Statewide Public Library Development Projects

STATEWIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS PROJECT PROPOSAL 2005/2008

Title Collections and Access Program

Funding Year One (2005/2006) $ requested Year Two (2006/2007) $

Year Three (2007/2008) $ The community desires access to information that is both trusted Snapshot / and reliable; it regards libraries as being places where this need Rationale can be met. Public libraries and the State Library of Victoria see sound information content as fundamental to great library services. Content in our collections can be enhanced by: . Researching and responding to our communities’ needs . Managing the content –purchase and collection development . Harvesting existing content –eg in electronic form or document delivery . Creating content –such as digitising local information, or hosting a community web publishing program including multilingual communities. Providing seamless access to all Victorian library collections is also a major ambition for public libraries and the State Library of Victoria. Individually, libraries struggle to maintain desirable, relevant collections, and to take advantage of new technologies to improve community access to these. Many library users now expect online delivery of digitised resources. A collaborative approach would enable user-focused service delivery, enhanced and shared collections, both physical and online, local content development, cost efficiencies, and innovation in the use of ICT. This project will gather collections audit and customer needs data, and international best practice, to create a costed blueprint for collaborative projects to enhance library collections and access over the next five years, and a long-term vision for libraries in 2020. A two-year program of demonstration projects will follow this first year of research and planning. Demonstration projects could include a collective purchasing cooperative, community or multilingual web publishing programs, digital database of significant Victorian collection items, enriched online catalogue services, development of wireless networks, or centralised network support. The blueprint will address the sustainability of initiatives seeded though Victorian government funding.

The Collections and Access program also includes immediate initiatives to improve access to existing collections: creating a landmark federated search portal to enable single-search access to catalogues, databases and other digital content online; a touring conservation assessment and public program, and a state-wide document delivery service.

This program responds to the top three goals and priorities of the Framework for Collaborative Action: enhanced Victorian library collections, improved access options, and seamless service for users state-wide. Project . To conduct an audit of current public library collections and Objectives gather customer needs research and international best practices

. To convene an Expert Group to develop a vision for library collections and access across Victoria in 2020

. To create a 5 year blueprint for collaborative projects to enhance Victorian library collections and access by February 2006, including costs and timelines. The blueprint will commence with demonstration projects for implementation under project funding over the subsequent two years

. To develop a federated search portal for catalogues, databases and other digital content online

. To assess significant Victorian items in public library collections, and provide advice and professional development for libraries in conserving, digitising and providing access to these

. To deliver a public program of conservation workshops, local history writing workshops, and touring treasures from the State Library of Victoria and public library collections

. To support the creation of Victorian content for physical and digital library collections

. To strengthen partnerships between public libraries and the State Library of Victoria, and with other organisations such as local history groups

. To facilitate resource-sharing between libraries, physically through the state-wide courier contract, and virtually through the federated search portal

. To address the sustainability of initiatives seeded though Victorian government funding

. To encourage collaborative planning, delivery, and innovation in library services Key Year One: 2005/2006 Performance Measures . Collections audit conducted, and customer needs and best practice research gathered

. Expert Group convened: one two-day conference

. Blueprint completed for projects to enhance Victorian public library collections and access, including costs, timeline, and priority order for two years of funded demonstration projects and sustainable ongoing projects, by June 2006

. Federated search portal launched by May 2006

. Pilot extension to Travelling Treasures touring program conducted: conservation assessments and public conservation workshops - 6 library services visited in 6 months

. Full Travelling Treasures touring program commenced: conservation assessments and conservation and history writing workshops will be continued in the remaining Victorian public library services, complemented by a touring program of items from the State Library of Victoria and public library collections- 9 library services visited in 6 months

. State-wide document delivery services coordinated

Year Two: 2006/2007

. Demonstration Projects commenced as recommended by blueprint (eg collective purchasing cooperative, community or multilingual web publishing programs, digital database of significant Victorian collection items, enriched online catalogue services, development of wireless networks, or centralised network support)

. Travelling Treasures touring program continued - 19 library services visited in 12 months

. State-wide document delivery services coordinated

Year Three: 2007/2008

. Blueprint demonstration projects completed

. Federated search portal completed by June 2008

. Travelling Treasures touring program completed - 9 library services visited in 6 months. 6-month demonstration project completed.

. State-wide document delivery services coordinated Project Plan 2020 Vision: Collections and Access Blueprint for Victoria’s Public Libraries Conduct a collections audit and review of customer needs research and international best practice.

Convene an Expert Group to develop a long-term vision for Victorian public libraries. The Group will comprise Victorian, national and international leaders in collections and access innovation and implementation, and meet for two days to develop a vision for Victorian public libraries in 2020.

Engage a consultant to develop a blueprint to transform public library collections and access to these, through services, infrastructure and operations in Victoria, by June 2006. The blueprint will include an implementation plan and costings for collaborative projects for five years commencing in July 2006, including two years of demonstration projects using the Collections and Access program funds.

Develop communications material to promote and explain the vision and blueprint to a wide variety of audiences.

Undertake demonstration projects as recommended in the blueprint, commencing in July 2006 and completed by June 2008.

Federated Search Portal Develop a state-wide portal using federated searching. This software will enable libraries and other agencies to provide a single search interface for a range of databases, including library catalogues, Gulliver databases, authoritative websites (eg Hot Topics), museums, art galleries, government, local databases (eg local history), Picture Victoria and Picture Australia. The portal will be launched by May 2006 and completed by June 2008. In the third year, participating libraries will be required to contribute 50% of the ongoing costs.

Travelling Treasures Program

Conduct a program of conservation assessments of significant collection items in every Victorian public library service, and a public program of conservation workshops, local history writing workshops, and touring items from the State Library of Victoria and public library collections.

This program will build on the existing Travelling Treasures program of touring exhibits, and offer a successor to the popular Writers on the Road touring program. It will become a legacy program, collecting valuable information about local history treasures in public libraries and their communities, which can be used in future digitisation projects, touring exhibitions, and other ways to deliver community access to Victorian historical information. One small demonstration project will be developed at the conclusion of the touring program.

Document Delivery Annual membership fees for the Victorian government’s state-wide courier service, for both the State Library of Victoria and every Victorian public library service. This includes delivery between libraries of up to 100 items per library service per week. Collaborators Library Board of Victoria State Library of Victoria Viclink Local Government Division, Department for Victorian Communities Additional Victorian government departments Local government associations Interstate and international libraries

Project Advisory/Steering committee, comprised of Viclink members, SLV Manageme staff, and Victorian and local government representatives, to nt provide advice and direction. Public Libraries Unit to coordinate project implementation and manage external consultancies. Public Programs to coordinate Travelling Treasures program.

Proposal Nicole Lowndes, Public Libraries Unit, State Library of Victoria prepared John Binnion, CEO, Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation by Andrew Hiskens, Manager, Public Programs, State library of Victoria Prue Mercer, Manager, Access and Information, State Library of Victoria Bruce Myers, Manager, Swan Hill Library Service Ian Patterson, Manager, Technology Services, State Library of Victoria Julie Rae, President, Viclink; CEO, Central Highlands Regional Library Corporation Patricia Smyth, Manager, Kingston Information and library Service