(18 Mar 2021) The winners of the Australian Library Design Awards were announced at today’s Changing Spaces Library Design Conference 2021. Janine Schmidt, judging panel chair said, ‘‘The award submissions showed an impressive array of innovative, creative and forward-thinking designs of new and refurbished libraries. Each of the winning, and commended, libraries represents some of…
(25 Feb 2021) At a recent public hearing, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) called for the Australian Government to modernise current library lending rights schemes, with additional funding for a digital lending right to include ebooks and audiobooks. Appearing with the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC) and the Australian Society of Authors (ASA)…
(4 Mar 2021) Many Australian and New Zealand researchers can now publish research articles as open access in CSIRO-owned journals through new transformative agreements between CSIRO Publishing and CAUL member institutions. Globally, transformative agreements are being used as a way for the research community, academic libraries, and scholarly publishers to work together to find a…
(23 Feb 2021) An audit report on the management of collections held by the National Library of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) has praised the organisations’ management practices, but highlights issues with long-term storage. The report, released by the Australian National Audit Office on Monday, noted that the entities’ collections…
(23 Feb 2021) Facebook Inc. reached a deal with the Australian government to restore news pages to the social media company’s platform, following a five-day suspension because of a disagreement over payment for content. Facebook removed news from its platform in Australia last week, as legislation that would effectively require Facebook and Alphabet Inc.’s Google to pay traditional…
Google is fighting against Australian legislation to pay news publishers while signing an agreement to pay French publishers. What’s the difference? (26 Jan 2021) Search Engine Journal has been reporting on the ongoing fight between Google and Australia regarding the News Media Bargaining Code. Confusion ensued when Google continued to disagree with pending legislation that would force…
(12 Jan 2021) CRRC Corporation Limited, one of the world’s largest rail transportation equipment companies, has delivered more than 575 non-fiction books that introduce China from various aspects to Melbourne in Australia last December. The delivery marks the kickoff of CRRC’s China Bookshelf project (China Bookshelf), which aims to promote cultural exchanges between China and Australia and to create an inclusive community with…
(23 Nov 2020) A new project at the University of Melbourne is trying to save old Australian books from being lost to history, by bringing together authors and libraries to create digital ebook versions of older works. In what could be a world-first, the project will also contribute to data collection that will allow…
(30 Oct 2020) From an announcement of ALIA: ALIA is saddened to learn that RMIT has informed its students of plans to close its Master of Information Management course. This course has been highly regarded in Australia, producing quality graduates who have contributed considerably to the library and information services sector, and to academic…
(27 October 2020) The Fairfield local government area is hoping to introduce the Libraries After Dark program, first trialled in Victoria, to its communities. Marie Saliba from Core Community Services, which operates in south-west Sydney and represents the local communities in the area said: “There aren’t as many options for families that are away…