Information about Australian libraries

Hello,

I am librarian in Indiana, USA who will be doing a work study exchange for four weeks in Canberra this fall. I will be spending a lot of time visiting libraries and librarians while I am there, but I would love to talk to some people before my trip to get some background information. Please respond to this post or leave a message on my profile if you wouldn't mind me contacting you.

Thanks!

I'm guessing you mean your fall (autumn), which would translate to our spring (September - November), which is an excellent time to visit Canberra. I'm in Canberra myself, so ask away!!

Hi, I left a post on Aussie Librarians a month or two ago, and as my trip gets closer, I'm starting to do more research about Australia libraries and librarians.

I am a public librarian who will be in Canberra, ACT and NSW for four weeks in October. I'm interested in background on a couple of things before I get to Australia, and maybe you and other librarians can help.

-Since we do not have a national library in the U.S., I don't know how public and universities interact with the national library, if the national library has any say over public and university libraries, and if the national library sets policies for other libraries.

-Public libraries are funded by local property taxes in the U.S. Is this how libraries are funded in Australia? In addition, if a local municipality chooses not to fund a public library, the people how live in that township must pay to use another municipality's library. Is this a problem you face?

-Some buzzwords going through the library world here are Web 2.0, Library 2.0, next gen librarianship, generation gap, technofear, technolust. I would assume all this sounds familiar, but I just wanted to check?

-Growing up (I am 26), in elementary school, we would sometimes learn about schools in other countries, and without fail, we would learn about children in the Outback who would attend school via radio. How is library service provided in more rural parts of Australia?

-In many larger libraries in the United States, there is often tension between "paraprofessionals" (those without the MLS) vs. professionals (those with the MLS). Is this unique to the U.S., or do you face this distinction as well?

Thanks in advance for all your help. I am getting very excited about my trip. I leave three months from today!

Jessica

Jessica

The National Library of Australia has no say over any other library and sets no policies for others. They lead a lot of cooperative efforts, like shared cataloguing services, and most other large libraries participate in those, but not all.

Public libraries here are funded either by local or state governments (never at a high enough level ). I'll let someone else try to answer about what happens if a local municipality choose not to fund their library - I don't think it happens much.

I think all those buzzwords would be familiar to most librarians here.

There is some tension here between librarians with degrees and "library technicians" who usually don't have the level of qualification, but do have some paraprofessional training. I don't think it's a big thing - but someone else may be able to correct me.

You're coming at the best time of the year. Spring and early summer in Canberra is a great time and not too hot.

We look forward to meeting you.

Kerry

Hi Jessica. Have you had any contacts yet? Please update me. I'm not really a librarian now, as I am retired. But I do have my own library, which is still active. GlenRalph

GlenRalph, you perhaps didn't notice the orginal posts were from 2007, I suspect Jacko27 has been and gone.

Hi. I'm retired, but still in touch with libraries because I write. As nobody else seems to want to help you, perhaps I could tell you what you want to know. I live in Adelaide. That's a long way from Canberra. You should look at my profile before responding. Glen Ralph Wilmar Library