National Archives needs funding doubled, 200 extra staff, claims panel
24 July 2019
A government-appointed panel claims the National Archives needs its funding doubled and an extra 200 staff hired in order to survive, reports the Canberra Times. In a submission made to...
SLV announces 2019 fellowship recipients
12 July 2019
State Library Victoria has announced this year’s recipients of its fellowships, worth a total of over $200,000, including several writers working on book projects. The recipients include: Creative fellowships ($15,000)...
Lending Rights schemes worth $21.8m in 2018–19
10 July 2019
The federal government has announced that more than 16,300 authors, publishers and illustrators will receive $21.8 million through its Lending Rights schemes in 2018–19. The figures are down slightly on...
‘Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas’ to be read for National Simultaneous Storytime 2020
9 July 2019
Lucinda Gifford's forthcoming picture book Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas (Scholastic, October) has been chosen for the Australian Library and Information Association’s (ALIA) National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2020. Marking 20...
NSW libraries get $36.5m boost
3 July 2019
The NSW state government has announced a funding boost of $36.5m to public libraries in 2019/20, as part of a total of $60m in additional funding over four years. NSW...
Christchurch’s Tūranga library wins NZ property industry awards
26 June 2019
Christchurch's central library, Tūranga, has won two awards at the 2019 New Zealand Property Industry Awards. Opened in October last year after six years of development and construction, the NZ$93...
ANU launches Australian Common Reader database
21 June 2019
Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have launched a searchable database of Australian library records spanning 1861 to 1928. The Australian Common Reader website provides a snapshot of the...
NSW regional library shares 200 copies of ‘The Van Apfel Girls are Gone’
19 June 2019
Central West Libraries in New South Wales is sharing 200 copies of Felicity McLean’s The Van Apfel Girls are Gone (Fourth Estate) as part of its One Library One Book...
Libraries Tasmania reports member growth after late fees abolished
19 June 2019
More than 8000 new members have signed up to Tasmanian government-run library services since fines and processing fees for overdue books were abolished in November last year, reports the ABC....
Librarians recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours
13 June 2019
Two librarians have been awarded a Medal (OAM) in the General Division in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Geelong Regional Library Corporation CEO Patti Manolis received an OAM for service to...
Queensland Memory Awards winners announced
13 June 2019
The recipients of the Queensland Memory Awards, which include a range of research fellowships and awards to recognise contributions to the study and preservation of Queensland’s history, have been announced....
WA libraries receive statewide innovation awards
5 June 2019
Two public libraries in WA have received the 2019 Library Board of Western Australia Award for Innovation and Collaboration. In the metropolitan and large regional category, the City of Canning...
Insurers not liable for earthquake-prone Wellington library
29 May 2019
Wellington mayor Justin Lester has confirmed that insurers are not liable for the cost of strengthening or demolishing the city’s central library, which in late March was forced to close...
ALIA, Booktopia partner for ILF fundraiser
29 May 2019
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and online retailer Booktopia are partnering to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Fund (ILF). For the month of May, five percent of...
Eight local titles make ALIA most borrowed list 2019
22 May 2019
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has partnered with library provider Civica to compile a list of most borrowed books from Australian libraries from April 2018 to March 2019...
ALIA concerned about proposed merger of SLWA with gallery, museum
15 May 2019
The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) has written to the WA government in response to a report in the Australian about a proposed amalgamation of the State Library of...
Self-service library to open in regional NZ
1 May 2019
A new self-service library sharing a space with a hairdressing salon will open in Castlecliff, New Zealand, on 4 May. The library is a partnership between Whanganui District Library, community...
Godfree named Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year
17 April 2019
The Australian School Library Association (ASLA) named Holly Godfree from Lake Tuggeranong College as Australian Teacher Librarian of 2019, reports the Canberra Times. Godfree has been a teacher for 20...
Auckland World Library and Information Congress postponed until 2022
17 April 2019
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and its New Zealand National Committee have postponed the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) in Auckland until 2022. Around...
New database explores diversity in children’s books
10 April 2019
The National Centre for Australian Children’s Literacy (NCACL) has launched a cultural diversity database designed to help librarians, teachers, parents and readers find books that ‘feature Australia’s culturally diverse population’....
‘Modest wins, major disappointments’ for libraries in federal Budget 2019-20: ALIA
3 April 2019
The Australian Libraries and Information Alliance (ALIA) has responded to the federal government’s 2019-2020 budget, describing ‘a few modest wins’ as well as some ‘major disappointments’ for libraries and the...
Victorian high-school clarifies library ‘rebranded’ not abolished
3 April 2019
A Victorian high-school has confirmed it has rebranded, not abolished, its school library, contrary to a highly publicised Age article that ‘misrepresented the reality of the situation’. Siena College principle...
SLNSW announces new children’s library
3 April 2019
The State Library of NSW (SLNSW) is launching a fundraising appeal to help fund a new dedicated area for children and families to browse, sit down and read, reports the...
NSW library service to give away street library kits
3 April 2019
The Port Macquarie-Hastings Library Service in regional NSW is giving away 10 street library kits to support the street literary movement, reports the Wauchope Gazette. The library is also hosting...
SLV launches $75,000 appeal to acquire Bruce Postle Archive
27 March 2019
The State Library of Victoria (SLV) has launched a public appeal to raise $75,000 by the end of June to acquire and preserve the archive of award-winning photojournalist Bruce Postle....
Australian Library Design Awards 2019 winners announced
20 March 2019
The winners of the 2019 Australian Library and Information Association’s (ALIA) Library Design Awards for new and refurbished libraries have been announced. The winning libraries are: Public libraries Shellharbour City...
NLA launches archive of Australian websites
14 March 2019
The National Library of Australia (NLA) has launched an archive of Australian websites dating back to 1996, reports the ABC. The Australian Web Archive contains snapshots of Australian websites from...
ALIA submits to ParentsNext Senate inquiry; government ignores advice
6 March 2019
Following a Senate inquiry into the federal government's ParentsNext welfare program, the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is urging public libraries to report ParentsNext case workers who are operating...
NSW government announces funding for Vision Australia Library
6 March 2019
The NSW government has announced $500,000 funding per year for Vision Australia’s library service, starting in 2020. Administered by the State Library of NSW and commencing 1 July 2019, the...
WA school library temporarily bans Harry Potter books
27 February 2019
A school library in Western Australia has banned access to the Harry Potter series for two weeks to encourage students to read other books, reports the West Australian. A spokesperson...
