Re-imagining Library Services with NSLA Partners
A Collaborative Focus
The National & State Libraries Australasia Consortium (NSLA) has decided to focus its collaboration during the next five years around a group of projects known collectively as ‘Re-imagining Library Services’ (http://nsla.org.au/projects/rls/). The Re-imagining Library Services strategic plan outlines the way in which member libraries will embrace new opportunities in service delivery, leveraging collaboration and new technologies. Three broad strategies are defined in the strategic plan as follows:
- One Library will put people at the centre. We will redefine services to provide a consistent and easy experience across our libraries.
- Transforming Our Culture will change our culture and workplace. We will promote a new culture which supports new services, innovation and emerging technologies.
- Accessible Content sees collaboration as the key to liberating our content. We will empower everyone to find, share and create content.
These strategies will be achieved through 10 specific projects. The National Library of Australia is the lead for, or will actively participate in, the following projects:
- Project 2: Open Borders—accessing library resources and services of all NSLA libraries as if they are one
- Project 3: Virtual Reference—integrating virtual reference as a core function, with a new business and resourcing model
- Project 4: Delivery—developing a standard service model for user-requested document supply
- Project 8: Flexible Cataloguing—exploring efficient means of metadata creation and enhancement to increase access to resources
- Project 9: Scaling up Digitisation—expressing the benefits of mass digitisation and best practice management of digital collections
- Project 10: Connecting and Discovering Content—improving the coverage and quality of data in national bibliographic databases and exploring new ways of discovery.
Project Activity
Work has already commenced between Library staff, relevant partners in each project and the project manager. For instance, in the Open Borders project, member libraries will develop cases describing how registered users in one NSLA library may be able to access electronic resources licensed to other libraries. Then, at the second stage, a proof of concept solution for authentication for access will be identified and implemented.
For Project 3: Virtual Reference, the first meeting of the NSLA Virtual Reference Project Group took place in Canberra on 25–26 September, with representatives present from all NSLA libraries. The focus for this project will be to build on the success of the AskNow chat reference service, ensuring that virtual reference services adapt to incorporate new technology platforms and continue to meet changing user expectations. During the first meeting, members focused on gathering information about existing reference services on offer and reflecting on fundamental questions about reference services in the virtual environment. Issues such as tiering of services, marketing, building staff capacity and meeting clients at point of need were also discussed.
On 15 October representatives from NSLA libraries met at the National Library for a scoping meeting for Project 8: Flexible Cataloguing. All members stated their commitment to exploring ways to improve online access to collection materials, in both quantity and quality. Without unlimited resources at our disposal, the challenge is how to do more with less in pursuing a high level of productivity while also ensuring the right kind of metadata is available for resource discovery. Members agreed to share information about their collections via a National Library wiki and to conduct a hands-on workshop on innovations in metadata creation.
Participation in the Re-imagining Library Services projects is a high priority for the National Library, and we look forward to collaborating with all NSLA libraries to realise the vision of the Re-imagining Library Services strategic plan.
Wan Wong
Manager, Acquisition & Access, Monographs Branch



