The following post to the aliaCPD discussion list (22 April 2009) should be of interest to all members but, perhaps, particularly those who manage and have interactions with new graduates.

What makes a profession and who's responsible?

Professions occupy a unique place in our society. Governments have assigned the right and responsibility to control the professions to those who practice the professions. This is a privilege which most professionals take very seriously. ALIA provides the education standards for LIS education in Australia and we work closely with educators, employers and practitioners to ensure high-quality educational programs are available.

ALIA is currently reviewing its course recognition process and would like your input.

As per the notice in the last inCite magazine, we are currently seeking comments on key issues relating to ALIA Course Recognition. Should the ALIA Core Skills and Knowledge be updated and reflected in Course Recognition processes? Should the process be called Accreditation rather than Recognition?

You can make your comments and contributions on the consultation wiki (username and password required), or directly to dianne.walton-sonda@alia.org.au.nospam (remove the '.nospam' from the address) by 30th April 2009.

First meeting of the ALIA Special Libraries Advisory Committee

From Cathy Brady:

The first meeting (teleconference) of the ALIA Special Libraries Advisory Committee is scheduled for 24 April. The Special Libraries Committee is a new Advisory Committee whose primary role is to provide advice in the form of identification of issues, opportunities, activities and in general assist in developing a strategic direction for special libraries with the ALIA Board. Items proposed for discussion at the first meeting include the draft terms of reference for the Committee, the Electronic Resources Australia (ERA) meeting and professional development for special librarians. Emma Datson (Therapeutic Goods Administration) and I (Cathy Brady, HealthInsite, Department of Health and Ageing) are both members on the committee from the health libraries sector. We hope to provide you with outcomes from the meeting next month. If you have any queries regarding the Committee, please feel free to contact me at catherine.brady@health.gov.au.nospam (remove '.nospam' from the address).

Online LIS journals now available to ALIA members

As an ALIA member, did you receive your email last week alerting you that access is now available to over 130 online, full text LIS journals via the ProQuest Library Science database?

This initiative is very welcome. For those working in special libraries, getting access to the LIS literature is not always simple, cheap or time effective.

I'd welcome any comments about this new member benefit.

ALIA Research Mentoring Program 2009

I missed this announcement. My apologies because this is a GREAT INITIATIVE from ALIA. If you want to do research but feel you lack the necessary skills to put together a half decent research study then read on!

The following was posted to aliaHEALTH by Jane Hardy on 10th March.

"Would you like to learn how to gather the evidence to make your services and resources even more effective in meeting your clients needs? Have you always wanted to learn the steps involved in conducting a research project?

The ALIA Research Mentoring Program provides the opportunity for ALIA members to develop and refine their skill, knowledge and confidence in conducting research.

This program is a new initiative for 2009. The ALIA members survey conducted in 2008 clearly showed that ALIA's members were eager to have access to more research support and guidance. In today's ever changing information rich and technologically driven world, it has become more important than ever that library professionals embrace a culture of research and scholarly enquiry. Research skill and knowledge are the essential tool kit for ensuring that libraries and librarians continue to effectively and efficiently meet the evolving needs of the clients and communities they serve.

The program is open to practising librarians or library technician members who have been personal financial members for at least two years at the time of application. The program is not open to members occupying research or teaching positions.

The purpose of the program is to provide the opportunity for recipients to receive expert coaching and guidance as they undertake a research project on a selected library or information issue.

Up to four recipients will be selected to take part in the 2009 Program.
The successful recipients will be matched with a mentor who has experience in conducting research.

Nominations will be considered by the ALIA Research Committee and a recommendation made to the Board of Directors.

Nominations close on 6 April 2009.

For further information (including the application form), visit http://www.alia.org.au/research or contact Helen Partridge, Chair of the ALIA Research and Publishing Standing Committee, at h.partridge@qut.edu.au.nospam (remove '.nospam' from the address)."

Innovation Award: try these on for size

If you're wandering whether one of your workplace activities fits within the definition of 'innovation', as it relates to the HLA/HCN Innovation Award, consider the following examples:

* libraries moving to providing virtual services only – e.g. no physical library, e-only offerings
* libraries using open source Library Management Systems
* libraries implementing Clinical Librarian/s

All sound very familiar, don't they? The judges will be looking for projects that have changed established practices, through the introduction of new methods, services or products, and contributed to and/or supported improved health outcomes.

Please think seriously about applying. Don't underestimate what you have achieved and don't think that applying is equalivant to big-noting yourself...it's not! What you are doing is enhancing the reputation of your library service, giving yourself an opportunity to undertake significant professional development (should you be the successful winner), sharing what you have done with the rest of the health library community (everyone gets the chance to learn from you!) and supporting this new and important Award.

Click here for the application form and here for the guidelines.

EBLIP5: Registration now open

You can now register for Bridging the gap, the 5th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP5) Conference to be held in Stockholm, 29 June - 3 July 2009.

Early bird registration ends on April 26th 2009, and registration closes on June 1st.

If anyone from an Australian health library is planning to attend EBLIP5, please consider writing up your experience for HLA News. Contact me directly (you will need to remove the '.nospam'). Thanks!

Job ad: Faculty Liaison Librarian, Sydney Uni

Here's another position to contemplate. The University of Sydney's Health, Law and Medical Sciences Libraries Division is seeking a Faculty Liaison Librarian. This is a full-time, continuing position. Search for position reference USYD/151827 on the USYD's Careers Website.

Application close on 23 March 2009.

Interview with Joanne Marshall

I think most of us know of, if not quietly revere, Joanne Marshall. Anyway, I happened to stumble upon an interview with Joanne on Technorati in which she "discusses evidence-based library and information practice and efforts to link research to practice. Libraries as social agents in life-long learning, work force studies and issues, and health information services are discussed." The video runs for 30 minutes and is well worth watching.

Job ad: Systems Librarian, Melbourne

The Royal Melbourne Hospital Health Sciences Library is looking for a full time Systems Librarian. The position description and criteria can be accessed online.

Applications close 25 March 2009.

Deadline extended

The HLA Executive has announced that the deadline for applications for the HLA/HCN Innovation Award has been extended to March 31st, 2009.

The purpose of the Award is to acknowledge excellence/innovation in performance by an information professional. This Award is an opportunity for those working in the Australian health and biomedical library sector to showcase innovative projects which, through the use of health informatics or web technologies contribute to or support improved health outcomes.

This is a great opportunity to pick up $2500 to put toward yours or your team's professional development. All that's required is completing an application form and writing 2 articles for HLA News - one that describes your innovative project and one that reports on the professional development activity you use your winnings on.

If you're unsure whether your project is "innovative" contact a member of the HLA Exec. Click the 'office bearers' link on the HLA web site for contact details.

Click here for the application form and here for the guidelines.

Job ad: senior position in Melbourne

Eastern Health, in Melbourne, is advertising for a Chief Librarian. This is a full time, ongoing position and classified as Grade 2 under the Health Professionals Services – Public Sector – Victoria 2003 Award.

From the position description: 'The Eastern Health Library Service operates across the seven main campuses of Eastern Health with the main sites with permanent provision of resources being Box Hill Hospital and Maroondah Hospital. Satellite sites include Angliss Hospital, Peter James Centre, Wantirna Health and Healesville & District Hospital/Yarra Ranges. Currently, the provision of services to these sites most often occurs via Box Hill or Maroondah with a physical presence of library staff at these sites on a part time weekly basis.' The position will be based at Box Hill Hospital.

The full job description can be found on the Eastern Health website.

Applications close on 13 March 2009.

ALIA 2009 elections - electronic voting now available

This morning I received an email with instructions on how to vote electronically in the ALIA Board of Directors election. I haven't cast my vote as yet but this is a great step forward for those of us with easy access to the Internet...no more paper forms, no more envelopes in envelopes!

I confess I had not taken any notice of the candidates until I had a quick look this morning. Five individuals are running for the 2 available directors' positions: Stuart Ferguson, Gillian Hallam, Richard Siegersma, Kate Sinclair and Lothar von Retzlaff. You can read more about them on the ALIA 2009 election website.

What is most surprising is that there was only one nomination for Vice-President, Graham Black, Director, Division of Library Services, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton. As such, and in accordance with ALIA by-laws, Graham is automatically elected to the position. As incoming Vice-President (2009-2010), Graham is also President-elect (2010-2011). Congratulations to Graham.

I have one gripe, though - and it may be nothing more than an administrative oversight or maybe I'm just not looking in the right spot on the ALIA website - but where the candidates for the Board positions have provided additional information that further describes their skills and experience and the issues they consider need addressing by the Association, I don't see any of this information available, beyond a short Statement of Professional Concerns, for the incoming Vice-President. The membership needs to know a little more about what to expect from the future President of ALIA. So if I have missed something, can someone let me know?!

Regardless, please take the time to vote and if you are a member and haven't received voting instructions, contact ALIA National Office on the member's line 1800 020 071 or enquiry@alia.org.au.nospam (remove the '.nospam' from address).

Update your member details online

ALIA National Office has announced that ALIA members can now update their member details online. You will need your 6-digit ALIA membership number and a password. If you have forgotten, or don't know, your password follow the 'forgotten your password?' links when you login to have your password e-mailed to you, or phone the membership team on 1800 020 071.

Can I urge you to spend a couple of minutes updating your details. And, remember, you must select HEALTH as your group to continue receiving HLA News and any other direct communication from the HLA Executive.

Contact ALIA National Office directly if you have any queries.

Only 2 days to go - HLA/HCN Health Informatics Innovation Award

As I type this there are only 2 days to go before applications close for the HLA/HCN Health Informatics Innovation Award. The folks at HCN tell me they've had opportunity to talk to many health librarians, during meetings and recently at the Online 2009 conference, and there are "lots of people doing fantastic things out there". This is your opportunity...nominate yourself or a colleague.

Click here for details of the award and here for the application form.

Closing date: This Friday, February 27th

Library photos

A big thanks to Karen Carson (Manager of the Ramsay & Buttfield Libraries in Tassie) who sent me a link to photos of the new Douglas Piper Library at Royal North Shore Hospital. Karen took these photos during a visit organised by Gillian Wood, Area Library Manager for NSCCAHS, to coincide with the Online 2009 conference.

If any of you have photos of your library that you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!

[Photo of cockatoo and DPL mascot by Dr Richard Piper]

WebJunction

In a recent press release, WebJunction, an online social network learning community for librarians and library staff, has released Library Management Competencies, a guide to courses and resources to help current and aspiring library managers be more successful in their work. Competencies are grouped around the following sub-categories:

* Budget & Funding
* Community Relations
* Facilities
* Laws, Policies & Procedures
* Marketing
* Organisational Leadership
* Personnel Management
* Project Management
* Staff Training & Development
* Strategic Planning
* Trustees and Friends

I can't comment on the quality of the courses but it may be useful to know that many are self-paced - you have a year in which to complete them - and each costs around US$40 (just over AU$60).

FOLIOz for 2009

ALIA and ScHARR (University of Sheffield, UK) are presenting 4 online courses this year as part of the FOLIOz (Facilitated Online Learning as an Interactive Opportunity) series.

Promoting and Marketing Library and Information Services' (PROMISE)
Monday 23rd March - Friday 8th May 2009
Cost $220 for ALIA members

Moving into Supervision: Supervisory skills for library technicians and/or newly qualified professionals (MOVES)
Monday 1st June - Friday 17th July 2009
Cost $220 for ALIA members

Managing for Service Quality (MSQ)
Monday 24th August - Friday 9th October 2009
Cost $220 for ALIA members

Maximising the impact of your service (Maxim)
Monday 30th November 2009 - Friday 22nd January 2010 (including a two-week break 21st December-4th January)
Cost $270 for ALIA members

I completed the KM FOLIOz course that was offered in 2008 and really got a lot out of it. The course was delivered by email (typically one per day) supported by web materials, briefings, powerpoint tutorials, audio and video presentations, quizzes and buddy exercises. Some days, all I had to do was read an article. Other days, I needed to complete an exercise. Whatever the task of the day, by the end of the course I had developed a portfolio of work that reflected what I had learnt and how I intended to apply my new found knowledge. It was suggested that participants would need to put in 2-4 hours of work per week but I found, like most things in life, what you put in was what you got out! Another great thing about the course was how flexible it was; I could complete the activities at my own pace (though I would highly recommend trying to maintain a consistent pace!).

If you are interested, contact Judy Brooker, ALIA's Professional Development and Careers Manager, on 1800 020 071 or email judy.brooker@alia.org.au for more details.

HLA News - Jan 09 issue

The January issue of HLA News was distributed to HLA members at the end of January 2009. If you believe you are a HLA member but didn't receive it, please email me directly at melanie.kammermann@alianet.alia.org.au.nospam (remove the 'no spam' from the address) so we can check that your name is on the mailing list next time.

The Jan issue has also been loaded on the HLA News website. You will need your ALIA login and password to access it. Older issues are freely available.

Thanks once more to our bulletin sponsor, EBSCO.

I am always looking for contributions to the newsletter. If you have implemented a new piece of software, made service improvements, done some benchmarking, attended a conference...anything that's of interest to health libraries...please consider writing this up for publication. The bulletin is selectively indexed in CINAHL and the Informed Librarian Online, and you can also earn ALIA CPD points.

The HLA Exec Needs You!

It's that time again when you are asked to consider nominating for the Executive Committee of Health Libraries Australia. Back in August 2006 I wrote a post about why I continue to be involved and those sentiment still hold.

All positions are open and include: Convener, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor or General Member.

Please contact the secretary, Mary Peterson at mary.peterson@imvs.sa.gov.au.nospam (remove 'no spam' from the address) before the end of February.

New ALIA member benefit - full text LIS journals

ALIA has just announced that they will be joining forces with Proquest to provide ALIA members with access to more than 100 online full-text LIS journals. Titles will include Library Journal, Computers in Libraries and The Electronic Library.

For those working in small, special libraries, access to LIS journals is often not readily available so this news is very welcome, particularly with regards professional development and evidence-based practice.

More details will be made available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

HLA/HCN Health Informatics Innovation Award

If you haven't checked it out already, HCN is sponsoring a new award, the HLA/HCN Health Informatics Innovation Award. This is a great opportunity to showcase innovative projects which, through the use of health informatics or web technologies contribute to or support improved health outcomes.

The winner of the Award will receive $2500 to put toward professional development... a substantial amount of money at the best of times but especially in the current economic climate. $2500 might enable all the members of a winning team to attend workshops, or an individual a trip to an overseas conference.

But what I really like about this Award is the sharing of information; we get to learn from one another. And, remember, you can self-nominate or be nominated by a colleague. Please do consider nominating a deserving colleague if you think they won't self-nominate.

The application form and guidelines can be downloaded from the HLA website or contact a member of the HLA Executive for an application.

Applications close 27 February 2009 so get your skates on!

Results from the ALIA member survey

ALIA members can now access the executive summaries of the results from the member survey conducted last year. There are summaries for both individual and insitutional results.

The reports summarise those factors most important to members versus member impressions of how well ALIA is performing against each of these factors. It also sets out some potential improvement opportunities for ALIA.

These documents are worth a read...only 3 pages each...as you can expect the results to heavily influence the future activities of our national professional body.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

HLA Blogs! has been a little dormant over the last 6 months but we'll see if we can't rectify that in the coming months.

Happy New Year from the HLA Executive and, equally important from my desk here in Hong Kong, Kung Hei Fat Choi! It's the Year of the Ox and let's hope it's not as bad as one might imply from a headline I saw recently..."Get ready for an absolute cow of a year". Perhaps it would be more positive to think about the coming year in terms of harnessing the qualities of the Ox...patience, common sense and the achievement of prosperity through determination and hard work.

One definite bright spot on the horizon and a biggie for us this year is ICML 2009 in Brisbane. The keynote speakers listed so far are most impressive. Registrations are open at the early bird fee up until 17th April. This is one event you won't want to miss.