TOWARDS FEDERATION 2001: Linking Australians with Their Heritage Review Meeting 1993

Progress Reports 1994-1996

Section A - Services to Special Communities
K: People with Disabilities


RK1 That the National Library of Australia regularly monitor the extent to which alternative format materials accessible to people with disabilities, are included in collection development policies and collecting agreements that are reported to it.

1994-1996

This is an ongoing activity within the DNC Office of the National Library of Australia.

RK2 That the National Library of Australian and State and Territory Libraries, in consultation with relevant groups, seek to include in any changes to deposit legislation, reference to formats of materials accessible to people with disabilities.

1994 - 1996

The National Film and Sound Archive and the National Library of Australia prepared a submission to the Copyright Law Review Committee in September 1995. The paper argues for the extension of the Commonwealth legal deposit provisions to cover "microforms, audio-visual materials of all kinds and electronic publications... and all formats yet to be developed, in addition to the print-based publications currently included." The paper also argues the principle of selection by the depository institution

The State Library of South Australia reports that the South Australian Copyright Act was amended in 1989 to cover non-print formats. They are thus collecting material by default in formats accessible to people with disabilities. They also actively attempt to collect a representative sample of items in different formats, including Braille. Since budgets do not allow us to purchase sufficient materials, they work co-operatively with other agencies. For example, they refer people to the special services for people with hearing impairments offered by Townsend School, with whose librarian they have regular contact, to other special libraries and to public libraries.

State Library of Queensland reports that this Resolution is covered by State Library of Queensland legislation

The ACT Library Service reports that the ACT has no legal deposit legislation as yet. It is however planned to develop this legislation in 1995 or 1996 and this will be included at that time

The current draft legislation for the Library and Information Service of Western Australia includes references to formats of materials accessible to people with disabilities.

Alternative format titles with Tasmanian content or titles which are published in Tasmania only in an alternative format are obtained under legal deposit by the State Library of Tasmania. No change to legal deposit legislation is required or anticipated.

Northern Territory Library is developing a case for the introduction of library legislation including legal deposit legislation - consultation about formats of materials to be collected will be part of this process.

State Library of New South Wales reports that in NSW the Premier's Memorandum covering government publications has been changed and now extends to non-print material, some of which is appropriate to people with disabilities.

The Legal Deposit legislation for NSW is being drafted to incorporate non-print materials some of which are appropriate to people with disabilities. Drafting legislation and having it enacted is a lengthy process and it may be some time before this is achieved. In the meantime the Library continues to collection material suitable for people with disabilities. Adaptive technology is used to make all formats accessible. The Disability Access Consultant provides input to the selection process for new collection items.

The State Library of Victoria reports that within Victoria the legal deposit provisions of the Libraries Act 1988 have a broad coverage which includes such material. There is no need for change in the legislation.

RK3 That the Australian Committee on Cataloguing work to influence international bibliographic standards and practice to improve access to materials for people with disabilities.

AUGUST 1994

Australian Committee on Cataloguing has presented recommendations to Joint Steering Committee for the Revision of AACR concerning description of captioned and signed video recordings for the hearing impaired.

JUNE 1995

Joint Steering Committee rejected proposals to qualify general material designation for captioned and signed video recordings for the hearing impaired. Other solutions are being discussed at forthcoming JSC meeting, involving use of note area.

A watching brief is being maintained by ACOC, and consultation with librarians involved in disabilities' issues is ongoing.

The Australian Committee on Cataloguing has noted that all the identified tasks to improve bibliographic access to information in alternative formats have been addressed. These are: the production of guidelines for cataloguing computer files used for the production of alternative format materials, the provision of access to signed and captioned video recordings, access to easy to read materials, and access to coded data in records for sound recordings. ACOC will report on these projects and invite suggestions for further projects in a future issue of Link Up.

JUNE 1996

ACOC had nothing further to report in June 1996.

RK4 That the National Library of Australia, in re-examining its national bibliographic products, ensure the timely identification of materials produced for people with disabilities

AUGUST 1994

The National Library of Australia is reviewing the current editing of ANB, with a view to releasing resources to explore the expansion of ANB to include material in non-print formats. RK4 will be folded into this broader project, which is scheduled in the National Library of Australia Annual Operational Plan for 1994/95.

JUNE 1995

The National Library of Australia reports that reviews of editing and production processes during 1994/95 have demonstrated that expansion of the scope and coverage of the Australian National Bibliography is not feasible within the constraints of the present production system. The National Library of Australia anticipates that the implementation of the World 1 service will provide opportunities for significant review of the delivery of national bibliographic information and services. During 1995/96 the Library will develop plans for delivery of national bibliography services from the World 1 service, and this will certainly embrace the inclusion of alternative format materials.

JUNE 1996

Broad assessment of the role of the national bibliography is underway taking account of WORLD 1 service options.

RK5 That the Copyright Committee to be established by ACLIS include in its deliberations the issue of a broadening of the statutory licence provisions, with the aim of promoting access by anyone who cannot read standard print material to productions in alternative formats

AUGUST 1994

This Resolution has been passed to the ACLIS Research Officer for inclusion on the agenda of the Copyright Committee (RL1).

JUNE 1995

This issues is included in the brief of the Libraries Copyright Committee.

APRIL 1996

ACLIS reports no further progress on this resolution.

RK6 That the National Library ask the Commonwealth Government's Public Lending Right Committee to consider appropriate changes to the Public Lending Right Scheme to include audio books and other alternative format materials

1994 - 1996

The National Library of Australia, Cultural and Educational Services Division wrote to the Chair of the Public Lending Right Scheme in February 1994. They replied that the Public Lending Right Scheme was under review and issues such as audio books and other non book materials would be examined. It was expected that the Review would be concluded in August 1994. The National Library of Australia is to follow this up with the Public Lending Right Scheme.


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