----------------------------------------------------------------- STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA . . . KNOWLEDGE CENTRE OR CALL CENTRE? PUBLIC FORUM -----------------------------------------------------------------
A Public Forum for all academics, writers, researchers, historians, genealogists, students, trade unionists and other users and supporters of the State Library of Victoria. Staff, ex-staff and library users speak about where the State Library is heading and why the public should support the staff union's claims for respect, recognition and appropriate remuneration. Speakers include:- Morag Loh, Mimi Colligan, Wallace Kilsop & Karen Batt The State Library of Victoria is one of the nation's great cultural collecting institutions. Redmond Barry, the Library's founding force, described it as 'a great emporium of learning and philosophy, of literature, science and art'. In recent years, its greatness has been undermined. An emphasis on bricks and mortar and public events has been to the detriment of collections and staff. This trend must be reversed. With the Library now emerging from its major redevelopment, it is timely to discuss where it is heading and how we can resource the "knowledge economy" necessary for Australia's development. In a period of electronic revolution, libraries world wide are facing the challenge of reinventing themselves. Staff and users have the expertise and experience to ensure that the SLV becomes a "knowledge centre", a base for research and scholarship, rather than a "call centre". We need a world-class reference section which acknowledges that there are major reference tools published by key world organisations which appear in paper, not electronic form. Conservation of collections is a crucial issue. Important public collections have been allowed to gather mould. We need frank and open debate on conservation programs and the place of both paper and digital storage. We need sound public administration. The previous government's Financial Management Act 1994 forced accounting standards that, combined with Executive performance contracts, have been counter-productive. Human resources have become costs and liabilities that need to minimised. Conservation programs have become 'luxuries'. Yet collections - and the staff who care for them - are the basis of the Library. RESPECT Respect for staff knowledge, scholarship, expertise and professional standards must be paramount. Staff skill bases need to be increased across the whole gamut of information media for them to serve the public well. But instead, library workers are being de-skilled. A traditional service ethic of thoroughness and inventive sleuthing must be encouraged. Staff must not be coerced into lowering standards or punished if they do not conform. The Library exists because of its collections. These collections must be respected. Instead, periodical and newspaper titles are being cancelled. RECOGNITION Staff have no direct voice in the Library's governance and have no access to the Library Board of Victoria. Staff should have a staff-elected representative on the Library Board so that the people with the best knowledge of the collection and the needs of users can be involved in decision making. REMUNERATION State Library of Victoria workers are amongst the lowest paid library workers in Australia. The fact that the starting rate for a qualified professional at the Library is less than $30,000 is appalling. The fact that some staff have worked for more at than ten years at the Library and are still paid less than $30,000 is a disgrace. SLV salaries are below those of Victorian Public Service rates. For qualified librarians, the interstate average is 19.8% higher on average at the entry point, and 3.2% higher at the top of the pay scale. (For details, see the Australian Library and Information Association's Salary scales 2002/2003 at www.alia.org.au) This indicates that Victoria does not value the State Library's research collections or those who make them available to the public. Yet, with globalisation, we will only survive as a community if the public has access to information and knowledge. Library workers have an essential place at the forefront of the Knowledge Economy. 2 - 4pm Saturday, February 15th , New Ballroom - Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St (cnr Lygon St), Carlton www.tradeshallarts.com.au > > > PASS IT ON > > > -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink