Item 1.3

Present

1. Procedural items

There were no apologies.

1.2 Meeting arrangements
General councillors noted the meeting arrangements as set out in the attachment to the Agenda papers.

1.3 Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the last meeting held on 20-21 November 1997 were accepted as a true and accurate record, pending the following amendments:

1. at Item 5.1.1, amend the year in the third line from 1998 to 1997;
2. replace the words had resulted with the words may result at Item 19.3; and
3. record the thanks of the president to the retiring NSW general councillor, Craig Grimison, in the concluding paragraph following Item 21.

1.4 Summary minutes of last meeting

1.5 Matters arising from the minutes
The 'Actions arising' list for the meeting held on 20-21 November 1997 had been circulated as a late paper.

1.6 Matters for discussion under "Other business"

1. 2002 IBBY Congress

2. General Council

2.2 Annual report
The executive director advised that contributions to the annual report were still being received and that the completed draft version will be circulated to general councillors out of session.

2.3 1998 Annual General Meeting
At its November meeting, General Council had agreed that the 1998 Annual General Meeting (AGM) would take place on Thursday 16 July. General Council resolved that the AGM would take place at 12.30pm at ALIA House, Canberra, on that date.

3. Reports

3.2 Branch reports
Reports had been received from the ACT, NSW, NT, Qld, SA, Tas, Vic and WA branches.

3.3 Executive director's report
The executive director's report highlighted recent and future activities, including:

• ALIA National Office staffing;
• a photo session with Senator The Hon Richard Alston, the Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts, and plans to use his photo on the cover of April inCite;
• plans by the Minister's Department to hold a nationwide information session/public awareness day and the Association's provision of data to the Minister's office on the number of libraries which might participate in the day; and
• the availability of funds under the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) program.

3.4 Portfolio reports
Portfolio reports had been received from the Tas and Vic general councillors.

4. Corporate services

4.2 Interlibrary loan vouchers
General Council noted that although 1997 had been a record year for voucher transactions, income from the scheme will eventually decline.

4.3 ALIA House
The executive director advised General Council that the first-floor tenant had vacated the premises in January. Although the Canberra commercial property market remained depressed, it was expected that a new tenant would be found soon.

4.4 ALIAnet
The manager, communications and publications, had provided General Council with a report on ALIAnet. The executive director of ALIA and the executive officer of ACLIS undertook to investigate the action required to amalgamate the ALIA and ACLIS web sites.

4.4.1 ACT Branch issues paper on ALIAnet
The ACT general councillor spoke to the ACT Branch issues paper on ALIAnet. It was noted that as most of the issues canvassed in the paper had been resolved, the ACT Branch recommended that the issues paper be withdrawn. General Council was advised that the ALIA National Office had already considered outsourcing the service to an internet service provider but had decided to await market developments. ALIA National Office will continue to monitor the situation.

5. Strategic planning

While stressing her confidence in the Leadership Committee, the chair of the ALIA Board of Education put a motion to the meeting regarding the need to adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding.

6. Education and training

6.2 Course recognition

6.2.1 Course recognition - Charles Sturt University
This item was discussed in camera.

6.2.2 Course recognition - Queensland University of Technology
This item was discussed in camera.

7. Workplace

• New South Wales pay equity inquiry;
• classification structures - Queensland independent schools; and
• librarians and library technicians - blurring of roles.

7.2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment and career development strategy for the library and information services sector
The deputy executive director reported that the strategy was progressing well and still had the support of the library sector despite financial constraints on staffing which make it difficult for the sector to convert commitment to the strategy into staff positions.

7.3 CREATE training packages for the library and information sector
The deputy executive director reported that CREATE Australia had been funded by the Australian National Training Authority to develop a national training package for libraries and museums.

8. Membership

8.2 Indigenous communities online
The deputy executive director reported that ALIA, together with the State Library of Queensland, Cairns City Library Service, the Northern Territory Library Service and aboriginal communities in South Australia, is developing strategic alliances with indigenous communities and organisations to provide online access in indigenous communities. The project will serve as a model for use by other organisations and communities. Funding for the project had been obtained under the Commonwealth's Online Public Access Initiative.

8.3 Image of the profession
General Council discussed the recommendations contained in the report Image of the profession and requested that ALIA National Office reproduce these in spreadsheet format, for presentation to the July General Council meeting, so that General Council could better determine areas where assistance in marketing the profession could be sought.

8.4 Marketing to senior executives
General Council discussed a paper prepared by the ACT Branch president on the need to inform chief executives and top-level management of the value professional information workers can add to their organisation in terms of managing information content and corporate knowledge.

8.4 Survey of top-100 companies
The executive director reported on the survey of the top-100 companies which examined the extent of each company's library facilities, noting that an article would appear in April inCite.

9. Membership

9.2 Recruitment and retention
At its November 1997 meeting, General Council resolved to provide seed funding to assist NSW Branch to finalise a recruitment program which would form the basis for a national recruitment and retention strategy. During discussion of the report provided by the NSW general councillor, it was agreed that the ALIA National Office would modify the program to enable results to be tested and to develop a strategy for a national recruitment program for report to the July 1998 General Council meeting.

10. ALIA policy statements

10.1.1 Statement on national information policy
General Council discussed the current National information policy statement in the context of the Statement on freedom to read, Statement on free library services to all and Statement on libraries and literacy and agreed that the National information policy statement be withdrawn at this time as the relevant issues are addressed in the other policy statements considered.

11. Awards, promotions and lobbying

11.2 Metcalfe Medallion

11.3 Guidelines for Library Technician of the Year Award
Following a decision by General Council in 1997 that the guidelines for the Library Technician of the Year Award be reviewed, the executive director reported that the revised guidelines were under development and a copy will be circulated to general councillors out of session. MM

11.4 Australian Library Week
The executive director provided a report on preparations for Australian Library Week (ALW). It was noted that the ALW oration will be given by Ms Lois O'Donoghue on 29 April in Adelaide.

12. Divisions

• progress already made at Branch level in merging ALIA and ACLIS;
• concerns about funding implications for Branches as a result of the merger process;
• funding levels for local presence; and
• formation of a new peak body offers the opportunity to change some existing structures and importance of resolving the leadership position of the new association.

12.2 1997 Division annual reports
The manager, policy development and support, reported that 52 divisions had provided annual reports. A summary of the main issues raised in the annual reports had formed part of the agenda item. Copies of individual reports were available at the meeting.

12.3 1998 divisional reports to General Council
The manager, policy development and support, reported that 30 division reports to General Council had been received. There appeared to be some confusion between incoming and outgoing committees regarding responsibility for the division Report. The manager, policy development and support, undertook to clarify reporting responsibilities with divisions. MM

13. ALIA publishing

14. Conferences

14.2 2000 ALIA Biennial Conference
The convener of the 2000 Conference Committee had provided a progress report on planning for the 2000 Biennial Conference. General Council noted that Ursula MacDermott had been appointed to the conference committee.

14.3 1997 7th Asian Pacific Specials, Health and Law Librarians' Conference
General Council noted that the accounts for the 7th Asian Pacific Specials, Health and Law Librarians' Conference were being audited and a final report will be made available to the July General Council meeting.

14.4 1999 8th Asian Pacific Specials, Health and Law Librarians' Conference
The Tas general councillor had provided a progress report on planning for the 1999 Asian Pacific Specials, Health and Law Librarians' Conference. Membership of the conference planning committee was noted as was the assistance provided by the 1997 Committee.

14.5 1997 12th National Cataloguers' Conference
General Council noted a report by the conference convener. The workshop format had been a success and the registration list had had to be closed due to the large numbers of earlybird registrations.

14.6 1997 1st National Local Studies Conference
General Council noted a report from the conference convener on the successful staging of the 1st National Local Studies Conference.

14.7 1999 Public Libraries' Conference
The progress report prepared by the conference convener noted that the venue for the conference will be the Sheraton Perth Hotel.

14.8 1997 9th National Library Technicians' Conference
The convener of the 1997 National Library Technicians' Conference had provided a report and General Council noted that the proceedings of the conference had been published and were available for purchase from the ALIA National Office. A full report will be provided to the July General Council meeting.

14.9 2001 11th National Library Technicians' Conference
General Council noted that the Library Technicians' Section (TAS Branch) had expressed interest in holding the 2001 National Library Technicians' Conference. A formal bid is expected to be presented to the July General Council meeting.

14.10 1997 TAFE National Conference
A report on the 1997 TAFE National Conference was tabled at the meeting. It was noted that proceedings of the conference will be released shortly.

15. ALIA committees

15.1.1 International Relations Committee
It was noted that the International Relations Committee had not met since the November General Council meeting.

15.1.2 By-Laws and Regulations Standing Committee
The By-Laws and Regulations Standing Committee had not met since the November 1997 General Council meeting.

15.1.3 Publishing Policy Committee
General Council noted that although the Publishing Policy Committee had not met since the November General Council meeting, informal meetings are held between the convener, Kerry Smith and the manager, communications and publishing.

15.1.4 Copyright Committee
The ACLIS copyright officer gave an oral report on the issues with which she is currently dealing. General Council noted that in his report to General Council, the convener of the Copyright Committee had reported that he was working closely with the ACLIS copyright officer and had invited her to become a member of the Committee. The executive director advised that ALIA will contribute $2000 towards the cost of the ACLIS copyright officer's attendance at the IFLA Conference in Amsterdam.

16.1 Committees with ALIA representation - reports

16.1.2 AGPS-ACLIS Liaison Committee
The executive director advised General Council that the AGPS-ACLIS Liaison Committee had not met since June 1997. General Council will be provided with a progress report at its July 1998 meeting.

16.1.3 CREATE Australia
The deputy executive director had provided a report on the results of the splitting of the recreation industry from the CREATE group. It was noted that the CREATE Conference was held in Adelaide on 2-3 March and that the deputy executive director had presented a paper at the conference.

16.1.4 National Scholarly Communications Committee
The executive director tabled a paper inviting members of the NCSF, CAUL and the Roderick West Committee to an informal meeting about the NCSF Round Table on 4 May 1998.

17. Relations with other associations

17.2 American Library Association
The executive director reported that the Australian Embassy in the USA had allocated US$5000 towards the cost of the ALIA display at the 25 June to 2 July 1998 ALA Annual Conference. The executive director had met with the cultural officer appointed by the Embassy to provide assistance with setting up stands, etc. The National Library of Australia had agreed to fund a staff member to attend the conference and assist with the stand. The 1998 ALIA Biennial Conference will be promoted at the ALA Conference by Di Booker, Conference convener. It was noted that ALIA had contributed $1500 towards the costs of attendance by Alana Garwood, president of ATSILRN.

18. Government inquiries

19. 'For information' items and issues without notice

20. Other business

21. Next meeting

22. Close of meeting