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This paper draws out the themes, discussions and learnings from the 2009 Ifla Metropolitan Libraries Section mid term meeting in Brisbane. Papers at the meeting emphasised the use of buildings, staff development and workforce planning and the use of research to inform decision making and implement evidence based practice. Also described is the evidence based 'Being the best we can' self evaluation process for public libraries developed in Victoria in 2009. Edited version of a paper presented at the Ifla conference 23-27 August 2009 in Milan, Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hobsons Bay Libraries in Melbourne has undertaken three major developments in the last five years and is in detailed design for another to commence in late 2012. Each features a joint use or collocated aspect to its operation. Altona Meadows was fully integrated with a neighbourhood house. Altona North is collocated with Bayside P-9 College. Williamstown Library is currently being linked physically and operationally to the Williamstown Town Hall, a premier arts and cultural venue. The Newport Hub will bring the library together with an existing youth facility, a seniors building, a maternal and child health centre and programmed activity groups centre. The governance challenges for each of these is unique. Outlined are the benefits of having a strong framework that has a clear, joint purpose; the experiences of the Hobsons Bay team; and what they have learned from their successes and failures. Edited version of a paper presented at 'Connection and convergence: second international conference on joint use libraries' Adelaide SA 3-4 November 2011 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personalised view of workforce planning in public libraries in the context of the emerging concepts of Library 2.0; third place libraries and the transparent library. Edited version of a paper presented at the PLA/Public Libraries SA conference Adelaide 7 August 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outsourcing of technical services functions such as cataloguing and processing is becoming more commonplace in libraries across Australia.Strategic procurement adds further value to the whole process of outsourcing the purchase of goods and services. In 1999 Brisbane City Council Library Services outsourced its acquisitions and technical services, enabling staff to move into user focused positions in the branches. It also introduced a more strategic management of acquisitions and collections which continues to be fine tuned to meet the needs of library users. In 2005 Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service became the first Victorian library to fully outsource its acquisitions and technical services. Brisbane and Yarra Plenty, although 1700 kms apart, are working together to adopt a standard AACR2 Level 2 catalogue record to be created by library suppliers, with costs shared between the partner libraries. Edited version of a paper presented at the Alia 2006 Perth biennial conference [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main areas of interest to borrowers in a suburban public library service centre on the domestic and the personal: their health, their homes, their holidays, their money and their leisure. While Dewey is a satisfactory method of linking a catalogue record to an item on the shelf, it does not facilitate browsing in the areas of most interest to public library users. In 2005 Bayside Library service did not use Dewey in the traditional sense to determine shelf order in its redeveloped Beaumaris branch. The result was six new nonfiction collections which combine Dewey sequences within subject areas that are meaningful to a contemporary Australian audience. The success and user acceptance of the reorganisation has resulted in Bayside deciding, in principle, to implement the same at its other branches. Edited version of a paper presented at the Alia 2006 Perth biennial conference [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a paper from the 17th conference of the Australian School Library Association held in Sunshine Coast, Queensland in 2001 regarding the interaction between schools and public libraries in Australia. Reports on the relationship between school and public libraries; Results of a survey on the issue; Factors describing the interaction.

Presents an edited version of a paper presented at the Alia 2000 conference in Canberra, Australia, on October 23 to 26, 2000. Background information on the public libraries in Great Britain; Information on the British government's mandate for the development of public libraries; Details on the People's Network program.

Information about several papers discussed at a symposium sponsored by the Australian Library and Information Association on the importance of the Australian public library system. Topics include funding for the public library system, social exclusion of the Australian population from public libraries, and the public library system's impact on education and community capacity.