On December 10 the Peak Bodies Forum met at the National Library for its third annual meeting. The Peak Bodies Forum brings together representatives of peak bodies in the Australian library sector, to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Key items on the agenda included a review of the outcomes of the site licensing meeting held earlier in the week, copyright and the implications of the Free Trade Agreement, education for librarianship, and a briefing on the new Collections Council of Australia.
It was resolved that:
- The National Library of Australia will develop a short statement outlining the issues facing libraries in providing the public with access to Commonwealth Government publications. This statement is to be used by the public, law, health and TAFE library sectors as part of an advocacy campaign to raise awareness within the Commonwealth Government of the issues. A list of relevant Ministers and departmental secretaries will be provided for the campaign.
- The Australian Libraries Copyright Committee Board will meet early in 2005 to develop a strategy for educating library staff on the practical implications of the Free Trade Agreement.
- The library sector representative on the Collections Council of Australia (Ms Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, CEO and State Librarian, State Library of Victoria and Chair of the Council of Australian State Libraries) will promote the recommendations of the report of the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee’s inquiry into libraries in the online environment as the core set of issues of interest to the Australian library sector.
- The Australian Library and Information Association will develop a strategy for ongoing discussions between library employers and educators on the best way to ensure professional courses continue to exist and continue to serve the needs of employers and students.
Information about the Peak Bodies Forum can be found at <www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/peakbod/index.html>.
Sandra Henderson, Coordination Support Branch