Volume 34 Nº 1 - May 1998

What is the future of Orana?

Alison Gregg

Well, what do you wish Orana's future to be?

The journal is now thirty-three years old, and at a crossroads. Like most other small magazines in Australia, it is facing financial stringency. Unlike many others, it also faces a major structural change. Since 1973, it has been operated jointly be the Children's Library Section (now the Childrens and Youth Services Section) and the School Libraries Section of ALIA. But soon ALIA itself will cease to be. The new peak body resulting from the ACLIS/ALIA merger will work to new agendas and structures to address a new clientele and - in the case of Orana - possibly a new audience as well. So what will be Orana's role?

That problem was last addressed seriously in 1989 when, after an exhaustive consultative process, a joint CYSS/SLS sub-committee produced 'Orana: A Plan for the Future', (Orana v.25 nº3, August, pp4-5). This landmark report laid out Orana's mission, objectives, role and management strategies to take it through the next decade. Orana was to be:

A journal for people working in the field of children's and youth library services and school libraries, and for anyone interested in library, resource and information services for your people ... The subject coverage of Orana will include areas of common interest to both Sections, such as

• child growth and development
• child psychology
• literacy and reading
• planning, developing and evaluation of library and informaton services
• resources and their selection and use
• current professional issues
• professional development

And the journal would be managed jointly by both ALIA Sections.

So what is Orana's subject matter and what is its role now?

In the nine years since that ground-breaking report, the world of school and children's librarianship has changed dramatically. Access to IT in schools and public libraries has tilted the public perception of information services. Students seek and find information online at school, at home and at their local library. The dividing line between general list (adult) publishing and children's publishing has become blurred. Many of the givens of 1989 can no longer be taken for granted. The past - even as recently as 1989 - is indeed another country. They do things differently there.

What does all this mean for Orana? What does it mean for you, the reader? Is there a specific role for a printed journal that closes the gap between services provided to young people in schools, and services for young people in public libraries? Is there another journal with such inclusivity in its charter? It there a need for one? After all, we have Access, Scan, Literature Base, Reading Time, Magpies, Papers, and Viewpoint each covering aspects of the field. But only Orana, it seems to me, crosses the divide that keeps them firmly in their pigeonholes. And is there any other journal that specifically addresses library services for young people provided through public libraries? Is there a role for such a journal? Can Orana fill this role in future?

It is in your hands, dear reader. Under current administrative provisions, the National Section committees for School Libraries and Children's and Youth Services hold joint responsibility for publication and distribution of Orana. They appoint the Chair of the Advisory Committee, who reports directly to them. They oversee all aspects of editing and production and they hold the key to Orana's finance. But how many readers know how Orana is produced? How many care? Orana cannot continue as a small budget item unless readers everywhere are prepared to give vigorous support at every opportunity. There is alway a myriad of tasks waiting to be done. The Advisory Committee needs more people to seek out speakers and writers, persuade them to offer articles, assure them of an audience ready and willing to learn from their experience and insight. People are needed to identify possibilities for publication and to stick with likely writers until their manuscripts are actually delivered. They may also need to lobby ALIA (or whatever name is eventually chosen) for more support, and to commit their own section or special interest group to help provide the finance to ensure that publication can continue.

That is always assuming that you, the readers, are as committed to continuing the journal as are the core of editorial and advisory committee members. If you are, now is the time to stand up and be counted. When the future of Orana is discussed in the wake of the ALIA/ACLIS changes, we need to be able to speak with confidence about the level of support from CYSS and SLS members. Without your interest and involvement, Orana literally has no role. Unless we know what you want, we will not be able to define - much less find funding for - a role of our own professional journal. We would welcome feedback (email or snailmail) for our Letters page and happily accept articles and viewpoints addressing this issue.

So please start writing! By looking outwards to consider and meet them, Orana has weathered a host of changes throughout its 34-year history. We are at the crossroads again. What's new? Tell us what you want of Orana in the future. The Advisory Committee will do its best to see that you get it.

Alison Gregg
WA School Libraries Section