NSLA libraries were beset by a series of trials in 2020, ranging from internal restructures to country-wide bushfires, smoke, storm damage, and finally, a global pandemic. Contrary to what might be expected given staff fatigue and restrictions on travel, the NSLA collaboration thrived. The benefits of a history of knowledge-sharing, joint project work, trusting relationships, and collaborative collecting were comprehensively demonstrated this year.
The NSLA strategic plan for 2020-2023 was formally released in August 2020. The sections below summarise 2020's activities against our three priority areas of work.
Shared systems for effective delivery of national collections and programs
Major projects
(National edeposit [NED], web archiving)
- Five out of seven NED enhancements underway
- Claiming issues survey and report completed for action
- One-year anniversary for NED (online celebrations)
- 2 x conference presentations for NED
- 2 x peer-reviewed articles published on NED
- NED finalist in new international DPC Digital Preservation Award for collaboration and cooperation
- NED Steering Group meetings x 6; fortnightly for NOG; 30+ meetings on enhancements
- Pre-scope for web archiving complete
Ongoing commitments
- 3 x presentations for Digital Preservation Coalition and attendance at multiple events & stakeholder meetings
- Position statement on access to legacy oral history collections endorsed by Heads of Collections
- Draft guidelines for oral history transcription complete
Workforce
- Visitor Experience network in weekly contact throughout Covid-19 pandemic
- Annual customer enquiry statistics report
- 2 x meetings for new Community Engagement network
- New Oral History network formed
- Covid-19 collecting report produced by Digital Archives network containing case studies and recommendations
- 3-5 x meetings each for Learning; Digital Archives; and Digital Preservation networks
Collections that reach and reflect the full diversity of our population
Major projects
(Culturally Safe Libraries Program [CSLP]; Indigenous collections audit)
- 1800 staff enrolled or completed the AIATSIS Core Cultural Learning course
- Working with Indigenous Collections online resource launched 1 June, over 6000 page views since recorded
- Article on CSLP published in ALIA's Incite magazine
- CSLP stage 1 evaluation report complete
- Research plan endorsed by Heads of Collections for Contemporary Indigenous Collections Audit and data analysis commenced (NLA, SLWA, SLQ, SLNSW)
Ongoing commitments
- Senate hearing on issues facing diaspora communities
- Extended access provided to subscription-based resources through eResources Consortium
- Indigenous place names project initiated with AIATSIS
- Annual NSLA statistics collected
- New statement and contact list replacing former TALCC mechanism for offers of physical collection material between NSLA libraries
Workforce
- First meeting of new Conservation Network
- 2 x NSLA Blakforce (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff network) meetings
- 3 x Heads of Collections meetings
- eResources Consortium regular meetings
- Monthly steering group meetings for CSLP
A strong evidence base for the library sector, and trusted voice in national policy
Major projects
(Covid report, public library stats, strategic plan, new partnerships)
- Covid-19 response report completed based on extensive data collection from all NSLA libraries
- Public library statistics revised in cooperation with ALIA and APLA; new set of measures in pilot testing and explanatory article published in ALIA's Incite magazine
- Strategic plan 2020-2023 released
- ARDC funding bid for emulation software with AARNet, Swinburne and other partners (SLNSW, SLQ, SLWA)
Ongoing commitments
- Senate hearing on national identity and nationhood
- Submission to parliamentary inquiry on creative and cultural industries and institutions
- Submission on the Australian Digital Inclusion Index
- Executive Officer served on ARDC assessment panel
- Written support for ALIA submissions along with CAUL
- Continued participation in ARC LISRA project
- Regular attendance: Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA), National Early Language and Literacy Strategy (NELLS) and Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC)
- Regular attendance and administrative assistance: GLAM Peak and Cultural Roundtable
- 3 x NSLA newsletters and 2 x internal newsletters
- Regular articles and posts for NSLA website, social media
Workforce
- 1 x Heads of Corporate Services meeting and participation in interviews for Covid-19 report
- 3 x Copyright Advisory Group meetings