Abstracts

Employment barriers

Brave New World: breaking barriers and embracing opportunities outside the library: Nicola R Giles, ProQuest, Australia Mr Dan J Hamid, ProQuest, New Zealand It’s an exhilarating time to be joining the Library industry. New librarians are primed for this stimulating, ever-changing landscape; and with succession planning such an issue, all types of libraries are jumping for enthusiastic librarians to fill those (ever-sensible) shoes. However career opportunities also exist outside the library. Have you ever considered a career in electronic publishing, for example? Come and hear how two young librarians made the natural move from working in a library environment to working in the world of electronic publishing and database vendors. We will share the experiences we’ve had providing resources for libraries; talk about the huge variety of roles that exist in the industry – and we may even convince some of you to try it! We’d like to show examples of vendors and library staff forming successful partnerships; and hopefully our insight can illustrate for you how breaking down barriers between vendors and library staff can produce long and mutually beneficial relationships for all.

Perspectives on a State Library Graduate Program – A great start for a new librarian, a new beginning for an ageing library: Steve J McQuade, State Library of WA, Australia State Library of WA has been breaking barriers for some time now…in 2006 there was an organisation-wide restructure aimed at breaking barriers between our existing directorates and encouraging staff to work as a single organisation. In 2006 a Graduate Programme was established to break barriers for new librarians gaining experience in a competitive job market. Without developing new librarians the profession will continue to lose not only experienced colleagues, but also their long accumulated knowledge. The State Library employed four graduates in both 2007 and 2008. Graduate Officers take part in a twelve-month structured program which sees them experience most areas of the organisation, from retrievals to reference services to collection development and outreach activities. They travel through these placements together as a mini-team. They are assessed in each placement and are supported by a mentoring program. When they meet their competencies, they are offered a permanent position at the end of the programme. State Library of WA is an ageing organisation that will lose approximately 36.7% of its workforce by 2016. On first arriving at SLWA, aged 30, I was one of the youngest librarians in the organisation. The Graduate Programme is one strategy the library is employing to develop new professionals who can learn from experienced staff, and fill an increasing number of retirement related vacancies. The programme serves as a strategy to breaking one of the biggest barriers to moving our organisation, and our profession, forward: an ageing library workforce and the increased importance of succession planning.

Breaking in: issues faced by new graduates building an information management career: Ms Kathy Thorncraft, University of Sydney Library, Australia Mr Matthew Davis, University of Sydney Library, Australia Fresh from University, many new graduates find themselves facing challenging barriers to employment that their degree in librarianship or information science does not prepare them for. With 65% of the workforce over the age of 45 and only 12% under 35, younger librarians find themselves facing a diverse range of attitudes and expectations spanning a number of generations within the profession. Lack of professional experience is a considerable hurdle that new graduates have to overcome. While a university degree may provide students with the theoretical foundation for launching their career, there is little attention given to the practical skills that are a necessary component of professional experience desired by employers. We explore how two librarians under the age of 30 overcame some of these barriers in gaining their first professional roles. Using our years of personal experience within a range of work environments, not necessarily limited to libraries, we examine the dualistic issues of age and experience. We delve deeper into the issues of stereotypes within the industry and how they can work for and against the newly qualified; how to face the problem of little professional experience, and the benefits of establishing a network of peers. Finally, we look at the common pitfalls within the interview process looking specifically at selection criteria and the nature of library job interviews. With our own experiences as new librarians we hope to provide recent graduates with the insights and solutions to overcoming these particular barriers and initiate their own career paths.

“Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies, don’t fence me in.” The potential of ePortfolios to chart the new librarian’s career journey: Gillian Hallam, Queensland University of Technology, Australia The Conference theme asks new librarians to consider the barriers they feel they face as they embark on their new careers: barriers associated with stereotypes, employment, promotion and professional development. It can be argued that, while there may be a number of systemic problems within the library and information services (LIS) workforce, change needs to be driven by enthusiastic new professionals, using strategies that will help them reshape their own professional futures. Contextualised by some key findings from the Australian ePortfolio Project (AeP), a national research project examining ePortfolio practice, the paper specifically introduces the careers and employment perspectives of ePortfolios. Already, a number of LIS education programs use ePortfolios to help students think more deeply about their learning and their emerging professional identity. In other countries and in many other professions, the ePortfolio is increasingly being used as a critical component of both professional accreditation and career development, supported by institutional and government policies. Just as the digital presence of organisations, including libraries, has become a business imperative, new LIS professionals can effectively utilise technology to promote their educational and employment experiences and achievements, as well as to offer insights into their own personalities and career ambitions. The paper will present some case studies to highlight how ePortfolios have had a tremendous impact on the careers of some young professionals. Collectively, however, new librarians may also have an opportunity to change some of the recruitment and performance planning systems currently in place in the library industry.

Endangered Species - critical - Young Peoples Librarian: Mrs Bernadette N/A Franzoni, Private Consultant/Trainer of Young Peoples Library Services, Australia An audit was conducted throughout QLD public libraries in late 2007, which proves that qualified YPL’s are few and far between and without a protection agency to advocate for YPL’s their future looks dire. If something is not done to stop the insidious decline of this profession. It is highly probable that YPL’s will share the same fate as the dinosaurs, extinction. “When I leave school and get my degree, I want to be a YPL” A high school student on work experience said whilst working in a public library recently. In five years time when she has completed her last year of schooling and her degree will there be YPL jobs? The barrier this profession faces is exponential. If there no YPL jobs then how can we as a profession recruit and mentor new graduates into this specialised area. If councils do not value and recognise the need for YPLs, especially in the current climate of amalgamations then how can it possibly survive? This paper will address the issues and current trends re the crisis of employment of Young Peoples Librarians, drawing on the findings of the QLD audit and the Queensland Library Standards for Young Peoples Library Service, which is due to be reviewed in 2008. It will also benchmark this profession in other states and countries. To see what can be done to protect this profession before it is too late!

Any Old Library Job versus The Job You Really Want: Donna A Leung, Yarra Libraries, Australia When you are fresh out of uni, just getting any library job will satisfy you for a bit as you finally get to figure out what librarians actually do. And once this elation has worn off you suddenly realise that working in the corporate/academic/public/other field isn’t exactly your dream job. So you’ve got two choices: persevere with the fading hope that the job will grow on you and you will eventually love it; or make a change to the library industry of your choice. But of course it’s never that easy to cross sectors in the library industry, and you don’t want to start from the bottom again because you’ve already got some library experience. You’re disadvantaged, though, because you’re competing for that corporate/academic/public/other sector against others who already have demonstrated experience in that field. Or are you? This presentation will focus on the perceived barriers for new librarians wishing to change sectors early in their careers without having to start from the bottom again, and will offer suggestions to overcome them. There are many generic information management skills that can be applied across all sectors, such as research and report writing skills, knowledge of systems and library technology, and experience in people management. In many cases, it's how you sell your previous experience in your job application and in your interview.

Web 2.0 and the Health of the Profession: Deidre Lowe University of Southern Queensland A key concern for all professions currently is workforce sustainability. This issue covers many aspects of workforce management from recruitment and retention, remuneration, equity and skill development in line with technological advancement. The Information Profession has embraced and thrived in a technological revolution which 20 years ago challenged many librarians’ concepts of “business as usual”. We often assess the value of new technology for client services and professional development and have shown ourselves to be nimble and responsive in adapting new technologies for these purposes. Deidre Lowe has pioneered an online initiative called “The Health Highway” to look at how we can use emerging technologies on the information highway, particularly Web 2.0 technologies, to manage and maintain a healthy and sustainable workforce into the future. This paper looks at the health challenges presented by a female-dominated workforce and new avenues for marketing health information to the profession using Web 2.0 technologies.

Establishing a high school library on a remote island in the Pacific: Katie L Hannan, Australia Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) is an Australian Government Program funded by AusAID. Every year the program sends 400 young Australians into developing nations in the Asia Pacific Region. Epi High School is a secondary school on the island of Epi in the Shefa province of Vanuatu. The college enrols students from 11 to 16 years of age. In 2003 the school was severely damaged by Cyclone Ivy. With assistance from the Australian Government some new buildings were built, including a library building. The author worked for five months assisting the school librarian to establish the library; improving the libraries collection, developing budget guidelines and training the students and staff in using and maintaining a library effectively.During the course of this time, a myriad of challenges were faced and overcome.

Professional development barriers

Ahead of the curve - keeping up-to-date with the library profession: Michelle A McLean, Casey Cardinia, Library Corporation, Australia For librarians to make any sort of headway in the 21st Century, they need to keep pace of technological and other changes, most of which are occuring at a rapid rate. Keeping current in this ever changing information age is difficult at the best of times. Even more so for librarians whose fields and expertise cover so many different areas. It is quite easy to feel inundated with the amount of information available. How do you choose what to take in and what do you do with the information you are able to absorb? Michelle McLean will share her experiences of keeping up-to-date, learnt from her years as an information professional and blogger. She will discuss how to use everything from print to electronic resources and Web 2.0 tools, as well as training opportunities and other work related or self generated activities to help you keep on top of your field of interest.

What happens when the baby boomers go..: Carolyn W Bourke, Fairfield City Council, Australia Some frightening truths are starting to hit home in libraries across the country – we are an aging workforce, despite the baby boomers’ belief that they are forever young. So, how are we going to encourage younger people into our profession and then how are we going to keep them engaged, growing, learning and developing? Fairfield City Council’s vision to be an employer of choice is spelt out in Our People Our Future: a human resources strategic plan 2007 -2011 (Fairfield City Council, 2007). Several key components of this plan are developing a positive organisation culture, growing and rewarding our own talent and fostering workforce flexibility, innovation and diversity. The Library Service is actively working to implement these policies by encouraging a positive culture through fun days, arranging secondments for new graduates, building teams where mentoring is a defined goal and giving staff opportunities to be involved in cross council teams and projects. We are only at the beginning of this process but it is of critical importance, not only to the viability of our profession, but for the benefit of our communities

Taking Web 2.0 to Heart: a collaborative professional development program in a dispersed library service: Rachel L Crowe, Queensland Health Central Library, Australia Miss Amanda J Brown, Queensland Health The Park Centre for Mental Health Library, Australia There are 19 separate Queensland Health libraries dispersed throughout the largest government department within Queensland. These libraries are funded from the health district they serve rather than a centralised funding model, resulting in the absence of a unified Queensland Health library service. Collaboration occurs in some areas; however the majority of services and decision making transpires solely on an independent basis for each library. Large barriers have developed in many aspects of producing a collaborative Queensland Health Library Service. Currently there are no state-wide library policies; each library has their own policies in place; their own branding and marketing; and their own training programs for clients and library staff. Due to a widespread recognition of the dispersion of library services, improvements have begun on creating a more collaborative Queensland Health Library Network; however this is a slow process. One program developed to improve collaboration between library staff is Web 2.0: what health libraries need to know. This online program is based on Helene Blowers’ Learning 2.0 program and is the first state-wide professional development program implemented in Queensland Health Libraries. Web 2.0 was chosen due to its importance in our profession and its integration into the resources we use on a daily basis. It was also identified as an area that many library staff had little knowledge off. Other barriers specific to Web 2.0 existed such as limitations with technology hindered by security restrictions and the resulting frustration and apathy by library staff.

Bang for your buck: getting the best experience and value for money from your library association investment: Katy Watson, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia When visiting a theme park such as Dream World, Sea World, Australia Zoo, or Movie World, after paying your $66 entry fee, if you are anything like me you spend the next five hours at top speed darting through the theme park trying to fit in as many rides, sights and experiences as humanly possible in an attempt to make the most of your day and get the best value for money. You end up needing a good lie down at the end of the day, tired but fulfilled from the experience. I’m guessing there are few people around who pay their $66 entry fee, walk into the theme park, take a seat on the bench and sit around for five hours waiting for someone to invite them onto a ride or show, and then complain at the end of the day that the theme park was a let-down and a waste of their money and time. Your professional library association is not a theme park (imagine it now, “Library Land”), but once you pay your money and walk through the gate, you do need to be personally proactive to get the most from the experience and the best value for your $267. This paper goes past the dry ‘member benefits’ spiel and shares with other new graduates personal tips on how to make your $267 investment in your library association work for you and your career.

How does Instant Messaging improve the reference and information experiences of students in regional areas?: Nicole R Johnston, James Cook University, Australia Instant Messaging is an emerging trend in libraries in Australia. Many University Libraries now use Instant Messaging and Chat services to communicate with students and users to answer reference and information queries. Most university libraries using these services are in cities and have bigger budgets and resources than in regional universities. The purpose of this project is to give users of James Cook University Library the opportunity to use current technology to gain access to reference and information services and to give librarians the opportunity to develop new skills. This project was funded through an ALIA scholarship and involves: • The installation of open source software in consultation with IT staff • Promotion of the Instant Messaging Service • Maintenance of the Instant Messaging service for a trial period of six months • Training librarians in how to use the Instant Messaging software • Collection of user statistics including the number of people who used the service and the nature of the queries. • Analysing results of a feedback survey A large proportion of students and users of James Cook University are distance education students or students living in rural or remote areas. They often only communicate with reference and information staff via e-mail or phone. There can be time delays with e-mail response or repeated e-mails to clarify details. Phone calls can also be costly. Having an Instant Messaging service benefits both users and library staff as it allows for real time answers to reference queries.

Librarian - Library = ? (Librarian minus Library equals questionmark): Naomi J Doessel, Ernst & Young, Australia In recent times, as the concept of the information economy has become more prevalent and as information work has changed and evolved, there has been a lot of discussion regarding the evolution of job titles within the Library and Information profession. Increasingly, people with Library and Information qualifications are finding themselves working as Information Managers, Knowledge Managers and Researchers. However, professional development opportunities have not kept pace with what is not just a semantic shift in job titles, but a change in the ways in which we work. Since moving from traditional libraries to corporate information services, I have discovered that the professional development opportunities offered across the Library and Information sector are often not relevant to my role as a corporate information worker. My employer offers courses that relate to the technical aspects of my job and the subject disciplines relevant to my organisation, but I have found it difficult to find professional development opportunities relevant to my job that allow me to develop myself as an information worker. This paper will explore ways in which librarians working in non-traditional environments can develop professionally, through local and global as well as physical and virtual opportunties. The findings will have relevance for corporate information workers as well as all new graduates who wish to expand their professional development horizons. The paper will make recommendations for both the individual and the profession regarding how to ensure non-traditional librarians continue to contribute and be an integral part of the broader profession.

Dunn & Wilson Project – Tales from outside the square: Mrs Rebecca T Evans, Tasmania Fire Service, Australia Yes! It is a research project, but not like I did at high school all those years ago. It is more than just reading books and journals, then putting it on paper - it is so much more! While undertaking a research project obviously meets professional development criteria, there are many aspects to a project like this that are ‘outside the square’. This paper will be exploring the other aspects to a research project and, in particular, my project and how it has allowed me to break new ground both in my professional development and in my personal development.

Getting from A to B: A development framework for developing librarians: Ms Vanessa Warren, University of Tasmania, Australia Getting your foot in the door as a graduate librarian can be difficult, but what happens once you step over the threshold? When the University of Tasmania Library began offering entry-level positions for liaison librarian vacancies it soon became clear that this was only the beginning; with no clear orientation structure in place new librarians were largely left to fend for themselves. In 2007 the “Liaison Librarian A Developmental Framework” was implemented to provide new librarians with a detailed structure for skill and knowledge development. Defining a set of core capabilities and performance criteria the Framework provides a pathway for professional recognition and promotion from level A to B.

A "Flying Start" At The University of Western Australia Library - Breaking Internal Barriers: Matt S Stephenson, The University of Western Australia Library, Australia This paper will look at an innovative way that the UWA library has broken down internal organisational barriers. In 2007 The University of Western Australia Library implemented the Flying Start program for all newly employed ongoing librarians. This development programme is aimed at redefining the notion of being a librarian at UWA by providing newly commencing librarians with a thorough understanding of how the Library operates as a whole and by developing librarians with a high level of core professional skills which can be applied across all sections of the Library. Essentially, one of Flying Start’s main aims is to minimise barriers within the Library, specifically those between the information services and reader services sections. The program was initially developed as a result of the Library’s “Transforming the Organisation” project, an outcome of the 2005-2007 Strategic Plan. In practice, Flying Start is a year-long program that sees newly recruited librarians work for half their time in reader services, and half in information services. A comprehensive list of competencies has been developed, listing the range of experiences that the program aims to develop for each participant. Although the program is still in its infancy, it has had wide-ranging effects and has been popular with participants. The traditional ‘silos’ of reader services and information services have been bridged, and participants are well-equipped for their future professional development and career in the Library. As a new librarian himself, the author will discuss his experiences of the program.

Got your first job as a librarian, now what? Breaking down barriers to reach your career goals: Petrina R Collingwood, RMIT University, Australia The new librarian is disadvantaged by a lack of experience and knowledge, and as a result faces many barriers to professional and career development. The new librarian needs to be a proactive opportunist in order to work towards achieving career goals. They also need a little luck. Grateful to be offered a 3-month contract as an entry level reference librarian at RMIT University, I soon realised it was a more administrative role than I would have liked, involving roster-writing and a great deal of photocopying. One could sit back, enjoy the excellent pay and rejoice in the fact that all of one’s hard work at university had finally paid off, but for me, it somehow wasn’t enough. My quest was to: 1. gain an extension to my contract or a permanent position 2. gain experience which could lead to more responsibility or a higher-level job 3. gain higher-level skills such as leadership, public speaking, professional writing and advanced technology skills I faced many barriers common to the new librarian, but with a combination of luck, hard work and determination, I managed to break down a number of these barriers. This paper will reflect on the various employment and professional development barriers which I have encountered in my position, and how these barriers can be overcome. In particular it will cover, my involvement with the 21 Lunges Web 2.0 education program, the RMIT version of 23 Things, which offered a number of opportunities to break down professional development barriers.

First job, next job, this job: A plan for success: Corrinne J Hills, DRUG ARM Australasia, Australia The barriers to winning your first job, moving to your next job or just keeping up with the job you have can be addressed through career planning and professional development. Career Planning is about working out what you want, it informs your Professional Development and how you are going to get where you want to be. Time, cost and opportunity are barriers that deter many librarians from achieving their potential; they spend YEARS doing work they don’t enjoy struggling to keep up. This presentation will challenge participants to examine what they really want and give them the tools to overcome the barriers for career success. I believe in turning barriers into opportunities. Experience has forced me to reassess my career goals; I have overcome the barriers of professional and geographic isolation, time, cost and opportunity to finally land my dream job. I will share the tips I have learned using easily accessible tools and show participants how to can create a lifelong learning plan that will ensure lifelong employability AND save them time. I will provide tips on how to gain the skills and knowledge to meet the selection criteria so that they can win their first job, move to their next position or flourish in the position they hold. Most importantly I hope the knowledge I impart will help all participants to develop the skills to make the most of the opportunities presented to them and to enjoy whatever position they hold.

Why mentoring matters: a personal journey that created professional success: Jill Benn, University of Western Australia, Australia Michelle Brennand, City of Waneroo, Australia The authors, both successful library managers, have an excellent mentoring relationship that has survived career changes, work demands, and busy personal lives including engagements, marriage and several house moves. The secret? That would be telling. The authors met in 2001 when the mentor employed the mentee, then a student, as a casual public library employee. The mentee's career rapidly progressed; initially employed as a reference librarian in an academic library she secured a management role within five years. The relationship has been critical to professional success with the mentor providing invaluable support by encouraging and challenging the mentee to build confidence and seize opportunities including obtaining a management position, attending the Aurora Leadership Institute and becoming actively involved in ALIA. The relationship has been effective for the mentee as well, offering opportunities to develop coaching, mentoring and leadership skills and gain a deeper insight into the next generation of leaders, especially the different approach to work and life. Their relationship is particularly unique as although the authors are from different library sectors they have overcome the barriers between their sectors to form a professional and mutually beneficial relationship. Reflecting on their experiences the authors will explore the many benefits and personal rewards of mentoring. They will explore what worked, what didn't work and how it helped to break through the many barriers along the way. The authors will provide guidance on seeking out a mentor, developing a trusting relationship and ensuring that both parties are maximising the mentoring process.

Why bother? The joys of professional involvement and how to get active: Alyson Dalby, Australia Professional involvement is the icing on the cake of the work we do. It’s what allows us to think beyond our immediate job and create a sense of collaboration with other information professionals. It helps us build networks and take advantage of opportunities. It creates friendships and a sense of pride in our work. It inspires us to contribute our voice to the future of our profession. And yet, so few of us do it. It’s seen as difficult, irrelevant or boring. Lack of workplace support hinders the involvement of many, and other life commitments compete for the rest of our time. But professional involvement can be simple, relevant, easy and flexible, and can significantly improve your workplace performance. This paper will explore the benefits and challenges of professional involvement, from one who constantly asks why she’s doing it. The benefits (and yes, costs) of professional development will be examined with a realistic eye. The barriers to professional involvement will be explored, solutions and techniques proposed, and some starting points suggested. Delegates will be inspired to get professionally active.

Butting heads or building minds - new librarians, experienced librarians, and the challenges of new technologies: Bruce Klopsteins, National Library of Australia, Australia This paper discusses the barriers between two stereotypes, new librarians and experienced librarians. This paper looks at how they can bridge the gaps in their knowledge base by working together. By focusing on the technological and organisational factors which enable librarians to collaborate, it will be possible to meet the challenges facing libraries. As always, technology has made things easier for us in some ways and harder in others, that’s part of the challenge. One of the main issues with technology is the information gap many librarians have. The information gap is the difference between knowing about technologies, and being able to implement them. So what are these core technological competencies? The organisational culture of libraries often has conflicting short and long term priorities. In the short term, standards of service must be met, output targets must be reached. But for the long term, ideas and innovation are encouraged and sought. How can these competing organisational needs be balanced? New librarians may have more understanding of recent developments in the profession and IT competencies. Whereas experienced librarians may have a wealth of tested expertise, and often hold the history and corporate memory of an organisation. Staff collaboration and education enabled by some of these new technologies will provide libraries with the best mix to meet future challenges. Focus questions: What core technological competencies are required by new and experienced 21st century library staff? What new technologies and time tested methods can be used to engage and educate library staff?

Promotion barriers

The Destitute Marketeer: Duncan McLachlan Strategic Marketing Manager at Wellington City Libraries A brief, common language, talk about how to run clever effective promotions on the smell of an oily rag. How to use brand presence, brain power and bravado to offset poverty in your personal marketing dept. Determine you brand presence Enlist the value of ideas Better present the value in your promotion (to customers and your organisation). And get budget approval! Few public libraries, let alone divisions like Local History or Reference have a decent promotion budget. It takes initiative and adaptive thinking, planning and actions to get promotions through and get enough promotions through to achieve an overall strategic goal. 40 minutes will give you the essentials to get going. Examples, samples and tools for everyday use will be presented in easy to apply forms.

Stereotype Barriers

Librarians - The keys to the future, or relics of the past?: Mr Ben J Footner, City of Victor Harbor Library Service, Australia The de-volution of the library profession is well documented. It is the topic of countless conference speeches and academic papers, and the hottest of discussion points in a myriad of professional networks. The information age is challenging the profession on all borders. It is being strangled slowly by the continual evolution of technology and the unprecedented access to information that it provides. Society has been handed an ‘access all areas’ pass and our positions as gate keepers are quickly becoming defunct. And yet, in the face of this adversity we gather together in mutual admiration and discuss this threat as we would a passing fad. We convince ourselves that society will come to its senses and recognise the necessity of our noble profession. Of course we may need to sex our image up a bit, add a dash of flair perhaps, but ultimately we find comfort in the belief that librarianship is an ancient and sacred path and as such our existence into the future is assured. Can the library profession continue to be this arrogant? How long can we console ourselves by proposing purely cosmetic changes in order to improve our supposed relevance? The time has come for the library profession to look past it’s own emotive justifications and ask the tough questions of itself before it’s too late. Are we relevant anymore in the information age? Is society now self-sufficient in it’s information needs? Will our noble intentions and blind faith eventually lead us to our professional deaths?

Want to be a good manager / leader - looking past the obvious of children’s librarianship: Joanne S Potter, Wyong Shire Library & Information Service, Australia A new job ad has caught your eye, where an information agency is looking for a dynamic leader, who is up to the challenge of providing tailored collections and programs for a target audience who has a diverse range of needs ands interests. The management skills required are demanding and will position the potential candidate for higher leadership roles. Putting in an application seems likely until it is noted that the position title reads “Children’s Librarian” – would you still apply? A popularly held misconception of children’s librarianship within a public library service is that we are only interested in fingerplays, craft, glitter and glue sticks. Children’s librarians are often viewed as having taken a soft career option or playing at being a professional librarian. What goes unnoticed is that children’s librarians are actually managing a ‘library within a library’ and as such must develop essential skills to be a good manager and mentor/leader. As part of the presentation, key functions of a children’s librarian’s role will be assessed to identify the range of diverse skills and competencies required to be a truly effective Children’s Librarian. The questions of how these skills need to be sold to the wider library community and potential employers as well as whether the stereotype creates a glass ceiling that limits these specialists from assuming leadership roles will also be considered.

Stereotypes: Time to move on or time to fight back?: Petra Dumbell, Australia Ms Vivien Lim, Curtin University of Technology, Australia The stereotypical librarian ranges from an older lady wearing her hair in a bun to a rather mousey person shushing people in the stacks to someone who loves silence, likes books, and suffers people. How do graduates feel about these stereotypes? This paper addresses the question by bringing new librarians together in focus groups to discuss and analyse stereotypes that exist about librarians and to consider the effects of stereotypes on the profession. Of particular interest are the different stereotypes new graduates have encountered and whether these are perceived as barriers. Possible solutions to perceived barriers resulting from stereotyping librarianship will be presented. In addition, and based on rankings developed from the focus groups’ discussions, the paper will consider other barriers faced by new librarians, including those relating to employment, promotion and professional development issues. Our paper will provide a valuable insight into how new librarians view the stereotypes that come with their profession and whether they perceive them as barriers. It will also determine the degree of importance new librarians attach to the stereotype issue compared with other issues new librarians encounter. Importantly, these findings will include recommendations about how barriers could be overcome.

This is not a normal library job!: Christine A May, Rockhampton Regional Council Libraries, Australia I have one of the most unusual library jobs in the world. I play cards, Twister and Trouble, act as a personal trainer and motivator, I’ve had my hair every colour of the rainbow, my jeans painted, planted trees and cleaned up rubbish, been to the movies and gotten shot up in “Darkzone”, I’ve been cried on, laughed at, hugged and paid to eat pizza, and I share my love of books and reading with young people every day. What am I? I’m a young adult librarian, and I work at verbYL. VerbYL is a dedicated Youth Lounge/Youth Library for 13-25 year olds. It is, according to Patrick Jones (and he should know), a world first, combining library and youth services, librarians and youth workers, in a genuine partnership. And that’s the best thing, it’s a partnership breaking the boundaries of rigid job titles, using all of our strengths to help young people in any and every way that we can. Want some help studying or to find the latest album by Eminem? Want to know more about STIs or to talk about problems at home, school or work? Ask any of the staff, or just hang out with your friends. It’s about building relationships with young people, about adapting to their wants and needs and changing their perceptions of what a “librarian” is and does. So who could ask for a better job? But sssshhhhh don’t tell everyone or they’ll all want a job like this.

Life in the Baby Boomer library world: a survival guide: Ms Zaana J Howard, Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT), Australia According to Australian Job Search (2006), just 14% of librarians are under the age of 35. As a Generation Y librarian, flexibility is a key factor to ensuring survival in the Baby Boomer library and overcoming employment, promotion and in particular stereotype barriers. This paper draws upon generational and library industry research, coupled with a case study to provide practical advice and strategies to break through both personal and professional barriers for the Generation Y librarian in the Baby Boomer library world. The case study, drawn from personal experience, will detail my journey as a librarian since graduation in 2005, discussing barriers faced and methods for breaking through. I currently work at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE as the Teaching and Learning Librarian, including managing a campus library. Amongst 35 library staff I am the sole staff member under 30 and the youngest on the Library Management Team by 20 years, providing a perfect example of the Generation Y librarian within a Baby Boomer environment. At the age of 27, I am the current Chair of the Victorian Association of TAFE Libraries. In addition, in June I am presenting a paper at the International Lifelong Learning conference and will have my first academic paper published in the Australian Library Journal. This experience provides the platform for exploring strategies for understanding and overcoming ageist ideas, generational stereotypes, and employment barriers. Discussion regarding the need to develop sound industry knowledge for survival within the library world will also be raised.

Beyond the Holy Grail: why academic librarianship is more than just reference: Rebecca L Parker, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia It’s easy to graduate from library school with the perception that all academic librarians spend their days behind a reference desk. Reference work is the primary focus of most information provision subjects and is held up as the exemplar of library services, the ‘holy grail’ of professional librarianship. Yet there are many other challenging quests that need the support of librarians in the academic library context. In the past there has been a tendency to focus almost exclusively on the information needs of students in the university environment, but academic libraries also serve a variety of other user groups central to the existence of universities and the advancement of research. By engaging with new areas of responsibility within universities, academic librarians step outside the traditional boundaries of librarianship and into new and exciting professional realms. Skills in information management and a detailed understanding of publication trends make librarians invaluable to universities for collecting and managing research outputs. Their support for open access publishing and institutional repositories puts academic librarians at the vanguard of the open access movement, a response to the desire for wider access to research than established scholarly publishing models allow. Increased research exposure benefits universities and individual academics, as it improves their research profiles both here and overseas. In this paper, I will show how the open access movement fosters opportunities for academic librarians to break down barriers to information access, while still actively serving researchers--and universities--who are often neglected as academic library users.

Books? What Books?: Sally Kudrna, Fairfax Media, Australia A library, by definition, is referred to as a ‘collection of books’. However, in this era of communication and information technologies, libraries have become more than dusty volumes on shelves. Has this definition become a stereotype rather than a reality? Should definitions of a ‘library’ be broadened to recognise that a modern corporate library has a decentralised collection of books with librarians working in professional teams, interacting with online databases and electronic information sources? Today, many libraries' hardcopy collections are often relocated offsite as commercial space comes at a cost premium. Information professionals can now maintain 14-hour service to inhouse clients as well as those located regionally, nationally and internationally. This outdated ‘collection of books’ stereotype does not remotely cover today’s practising library, contributing to barriers between service and clients. Clients are suspicious of shifts from hardcopy collections to online databases, lacking confidence in the reliability and accuracy of technology used to satisfy their requests, instead using ‘find-it-yourself’ web sources such as Google and Wikipedia. Consequentally, preconceptions about librarians' skillsets can contribute to an underutilisation of online resources, which can undermine library funding. In this paper, I will present practical measures to overcome these barriers created by stereotypes of libraries and librarians, including the development of communication and marketing plans and time-reviewed goals to ensure libraries do not become obsolete like the dictionary definition -- that librarians are rightfully considered the masters of electronic information, and clients have utmost confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the service they receive.

Abstract Submission

Invitation from the Convenor

On behalf of the NLS4 Organising Committee, it is my pleasure to invite you to attend the 4th ALIA New Librarians Symposium in Melbourne in 2008

The Symposium will showcase new and innovative developments by addressing various issues which affect new graduates and students from all library and related sectors. The theme of Breaking Barriers has been developed to stimulate discussion and debate, as well as encourage innovation, best practice and information sharing. The Organising Committee is dedicated to providing an inspiring and challenging program for all delegates.

The Symposium provides a forum for delegates to network, exchange ideas and learn from each other, as well as opportunities to tour best-practice sites, visit trade exhibitions and enjoy social activities.

Abstract submissions are now closed (4 April 2008)

I look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne in December 2008.

Tania Barry
Conference Convenor

Important Dates

• Abstract Submissions Open 8 December 2007

• Abstract Submissions Close 04 April 2008

• Authors Notified 1 June 2008

• Peer Reviewed Paper Submission Deadline 05 September 2008

• Final Paper Submission Deadline 07 November 2008

• Registration Opens 02 June 2008

• Early Bird Registration Deadline 05 September 2008

Call for Abstracts

In keeping with the Symposium theme of Breaking Barriers, abstracts are invited for oral presentations on the following topics, relating to breaking through:

• Employment barriers?

• Promotion barriers?

• Stereotype barriers?

• Professional development barriers?

All abstracts submitted must be an original work and not previously presented in any form at other conferences. Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words.

Please note that only one abstract submission per person will be accepted.

If you wish to submit an abstract for consideration by the Program Committee, you must also intend to register for the Symposium.

Online submission is the only method for the receipt of abstracts.

(4 April 2008) Abstract submissions are now closed. Thank you for lodging your abstract for NLS4.

Submissions must be lodged no later than Friday, 04 April 2008. If you have any questions regarding online submission, please email your query to Patty D'Cruz - ICMS

The evaluation of abstracts will be based on the following criteria:

• Suitability to the conference themes;

• Importance and interest of the topic to delegates;

• Demonstrated evidence of creativity, leadership and excellence in professional practice

The Program Committee reserves the right to decide the format of presentation on the basis of time and space available.

A notification email will be sent to the nominated contact for the abstract on Friday, 16 May 2008.

Full Paper Submission

Authors of accepted oral presentation abstracts are required to submit either a full paper for peer review or a non-peer reviewed paper on the Conference website.

Peer reviewed papers

All full papers for peer review will be required to be submitted within the RQF framework. The full paper would need to be submitted by Friday, 5 September 2008. The refereeing process will be undertaken in consideration of the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Research Quality Framework (RQF) proposal. For more information, please the visit RQF site

Referees will be chosen from the library and information community and will be independent experts in their chosen field. Each paper submitted for refereeing will be submitted as a blind (unidentifiable) copy. Written comments will be received from the referees for each paper. Papers requiring revision will be returned to authors for the required changes. At no time will the referees be informed of the identities of the authors whose papers they are assessing. Final submission of peer reviewed papers is Friday, 7 November 2008.

Non-peer reviewed papers

All non-peer reviewed papers must be submitted by Friday, 7 November 2008.

All received papers will be published on the ALIA website after the Symposium. PowerPoint presentations may also be submitted but are not a substitute for the full paper submission.

5th & 6th December 2008
at CQ Functions Melbourne

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