The aim of this research was to investigate current issues faced by public library staff in rural South Australia and to examine some of the reasons why people choose to work in rural libraries. The study took a mixed methods approach, combining interviews and questionnaires to gain a fuller understanding of the issues and experiences of rural…

The President of ALIA writes about expectations for the Public Libraries Summit, and provides an account of what took place on the day of the meeting, and what has taken place since. In funding terms, the most likely areas of productive engagement with the federal government are considered to be: children, early learning and a literate Australia;…

The Sydney Public Library began as the Australian Subscription Library and Reading Room which opened in Sydney on December 1, 1827, with 1,000 volumes. The Municipal Council of Sydney took possession of the library in 1909. The library evolved from a closed access, fixed shelf position library to an open access system in 1910. A complete…

This fact book, compiled to fill the need of practicing librarians and researchers for recent data on public libraries, contains statistics concerning or relevant to the U.S. public library system. Data on all aspects of American public libraries are summarized from such sources as annual reports, journal articles, surveys, books, doctoral theses,…

Drawing on recent experience and observation in New South Wales, this paper describes issues facing authorities, planners and librarians who are working on public library building projects. The author emphasises the need for all involved to focus not just on traditional good design principles, but also on user needs, consulting the community,…

This is a study on the operating efficiency of the public library system in Australia. Cost functions have been fitted to library data and the results are interpreted with a view to generating insights into the functioning of the existing library system. An exploratory cost benefit analysis has also been attempted. Activities of libraries have…

Examines aspects of automation of technical services in four public libraries with major emphasis on management decisions (key decisions, constraints limiting options available, decision makers). Factors which emerged as important in determining decisions included municipal council attitudes, facilities available, urgency of need to change,…

Describes two current studies in New South Wales (Australia) that examined the position of children's librarian in public libraries. One developed a profile of children's librarians and investigated how they rated themselves as managerial leaders; the other examined the recruitment and retention of children's and young adult librarians. (five…

Examines implications of the introduction of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) to Victoria (Australia) public libraries and the revision or abandonment of previously dominant ideals of public administration. Topics include the role of government; public services as a competitive market environment; economic rationalism; and the threat to the…

In 1956-57 John Metcalfe was seconded from the Public Library of New South Wales to the University of Sydney to report on the needs of the University Library. This is a forgotten chapter in that Library's history, and a hitherto unexamined aspect of Metcalfe's career. Metcalfe was apparently manoeuvering to leave the Public Library, and expected…

Summarizes the topics covered at a seminar for rural librarians in Australia that focused on practical solutions to the problems inherent in being physically and professionally isolated. Areas discussed included education and training, communication and networking, and library management and services. (10 references) (CLB)

Pre-circulated papers, comments on these papers, documents compiled as a result of group discussion, and resolutions adopted at Australia's 1980 National Workshop on Joint-Use Libraries are presented. A joint-use library is defined as one in which two or more distinct groups of users are given equal priority in the same premises, the governance of…