Go to National Library of Australia Home PageNational Library of Australia Online

SEARCH:

TOWARDS FEDERATION 2001
Linking Australians and their Heritage

Report of Review Meeting, 9-10 December 1993
Advice To Institutions

The main resolutions contained in this report are intended to lead to specific actions by named organisations or institutions. The Resolutions headed Advice to institutions are designed to achieve one or both of two purposes. In some cases, they are directed to types of institutions not represented at the Meeting but which are none-the-less deemed to have a particular interest in Australian documentary heritage materials. In other cases, they incorporate a wider range of libraries, archives and other institutions than those present could directly influence. In both cases, the intention is that the Advices act as a spur to institutions to take actions which would both complement and enrich the outcomes of the main resolutions and thus extend the impact of the Towards Federation 2001 program.

  • Collecting Activities
  • Bibliographical Activities
  • Physical Access
  • Preservation Activities
  • Services To Special Communities

Collecting Activities

RAA1
That all institutions holding collections of Australian documentary heritage materials complete and publish acquisition/collection development policies for their Australian documentary heritage materials.

RAA2
That libraries of Commonwealth, State and Territory government departments, statutory authorities and other publicly-funded agencies and institutions each collect and retain a copy of all the significant published output of their agency.

Bibliographical Activities

RCA1
That institutions other than the National, State and Territory libraries, which have significant collections of Australian newspapers, catalogue all their holdings of Australian newspapers on the NBD by the year 2001, in support of the National Plan for Australian Newspapers.

RCA2
That institutions other than the National, State and Territory libraries, which have significant collections of Australian serials, catalogue all their holdings of Australian serials on the NBD by the year 2001, in support of the proposed National Plan for Australian Journals.

RCA3
That organisations with an interest in bibliographic access to Australia's documentary heritage, develop strategies to provide more effective bibliographic access to their Australian documentary collections, by cataloguing and indexing both current and retrospective materials, and by converting significant retrospective files for contribution to the National Bibliographic Database. [Note: Strategies may take the form of assistance with training, provision of support staff, financial incentives, or the funding of special projects].

RCA4
That the National, State and Territory libraries, and any other institution with significant holdings of 19th century Australiana, endeavour to achieve comprehensive coverage of their nineteenth century printed Australiana on the NBD by the year 2001.

[The Review Meeting noted that the following libraries have expressed their commitment to achieving this outcome: the National Library of Australia, the Northern Territory Library Service and the State Library of Queensland]

Physical Access

REA1
That national, regional and local document supply networks take note of any Australian standards for document requesting and document transmission developed by Standards Australia, and incorporate these standards into their own systems wherever this is feasible.

REA2
That institutions holding significant collections of Australia's documentary heritage develop a broad range of measures to improve physical access, for Australian and international clients, which may include:

  • exhibitions and publications
  • other touring and outreach programs
  • improved visitor information and orientation centres e.g., user friendly inquiry terminals
  • staff training in outreach and service programs
  • direct staff liaison with community groups to determine needs and to develop group specific access programs based on these needs
  • access to storage, stacks
  • decentralised access points
  • programs which permit and encourage greater knowledge and use of Australia's documentary heritage in the broadest possible range of community activities.

Preservation Activities

RGA1
That institutions with collections of Australian documentary heritage of national significance prepare preservation policies and strategies, including disaster preparedness programs.

RGA2
That major collecting institutions consider the principles expressed in the position paper of the ACLIS Taskforce on the Preservation of Australian Electronic information. [Note: This position paper was updated in December 1993].

RGA3
That in considering retrospective catalogue conversion projects institutions give priority to recording items and collections they regard as of national significance.

RGA4
That in the absence of comprehensive national standards, institutions contemplating preservation projects to create digitised copies of items consult the National Preservation Office, Australian Archives, or the National Film and Sound Archive for advice.

Services To Special Communities

[Note: While these resolutions relating to special communities were separated in Review Meeting sessions in order to provide a clear focus for discussion, many resolutions recommend actions which would be incorporated in institutions' general policy developments relating to collecting, access, etc.]

RHA1
That the principles in the Council of Australian Museum Associations document 'Previous possessions: new obligations: policies for museums in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' be considered as a basis for Institution policies on access to materials by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

RJA1
That the principles in A plan for cultural heritage institutions to reflect Australia's cultural diversity that refer to other than indigenous peoples be used as a basis for institutions' policies, with resources re-allocation as appropriate to institute the principles.

RJA2
That institutions include reference to multicultural materials in their collection development and access policies, and complete Conspectus sheets where appropriate.

RJA3
That institutions ensure that retrospective materials which reflect Australia's cultural diversity (either as originals or copies) are collected in line with overall collection development policies, and include records for such materials on the NBD.

RJA4
That institutions continue to develop their understanding of cross-cultural issues affecting service, through appropriate staff training and other strategies.

RJA5
That institutions develop an in-house policy and practice framework for the further development of cultural pluralism in collecting and access, and that copies of these frameworks be circulated amongst institutions and to the proposed National Round Table (Resolution RJ1) to assist with developing best policies and practices.

RJA6
That institutions publish more reports and articles relating to their progress of multicultural library services in the mainstream library literature, as well as in specialist channels such as Multicultural libraries.

RKA1
That institutions' collection development policies for Australia's documentary heritage include alternative format materials and other materials for people with disabilities.

RKA2
That institutions develop specific preservation policies and plans for alternative format materials (including master versions, such as audio masters, where appropriate) and report these to the National Preservation Office.

RKA3
That institutions develop and implement access technology plans for people with disabilities which will assist their access to collections, bibliographical tools, premises and services.

RKA4
That institutions report to the NBD their holdings of materials that are specifically accessible to people with disabilities and provide cataloguing to ensure effective bibliographic access.

RKA5
That institutions:

  • develop an in-house policy and practice framework for the further development of services to people with disabilities;
  • develop consultative mechanisms with people with disabilities;.
  • budget for sufficient resources, staff, equipment and upgrading of buildings to ensure implementation of policies and plans; and
  • train staff and raise their awareness about all library issues relating to people with disabilities.

Return to Report of Review Meeting, 9-10 December 1993

Last updated 10 June 1998
About This Site | Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Site Map | Site Search | Content A-Z | Contact Us