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At
the end of my first year as Chairman of the Council of the
National Library of Australia, I am pleased to be able to
reflect on the enormously successful year of centenary celebrations
that ended with a major international exhibition, Treasures
from the World’s Great Libraries. This exhibition,
which captured the imagination of the Australian public, together
with other events such as the Open Day and the 100th
Birthday BookSearch, brought into prominence the importance
of the role of libraries as keepers of our history and culture.
The
significance of the Library’s collections was also recognised
with the inscription of two items on UNESCO’s Memory of the
World register—the Endeavour
Journal written during Captain James Cook’s first voyage
to the Pacific, and the ‘Mabo Case’ manuscripts which include
the personal
papers of Edward Koiki Mabo and the legal and historical
materials relating to the landmark High Court ruling. These
are the first Australian items to be listed on the register.
Developing
the collections remained a key focus for the Library during
the year. While a growing number of Australian publications
were acquired in digital form, there was also a notable increase
in the number of older Australian publications received through
donation or purchased to fill gaps in the Collection. The
Library’s collections were also enhanced by the acquisition
of the works of many well-known Australians, including the
distinguished composer Peter Sculthorpe.
During
the year the Library continued to develop new systems and
services to meet the changing needs of its users. This was
influenced by an increasing emphasis on finding ways to deliver
information directly to users, and by collaboration with libraries
and other cultural institutions to improve access to documentary
materials at a national level. The Library made the creation
of digital copies of original Australian materials—such as
maps, manuscripts, sheet music, paintings and photographs—a
priority.
The
Library also hosted two important forums on behalf of the
Australian library sector, developing agendas for collaborative
action at the national level—the meeting of the Peak Library
Bodies, and the Forum on Library Services for People with
Disabilities.
Preparation
of a new strategic directions statement for 2003–05 has commenced
and this is providing members of Council and Library staff
with the opportunity to establish key objectives and priorities
for the next three years. The need for libraries to ensure
that users have rapid and easy access to information resources
held across a range of libraries and other cultural institutions,
is guiding our thinking.
In
closing, I would like to thank the members of Council and
the staff of the Library for their support during my first
year as Chairman. I have found it both challenging and rewarding.
Sir
James Gobbo, AC
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