I listened to the 2007 presentation that Dagmar Schmidmaier AM (President of ALIA) gave at the State Library of Victoria. Some of the things that I got out of this were: * a need for the modern Library to mesh with modern technology; * in the 21st Century there needs to be a clear message from the Library - there are friendly, easy to use services that identify the needs of the people coming into the Library; * ALIA needs to work with key employers to ensure that all Librarian positions remain with tertiary qualified professionals.
It was interesting to listen to Ms Schmidmaier reflect on her training as a Librarian where the main focus was on organisational methods in a Library. I remember going into the Library when I was younger and the first thing you noticed when you walked in were the cabinets with the catalogue cards. Those and the Dewey Decimal system charts were hard to miss. I always felt the need to be overly quiet and had the feeling of being watched.... didn't want to get any books out of order on the shelves. Now, taking my children into the Library is a totally different experience. They love to go there and are excited to see if there are any new books on the shelves. They are so proud to have their own Library cards and are thrilled when the Librarian points out something about the books they have chosen. It seems a more welcoming place!
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