4th ALIA New Librarians Symposium
The fourth ALIA New Librarians Symposium was held in Melbourne on 5–6 December 2008. This biennial conference is a forum for new graduates and early career Library & Information Science professionals to network, exchange ideas and learn from one another as well as hear from industry experts and, if they’re game, present a first paper.
Well over 250 delegates attended the symposium, including eight National Library staff. The conference theme, ‘Breaking Barriers’ addressed the topics of breaking barriers to employment and promotion as well as how to overcome professional development and stereotype barriers.
Five keynote speakers gave informative and very entertaining accounts of their various experiences throughout their careers. One who stood out was Elaina Norlin. Elaina gave a very impresive account of the top seven things she had learned during her travels as a Librarian. Elaina, the author of several books encouraged us to ‘think big’—her own achievements attest to this philosophy. She spoke of having to overcome stereotype barriers and the trend of library closures in the US and said we need to be proactive not reactive to these situations.
Jill Benn from the University of Western Australia and Michelle Brennand from the City of Waneroo gave a touching account of their mentoring relationship which has benefited them both in more ways than they could have ever imagined. They spoke of the many barriers that were broken down as a result of their relationship. A mentor can provide invaluable support by encouraging and challenging the mentee to ‘build confidence and seize opportunities’ while at the same time offers opportunities for the mentee to ‘develop coaching, mentoring and leadership skills’. The pair spoke of the lifelong friendship that they had developed and, towards the end of their presentation, a tear or two was shed.
Many of the speakers were new to the profession and some were presenting their first paper. The quality of their presentations was commendable to say the least. One such presentation was given by the National Library’s Bruce Klopsteins. Bruce spoke like a seasoned professional and he presented some good ideas on breaking down barriers between two stereotypes: new librarians and experienced librarians. He spoke of ‘bridging the gaps in their knowledge base’ by working together and using new technologies to meet future challenges.
National Library of Australia staff attending the Symposium, L to R - Russell Latham, Elizabeth Caplice, Fengxia Zhou, Mark Raadgever, Susan Gaw, Scotia Ashley, Bruce Klopsteins, (absent Alex Naunton)
This symposium was also about being the best librarian you can be and getting the job you really want, even if both of those things are outside a library environment—important things for beginning librarians to consider.
Some of the most outstanding presentations came from Donna Leung, Christine May, Erik Boekesteljin and Yaap van de Geer.
Donna Leung spoke about breaking down employment barriers and possessing transferable skills. Having successfully made the transition from a corporate library to a public library without loss of level or salary, she believed that life was too short not be in 'your dream job' and encouraged attendees to take the plunge! Donna emphasised the value of life experience skills and the benefits of professional development which could include formal learning, being seconded to other sectors, and joining committees and professional groups. Donna was an inspiring presenter and her enjoyment in her career was obvious. She stressed the importance of recognising one’s strengths and weaknesses and of developing a professional development plan to build on the strengths and address the weaknesses.
Christine May, from the Rockhampton Regional Council Libraries, is an integral part of the ‘VerbyL’ program for young people in Yeppoon. New to the town, she took on this role with no written job description. Christine’s obvious enjoyment of her work and her colleagues was apparent and she was a joy to listen to. Her service provides a safe welcoming space for over 600 members and involves not only promoting reading and literacy, but also linking the library into many necessary areas such as job search skills and job guidance, research access, help with personal issues as well as a great social scene. For more information about this program see www.verbyl.net.au/hp-what.html
Erik Boekesteijn and Yaap van de Geer are from the Communication and Innovation Department at DOK, the library concept center in Delft, the Netherlands. Their presentation showed how a major institution can be cutting edge and thoroughly modern yet still fulfill its basic principles of sharing a story book. They discussed their world tour and involved the audience in their experience. For more information visit www.shanachietour.com/ It is worth the effort of looking at DOKs photostream on Flickr when you have some time.
Pre-symposium events were held the day before the conference began and included tours of the Athenaeum Library, Freehills Law Library and the State Library of Victoria. Social events included a pre-conference dinner, a cocktail party and a dinner in the Members Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground which was a great finish to the symposium.
There was a great energy at the conference. Participants were full of enthusiasm and optimism for the future and I think everyone was inspired to ‘get involved in the profession’. It was definitely worth the experience and is highly recommended to anyone thinking of going to one in the future.
for more information on the symposium visit http://conferences.alia.org.au/newlibrarian2008/
Susan Gaw & Scotia Ashley
Help Desk Officers, Libraries Australia



