Find Out!

The National Library of New Zealand’s purpose is best summed up in three words: Collect, Preserve, Access. We strive to provide our customers with easy access to our many different types of collections and resources. For example, published material, unpublished, digital, physical, different media types, on-site, off-site, the list goes on.

Find allows our customers to search across the National Library of New Zealand's multiple catalogues and digital collections. In a nutshell, it is a single search service across multiple Library services. Registered users can also comment on collection items and save their favourites. Find is built using Ex Libris' Primo discovery and delivery software.

Check it out here!    

Principles for Collaborative Collections – a National approach

In our last issue, we mentioned that the wonderful staff working together on Project 7 Collaborative Collections had met in Sydney in November. They set themselves a number of tasks, including crafting an agreed set of National Collaborative Collection Principles.

The Collaborative Collections Principles were endorsed by the NSLA members at the March meeting. These principles are:

• to develop a range of resources via collaborative collecting and shared delivery mechanisms
• to build efficiencies, and
• to eliminate unnecessary duplication.

The aim is to release funds to further enhance our unique Heritage collections. The principles identify how NSLA libraries will work together on collections, while also acknowledging the different legislative frameworks applicable to NSLA libraries.

With the endorsement of the principles, Project 7 will now develop a Memorandum Of Understanding that documents the process of retention and disposal.  It will also address how repatriation opportunities will be pursued to build complete collections. For more information, please contact Noelle Nelson or Anna Raunik.  

Merging Projects 2 and 10 for Seamlessness

The Re-imagining Libraries initiative has recognised the need to extend and transform the current discovery services so as to keep pace with the aspirations of our users and the general public.

In particular, Re-imagining Libraries has identified the need to

• make all collection holdings visible;
• connect our collection content through enhanced discovery services;
• establish new links from popular online resources, such as Wikipedia;
• allow NSLA member libraries to leverage off a common national metadata store; and
• provide seamless access to our suites of electronic resources.

The ongoing enhancement of Trove will meet all these needs. Trove will be developed in 2010 to provide seamless access to our suite of electronic resources, which was the key deliverable of the Connecting and Discovering Content project. As such, the two projects (2 and 10) have been merged under the Open Borders title, with project leadership by Warwick Cathro at the National Library of Australia.

For more information on Trove, have a look here.

Meet Sue Lewis: Project Manager for Changing Capability and Culture

 I am currently Associate Director, State Library of South Australia and have worked in libraries across the sector in Australia, Canada and the UK - State, public, law, school and academic in a variety of roles. A milestone role was as Project Director for the State Library of South Australia redevelopment, completed in 2004.

The library profession is constantly changing and developing whilst fundamental values remain unchanged; these include excellent customer services and high professional standards.

Recognising the future needs of the library profession has resulted in a practical partnership between the Libraries Board of SA and UniSA for the collaborative development and delivery of Business and Library Information Management programs. This is an important aspect of my work and complements my role as Project 6 leader Capability and Culture.

Talking about Re-imagining Libraries

We are just over one year into the five-year Re-imagining Program. A Summary Report of our achievements in 2009 is now available and this has been distributed to many of our colleagues and stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand.

In 2009, the focus for involving and informing people from outside our libraries has been on the start-up of the program and the collaborative vision we have for changing our libraries.

In 2009:

• 20 conference and seminar papers were presented;
• 2,000 information brochures about Re-imagining Libraries were distributed to Australian and New Zealand public library staff;
• 3 issues of the Re-imagining Libraries newsletter were distributed; and
• an expanded program website was developed.

In 2010, the focus is shifting to the outcomes of the projects. As the projects begin to deliver new and changed services, we will be demonstrating the impacts and benefits for library users.

Communication about the Re-imagining Libraries program is coordinated by the NSLA Marketing Working Group. They can be contacted through nsla@slv.vic.gov.au.

Are you going to the ALIA Access 2010 Conference?

As a satellite event to ALIA Access 2010, NSLA will be convening a free seminar on library futures in the digital environment on Wednesday September 1 at the State Library of Queensland …. Keep watch for more information.