Across the sector, universities are transforming the student experience by reconceptualising the ways in which they partner with students. The academic library is at the heart of the university experience and libraries have a long history of collaboration and engaging with their communities. As such academic libraries are the perfect next frontier…

As the digital environment continues to become more pervasive in our lives, academic libraries have had to adapt to ensure that services remain relevant to users' needs. Research was conducted to examine the 2009-2011 refurbishment at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Library and evaluate its success in meeting users' needs in terms of…

Two floors of the W. K. Hancock Library at the Australian National University (ANU) were refurbished in 2011 as part of a cooperative project between the library and the College of Science. The refurbishment, costing $5 million, was part of a much larger exercise involving the construction of four new science buildings around the Hancock Library.…

The fourth in a series of articles on library buildings completed in the 1980s describes and evaluates new and remodeled buildings in Australia and New Zealand. The types of library buildings evaluated include state, public, academic, parliamentary, national, and special libraries. (30 notes/references) (Author/CLB)

A description of the building and its operation and use, and the library functions, collections, services, and staff is provided. Financial statements are included. (AB)

This fact book, compiled to fill the need of practicing librarians and researchers for recent data on public libraries, contains statistics concerning or relevant to the U.S. public library system. Data on all aspects of American public libraries are summarized from such sources as annual reports, journal articles, surveys, books, doctoral theses,…

Includes eight articles that address issues related to library design and function in Australia. Highlights include renovations and redevelopments; public libraries' expansions for changing needs, including a youthspace; a joint-use university and public library; the new Australian War Memorial research center; and a new university library. (LRW)

Drawing on recent experience and observation in New South Wales, this paper describes issues facing authorities, planners and librarians who are working on public library building projects. The author emphasises the need for all involved to focus not just on traditional good design principles, but also on user needs, consulting the community,…

The appendixes to the evaluation of Victoria, Australia's secondary school libraries include lists of the 33 schools visited to gather information and of the interviewees. The names of the 132 high schools with Commonwealth libraries are given with the dates of their openings and maps showing their locations. Copies of survey instruments used to…

In May 2000, a survey of current academic library building activities in Australia was undertaken. The libraries were asked to identify current or planned building projects, the drivers of the projects (i.e., why they were being undertaken), assumptions about the future of academic libraries underlying the planning, and what were seen as the key…

Faced with task duplication in its public branch libraries, the Library Council of Victoria, Australia, undertook a feasibility study called Technilib to determine whether a central cataloging and processing bureau should be established. Consultants considered the practicality and expense of introducing a centralized cataloging service using the…

Briefly discusses the problems and concerns that face school librarians in foreign countries. Examples from various countries are presented to illustrate a few of the difficulties and the creative efforts of librarians and administrators to overcome these difficulties. (CLB)

More frequently, community connections are being expressed in library design briefs and reflected in the completed buildings. This collection of brief articles discusses community involvement in library design and services and describes library construction projects in Australia and Malaysia. Also, discusses community art programs, integrating…

An extensive evaluation was made of secondary school libraries in Australia at the end of each of two 3-year funding periods. A multitude of figures, charts, tables, and graphs were compiled to document the evaluation. The two major areas examined were provision of library facilities and use of library facilities. In the first area allocation of…

The Library Committee of the Victoria Institute of Colleges prepared these guidelines for the administration of libraries in the colleges of advanced education. The function of the colleges, and the libraries' role within the academic community are briefly discussed. Guidelines for the improvement of services are offered in the following areas:…