The author asserts that something is wrong with university-based education for librarianship in Australia. Librarianship does not have a clear disciplinary identity in universities. The lack of differentiation between the roles of technicians and professionals clouds the issue. For these and other reasons, education for librarianship in Australia…

The "New South Wales Learning 2.0" training program is being made available to the entire NSW public library work force of over 2300 people in 2008-2009. This paper is a snapshot of the impact of the course as at September 2008, five months after it was launched. It explores how the training impacted on the staff skill levels, knowledge,…

In 2005, the Library at UNSW began a comprehensive restructuring process that fundamentally changed the provision of services to its academic community. A primary aim of this process was to increase flexibility of service development and delivery and so to improve research support. The motivation for reformed services arose from considerations…

The inclusion or not of chat services within Virtual Reference (VR) is an important topic for university libraries. Increasingly, email supported by a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) database is suggested in the scholarly literature as the preferred, cost-effective means for providing university VR services. This paper examines these issues and…

This article identifies and provides some commentary on the key issues emerging from research into the digitisation of Indigenous materials in collections conducted in collaboration with three state libraries. It situates the research project within the broader context of related activity aimed at addressing the ongoing challenges of access,…

Describes a study that examined continuing professional development activities, needs, and aspirations of Australian special librarians and information center managers. The extent and nature of organizational support, educational activities and professional involvement of those interviewed, and participants' perceptions of present and future needs…

This booklet provides a framework within which information skills may be taught. Four broad categories of information skills--identifying and locating information sources, information intake, organizing information, and communicating information--are described. The development of an information skills policy which includes a sequential list of…

This is the final article in a series examining globalisation and the role of Australian librarians in internationalising library, university, and international practice in higher education. It describes case studies of Australian academic libraries in which a successful pattern for internationalisation emerged. The conclusions of the research are…

Descriptions of microcomputer software packages currently available in Australia emphasize those used by special and school libraries. Software for library management functions, text retrieval, and database management systems are included, and geographical distribution is examined. The need for professional development courses in software…

Designed for media specialists and educators, this issue contains four articles focusing on children and television. The lead article outlines major Australian views on television, analyzing how these concepts determine that country's use of the medium. The second article reviews international developments in children's television highlighted at…

This guide is intended to set a context for the development of library and information services in Australian schools. The focus reflects recent changes in Australian education, in particular the development of national curriculum statements. These changes emphasize the processes of learning and the consequent need for information and information…

This bibliography lists 1,038 multicultural books for children and teenagers, published between 1970 and 1991, that can assist librarians, teachers, and parents in educating children and young adults about their changing world. The books are selected to enhance opportunities for children to live and learn together by providing them with fair and…

Questions presented in workbook format are interspersed with quotations from the literature about the library profession's stereotypes and self-image. The document opens with a synopsis of how librarians are portrayed by the mass media. Exercises about role perceptions are presented (e.g., define the terms "librarian" and…

This project was designed to establish a national center for cross cultural studies in library science and library-related teacher education, to develop a collection of teaching resources for community languages and cultures, and to promote multicultural perspectives within school/teacher librarianship courses in Australia. The first of six…

This book is a baseline guide for professionals and library school students on issues that concern the selection and bibliographic control of electronic resources, from both conceptual and pragmatic standpoints. The book includes the following articles: (1) "Foreward" (Lois Mai Chan); (2) "Introduction" (Ling-yuh W. (Miko)…