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By using the Australian Library History Forums (ALHF) as a lens, this paper will explore library history research in Australia and examine the value of the history of libraries and the library profession. The paper aims to encourage reflection on Australian library history – or library history in general, speculate on its value, consider the gaps in Australian library history, and advocate and encourage the exploration of these gaps. By examining the interests, priorities and values reflected in the ALHFs over time, the paper will reflect on what Australian library history has to say about collective professional and community memory, community and professional values as reflected in these histories and about changing perceptions and understandings of libraries, collections, and the place of libraries in communities. A challenge will be made for those interested in the histories of libraries and librarianship to uncover and to tell these untold stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of Stage One in the development of a new resource about school libraries and teacher-librarianship in Australia and New Zealand. This new advocacy, research and information tool was produced by a team of academics from the School of Information and Communication Studies, Charles Sturt University. This team have expertise in education, librarianship, and teacher-librarianship. Curating over 100 years of resources for, and about teacher-librarians and school libraries in Australia and New Zealand, Stage One of the Knowledge Bank of Australian and New Zealand School Libraries (KBANZSL) is a point-in-time guide and record of critical reports, books, papers, and other resources about Australian school libraries and teacher-librarianship. It is intended to support researchers, administrators, practitioners and advocates of school libraries and teacher-librarianship by recording literature in the field in a single location. Details of the project's scope, development and parameters are discussed, and examples of the intended final outputs are provided. The overall project addresses an identified gap in the research around teacher-librarianship in Australia and New Zealand. An opportunity to build on this current research exists, with the intention that Stage Two of the project will extend the resource into the online environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the role of Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) in advocating for school library services in Australia. Topics discussed include equitable access to school library services for all Australian primary and secondary students; support by ALIA for school library personnel in the form of professional development; and the professional librarianship.

Concerns about the gap between LIS theory and practice have been voiced by many commentators over the years. A moderate gap was identified between the research priorities of practitioners in the Relevance 2020 project's focus groups, convened across Australia in late 2016, and the LIS research actually being conducted. A total of 172 Relevance 2020 participants, from a wide range of sectors, identified 96 priority topics, in areas such as the role of libraries and librarians, promotion, information service operations and information literacy. The participants also suggested ways in which LIS research could be better supported and made more relevant to practice. All stakeholders need to play their complementary parts: employers need to support practitioners' involvement in research, as well as their engagement with it; professional networks can help lobby for funds and resources, and facilitate the development of research capacity; academics can identify areas in which their own agendas coincide with those of practitioners, and explain the relevance of their research findings. Strong partnerships between individual practitioners and researchers can be formed by first identifying common ground and aims, through the sort of constructive dialogue generated at the Relevance 2020 events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on a partnership between a Liaison Librarian and an Academic Developer working in a large tertiary institution. Working as outsiders to the discipline, we examine the synergies between the roles of Academic Developer and Liaison Librarian. In light of the rapidly changing nature of higher education, we examine the implications for our roles within the hierarchical nature of the academy and disciplinary tribalism. In doing so, we consider the ways our partnership enabled us to draw upon tacit knowledge to deepen our understandings of identity and how to negotiate change from the outside. We explore some of the shared issues and challenges we face as we endeavour to implement positive change in a continually evolving and complex environment. Such issues include the role of gender. We apply the concepts of ‘outsiderness’ and ‘unhomeliness’ as developed by Manathunga to critically reflect on our practice, and explore the challenges and potential of Academic Development and Library partnerships to enable continuous improvement in teaching and scholarship. Our experiences highlight the importance of collegiate conversations as enablers of critical reflection on practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of time and resources is spent every year in the library and information science (LIS) sector in Australia to organise, fund and attend conferences. However, the possible benefits of conference attendance for librarians have not been a focus of research in the field. This article, reporting on the findings of a pilot study conducted in the context of a PhD research project, addresses this gap and analyses conference attendance benefits as reported by librarians who attended a specific international conference. The findings of this study link directly to issues and themes that are relevant to all library sectors in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay asks why the 175th anniversary in 2015 of the NSW Parliamentary Library received so little public or professional attention. This puzzling lack of awareness contrasts sharply with the year-long celebrations in 1990, commemorating the Library’s sesquicentenary. In assessing this observation, the essay notes that the field of parliamentary librarianship has suffered a noticeable eclipse in recent years here and abroad. The parliamentary institution itself is also experiencing a severe drop in public confidence. Attention is paid to the significance of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library whose role is paramount in the Australian parliamentary context. The role of the state parliamentary libraries is then reviewed. The importance and fate of their collections, deemed by some to be heritage collections of the nation, is discussed. Factors underlying the decline of the state parliamentary libraries are then considered and some international parallels are drawn. In light of the decline of the state parliamentary libraries, the controversial question of whether the state parliaments have the requisite will and infrastructure to offer continuing support to their libraries is canvassed. Metaphorically we ask: do the libraries constitute a non-continuing city? What kind of library service is realistic in parliaments in the twenty-first century where the presence of the digital age is now recognised? Is there a new city needed to replace them? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]