference and provides a unique opportunity for members from all sectors to come together to discuss issues and strategy.
What did we talk about?
1. The outcomes of the Workforce and Education Summit
2. Professional Development was the main focus of this year's meeting. It's an ALIA priority for 2009 and there much debate about whether a compulsory scheme would be a good thing and what the roles of employers, educators, employees and ALIA should be in ensuring that we have a smart, skilled workforce. Did you know that approximately 10% of ALIA members are engaged in the Professional Development program?
3. The system of course recognition will be reviewed next year.
Posted by Mylee
Why have an NAC?
The aim of the NAC is to provide a forum for ALIA members to contribute to the strategy of the Association. Summaries of the regional meetings are available online and 3% of ALIA members participated in these meetings. The National NAC is held every two years at the ALIA Conference and provides a unique opportunity for members from all sectors to come together to discuss issues and strategy.
What did we talk about?
1. The outcomes of the Workforce and Education Summit
2. Professional Development was the main focus of this year's meeting. It's an ALIA priority for 2009 and there much debate about whether a compulsory scheme would be a good thing and what the roles of employers, educators, employees and ALIA should be in ensuring that we have a smart, skilled workforce. Did you know that approximately 10% of ALIA members are engaged in the Professional Development program?
3. The system of course recognition will be reviewed next year.
Posted by Mylee
Charles Darwin University Library
Charles Darwin University Library in Alice Springs is a joint use library shared by the university, and a university run senior school (years 10, 11 and 12). It is in eastern Alice Springs, a few kilometres from the centre of town. It was a well lit, fairly new library which included colourful displays of local interest. The were some separate collections within the library - targeting either the university or the school students. The library was next to the cafe and students services. It was also located where the school and university met so that it was in shared space rather than on university or school land. The staff provided and excellent library tour.
Alice Springs Public Library
I visited the Alice Springs Public Library yesterday. This photograph shows the entrance to the library. Quite a few people cycled or walked to the library. There were lots of people using the library, doing local studies research in the Alice Springs room, reading, listening to music (via wireless headsets), watching videos, browsing the award winning Indigenous language collection of books, and using the public library in all ways possible. There were seats outside the library where people could sit and wait, or catch up with their friends.
The library provides a country lending service to anyone who has a mailbox which goes through Alice Springs and who live most than 100 kilometres from the town. This service means that you fill in a form with your reading interests and books are mailed out to you. You can have then for six weeks and post them back. The return postage is paid by the Alice Springs Town Council and the Northern Territory government.
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