Library CounCiL of new South waLeS annuaL report 2004/05 dig in! Front cover screen image: Illustrations of spiders and insects from Ash Island (detail), c. 1852–1864, Helena and Harriet Scott CORPOraTE 0BJECTIVES RESULTS PhotographbyCharlie Gordon In 2004 we launched our biggest project to date: atmitchell.com – the State Library of NSW collection is now open to the world. Library Council of New South Wales Annual Report 2004/05 Letter of submission October 2005 The Hon. Mr Bob Debus MP Attorney General, Minister for the Environment & Minister for the Arts, Parliament House, Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Minister We take pleasure, in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984, and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, as amended, in submitting the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Library Council of New South Wales for the year ending 30 June 2005 for presentation to Parliament. Submitted on behalf of the Library Council of New South Wales. Yours sincerely Ms Belinda Hutchinson Dagmar Schmidmaier AM President, Library Council of New South Wales State Librarian & Chief Executive and Secretary, Library Council of New South Wales Butterfly image: Illustrations of spiders and insects from Ash Island c. 1852–1864, Helena and Harriet Scott , 2 Contents Letter of submission 2 The year in brief Vision statements, history & legislation 4 Our guarantee of service 4 Highlights 2004/05 5 Corporate objectives and results 6-9 Message from the President & Secretary of Library Council 10-11 Looking ahead 13-14 Achievements in 2004/05 NSW community 16-27 NSW public library network 28-33 NSW government 34-43 State Library partners and advocates 44-48 Corporate overview Library Council of New South Wales 50-52 Organisational structure 53 Standing committees of the Library Council 54-55 Committees of the State Library 56 Representation on key external committees 57-58 Staff publications, presentations and papers 59-60 Additions to the collection Major purchases 62-65 Deposits and donations 66-68 Additions to the collection 69-70 Public library grants and subsidies Allocation of public library funds 72 Library development grants 2004/05 73 Public library subsidies, grants and expenditure 74-77 Staff & supporters State Library staff list 80-81 Foundation members & custodians, and donors 82-89 State Library volunteers 90 Publications & information available Publications 2004/05 92 Freedom of information statement of affairs 93 Freedom of information requests 94-95 Privacy annual report 96 Web addresses 97 Index 99 Financial statements inside back pocket Acknowledgments back cover Contact information back cover Our vision Libraries for life – your place, your time Our values Respect for knowledge Commitment to learning Integrity and efficiency of service Our mission To promote, provide and maintain library and information services for the people of NSW through the State Library and through cooperation with local libraries and other libraries and information agencies. History & legislation Our guarantee of service The State Library of NSW is one of the oldest libraries • Provide timely, relevant and accurate information in Australia, with a history tracing back to the from anywhere in the world to anywhere establishment of the Australian Subscription Library in the state in 1826. • Our staff will be courteous, friendly and efficient • Respond to requests for information and advice In 1869 the NSW Government took responsibility for the within negotiated deadlines Library, forming the Sydney Free Public Library, the first truly public library service for the people of NSW. In 1895 • Easily locate resources held in the State Library’s the name was changed to the Public Library of New South collections Wales. It was renamed the State Library of New South • Ensure services and resources meet the needs of: Wales in 1975. - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients - clients from non-English speaking backgrounds The historic Mitchell Wing opened to the public in 1910 - clients with disabilities after David Scott Mitchell bequeathed his large private • Make available appropriate and well maintained collection. Today the Mitchell Wing is linked below ground equipment and facilities and by a glass atrium to the contemporary Macquarie Street Wing, opened in 1988. • Provide participants of training courses with appropriate skills The Library Council of New South Wales is the governing • Ensure fee-based services provide value for money body of the State Library. The objectives of the Library Council, as defined in section 4A of the Library Act 1939 (as amended in 1975) are: • to promote, provide and maintain library and information services for the people of New South Wales through the State Library and through cooperation with local libraries and information agencies • to advise the Minister, local authorities and, when the Minister so approves, other bodies, on matters of policy and administration relating to library services and information services that are or may be provided through local libraries and other libraries • to advise the Minister on the provision of assistance to local libraries or other libraries. 4 CORPOraTE 0BJECTIVES RESULTS Highlights 2004/05 NSW community • Launch of atmitchell.com starts the development of the 21st century library • Website usage increases by 26% • Library visits increase by 0% • 199,000 people visit exhibitions • 338, 500 digital images are available online NSW public library network • $22.4m allocated to public libraries • Internet services provided to 49 public libraries • PictureNSW supports development of digital archive of local collections • 70% of public library managers rate State Library services as ‘excellent/very good’ NSW government • Net cost of services is met • The collections are valued at $.88 billion • 29,992 collection items received preservation treatments • 20% of information technology infrastructure upgraded and improved • Speed of Internet services doubled State Library partners & advocates • The State Library of NSW Foundation fundraising exceeds $3m for the atmitchell.com project • The State Library provides NSW government agencies with access to ABS@NSW service • 155 Volunteers contribute 11,086 hours to the Library • 10 years of the Nestlé Write Around Australia creative writing competition involves 500,000 primary school students Library Council of New South Wales Annual Report 2004/05 5 The year in brief CORPOraTE 0BJECTIVES RESULTS FOR NSW COMMUNITY NSW community Increase access to information for clients 2004 2005 Result Increase in requests for website pages 19% 26% + Visitors rate exhibitions ‘excellent/very good’ 87% 88% + Visitors rate events ‘excellent/very good’ 74% 83% + Written comments received were appreciative 96% 91% – Objectives Simplify & streamline services to improve client access to information Responses within agreed timeframe 2004 2005 Result Items retrieved from stack storage 94% 92% <> Information inquiries 94% 94% <> Interlibrary loans completed 96% 90% – Documents supplied 96% 96% <> Develop an integrated information service, real & virtual Significant heritage & current resources 2004 2005 Result in electronic form Pages and pictorial images digitised 16 398 22 092 + Web publications preserved 730 633 – Live links to e-resources in WEBCAT 34 223 64 699 + Full text electronic journal titles held 7 328 19 556 + Ensure staff have the skills to meet our strategic priorities Staff hours in formal learning activities 7 588 8 378 + Extend the reach of the collection Number of uses of the collection (onsite & offsite) Inquiries responded to 3 386 716 3 799 176 + Uses of collection items 2 140 765 1 848 757 <> Exhibition visits 153 706 198 992 + Public program participants 40 603 37 489 – Requests for State Library website pages 19 616 749 24 644 658 + 6 Key: + above/within target <> acceptable – below target The year in brief CORPOraTE 0BJECTIVES RESULTS FOR NSW PUBLIC LIBrarY NETWORK NSW public library network Produce a stronger identity & increase effectiveness Public library network satisfaction with the relationship rated as ‘excellent/very good’ Quality of State Library services 70% Value of LIAC service 82% Value of interlibrary loan & document supply service 81% Objectives Maintain & support an integrated network to deliver shared services across NSW Enhance shared service delivery across NSW Result Internet services provided to 149 public libraries + 90 small and remote communities have access to the Internet + 80% of Rural Link communities ‘very satisfied’ with NSW.net service + 80% of public library services provide access to legal information expertise + Support the legislative environment in which NSW public libraries & the State Library operate Complete review of the Library Act Result Review of Library Act completed and amendments passed + Benchmark research on NSW public libraries and e-government completed + Library Council of New South Wales Annual Report 2004/05 7 The year in brief CORPOraTE 0BJECTIVES RESULTS FOR NSW GOVErnMENT NSW government Effective & efficient library & information services 2004 2005 Result Net cost of services Net cost of services is achieved neutral neutral + Build and maintain the NSW library of record Value of the State Library’s collection $1.509 billion $1.883 billion + Objectives Continuously improve the management of our resources Variance from budget Result Returned an operating result on budget + Facilities are available & meet standards Total Asset Management Plan projects