Australian Library and Information Association

12/10/2026

🏆 Nominations closing soon – help us celebrate excellence in NSW libraries!

Do you know an outstanding library and information staff member who deserves recognition for their work?

There's still time to nominate them for the 2026 NSW Library & Information Excellence Award.

Presented by ALIA NSW, the award recognises individuals making an exceptional contribution to the library and information sector through innovation, collaboration, creative approaches and the development of new services.

Whether it's a colleague, a team leader or someone whose work is making a real difference, we encourage you to put their name forward.

✨ Self-nominations are also welcome!
⏰ Nominations are closing this Sunday 18 October so don't miss your chance to recognise excellence in our sector.

👉 Find out more and submit your nomination:https://www.alia.org.au/Web/Our-Members/Award-pages/NSW-Library-and-Information-Excellence-Award.aspx

08/10/2026

🌏 To mark this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Digital Preservation Coalition(DPC) is hosting a special DP Spotlight on Digital Disaster Risk Management.

As climate-related events and cyberattacks increase, proactive disaster risk management – before, during and after an incident – is critical to strengthening the resilience of digital repositories and archives.

The event will also launch the DPC’s new Guidance Note on Digital Disaster Risk Management for Repositories and Archives, by Annette Mills and Dr Heather Brown which will be freely available from the day of the event.

📅 13 October 2026
⏰ 1.00pm AEDT (Melbourne/Canberra/Sydney) | 12.00pm Brisbane | 3.00pm NZ
💻 Online and open to everyone – DPC members and non-members alike.

👉 Find out more and register -https://www.dpconline.org/events/eventdetail/858/-/dp-spotlight-october-digital-disaster-risk-management

30/09/2026

📚 Calling all Melbourne-based book lovers, illustrators and library people – join ALIA VIC for an afternoon exploring the stories behind the covers!

There’s still time to register for Judging a Book By Its Cover, a panel discussion presented by ALIA VIC at the PMI Victorian History Library in Prahran.

Hear from illustrators and authors Anna Walker, Sabina Wills and Zeno Sworder as they unpack the creative decisions, influences and industry realities behind book cover design – including designing for different audiences, the impact of AI, and advice for emerging illustrators.

Come along for a fascinating discussion, followed by ALIA membership awards and afternoon tea.

📅 Sunday 18 October
⏰ 2.00pm–4.00pm AEDT
📍 PMI Victorian History Library, Prahran
🎟️ $11 ALIA members | $23 non-members
👉 Register now: https://www.alia.org.au/EventDetail?EventKey=VIC1026

29/09/2026

📚 Voting closes this Thursday 1 October for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Radio National's Top 100 Australian Books countdown!

If you haven't already voted, now is your chance to have a say in which Australian books make the Top 100.

📣 Attention libraries! Encourage your communities to get involved and cast their votes before voting closes this Thursday. Share your own picks, start a conversation about favourite Australian books, and help spread the word.

Need some inspiration? 🧐 We asked the ALIA team which books made their lists — take a look at some of the selections below.

Cast your vote before voting closes on Thursday, then tune in to ABC Radio National on 17–18 October for the countdown.

Vote here - https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/countdown/top100books

23/09/2026

Thank you Tim Crakanthorp MP for this valuable support for the work of our teacher librarians, EALD teachers and Aboriginal Liaison officers. Continued advocacy of this kind is vital to ensuring that school communities, education authorities and decision makers recognise the value of these specialist roles and the important contribution they make to student learning, literacy and wellbeing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18NDi93WVV/

22/09/2026

In 2024-25 Australia's public library collections were used 180 million times!

And that's not all:

📚 Australians accessed 6.6 library items across the year
📀 47 million collection items were available
🏢 There were more than 90 million in-person visits
✅ A record 434,000 library programs saw 7.2 million participants
🪑 Meeting room use increased by 24% from 2023-24

Explore all the stats, trends and case studies in The Australian Public Libraries Statistical Report 2024-25, jointly authored each year by the Australian Library and Information Association and National & State Libraries Australasia (NSLA).

Read the full report, available now on Trove 👉 https://buff.ly/LSTbQuv

21/09/2026

📃 Statement from ALIA and ACSL

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian Coalition for School Libraries (ACSL) are profoundly disappointed by the decision of Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle to proceed with changes that will see teacher librarian roles discontinued across affected schools in the Diocese.

Teacher librarians bring specialist education and library expertise to schools — supporting curriculum delivery, fostering reading for pleasure, and building essential skills in research, critical thinking and navigating information and media.

At a time when Australian students are facing significant challenges in reading and literacy, this expertise matters more than ever.

Read the full statement -

Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has made the decision to proceed with changes that will see teacher librarian roles discontinued across affected schools in the Diocese.

17/09/2026

📚 We’re told never to judge a book by its cover… but what if designing the cover is your job?

Join ALIA VIC for Judging a Book By Its Cover, a lively discussion exploring the art, craft and business behind the covers that make us stop, look and pick up a book.

Illustrators and authors Anna Walker, Sabina Wills and Zeno Sworder will take us behind the scenes of book cover design – from creative direction and artistic influences to designing for different audiences and reading environments. The panel will also explore the impact of AI on the profession and share practical advice for emerging illustrators.

📅 Sunday 18 October
⏰ 2.00pm–4.00pm AEDT
📍 PMI Victorian History Library, Prahran
🎟️ $11 ALIA members | $23 non-members

The discussion will be followed by ALIA membership awards and afternoon tea.

👉 Find out more and register: https://buff.ly/tRqjWTP

15/09/2026

🔎 How can research make a real impact on library and information practice?

Join ALIA LARK for From Inquiry to Impact: LARK Symposium 2026, a full-day event bringing together library and information professionals, academics, students and anyone interested in practice-oriented research.

Held at Western Sydney University Parramatta City Campus on Tuesday 29 September, the symposium will provide a space to explore the relationship between research and practice, share ideas and experiences, and consider how research can inform and strengthen our work across the sector.

📅 Tuesday 29 September 2026
📍 Western Sydney University, Parramatta City Campus
⏰ 8:30am–5:00pm AEST
🎓 8.5 CPD hours

Find out more & register 👉 https://buff.ly/Uq6G8oh

09/09/2026

📚 School libraries and qualified teacher librarians are essential to reversing Australia’s decline in reading and literacy skills. 📚

ALIA has released a statement following the release of the latest PISA results, which show Australian high school students recording their lowest reading scores on record, with students now more than two years behind where they were in reading in 2000.

Our statement calls on governments and education authorities across Australia to recognise that well-resourced school libraries, staffed by qualified professionals, are a critical part of the solution.

ABC News this morning has highlighted the concerning decline in students’ reading performance, as well as the growing national campaign to protect and strengthen teacher librarian roles in Australian schools.

A petition launched by children’s author Kate Temple, and officially supported by ALIA, the Australian Coalition for School Libraries (ACSL) and Australia Reads is calling for qualified teacher librarians to be mandated in every Australian school.

Read our statement 👉 https://buff.ly/4gawYhV

Read the ABC article 👉https://buff.ly/a3iMAHB

Sign the petition 👉 https://buff.ly/edz2OHd

Mandate qualified teacher-librarians in schools!