Mr WOOD - 2003-06-17
Recently there has been yet another review of libraries. Is it true that the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries will not have on-site librarians at places like Katherine, Douglas Daly and Berrimah Research Stations? If so, who will manage those physical libraries so they do not fall into ruin? Will researchers now have to use electronic delivery of information to research papers and scientific journals provided by a centralised library system? Is it not a concern that those affected say these changes will be a backward step in the advancement of horticultural and agricultural research in the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the department has been consulting with agencies and the Northern Territory Library and Information Services staff on the implementation of Information Partners. It is a possible - and I emphasise possible - new model for the provision of library and information services to government agencies. Under the Information Partners proposal, government library and information services would be provided on a whole-of-government basis through the Northern Territory Library at Parliament House, and the NT Library in Alice Springs. No final decisions have been made. The department is still in the process of consulting the users, librarians and unions. The objective of the review is to improve the efficiency of service delivery to users. It does not involve any consideration of reduction in positions at all.
The department is responsible for the delivery of library and information services to selected government agencies through the Government Libraries and Information Service, commonly known as GLIS. In 1998-99, GLIS was formed as a result of Planning for Growth by the former CLP government. When they completed that exercise, the staff of 25 agency library sites were transferred to the Library Information Services with library collections and the library acquisitions’ budgets remaining with agencies. Following the Planning for Growth merger, library services at the Departments of Justice, Health, and Mines and Energy were returned to their respective agencies.
The Government Libraries and Information Service delivers services to agencies through a network of seven GLIS libraries. The library at Parliament House, and centralised support services at Winnellie, current GLIS libraries, duplicate services by continuing - and I mention that word ‘duplicate’ again – to serve agency clients based on the departmental arrangements in place prior to the amalgamation of agencies in November 2001.
The need for a new model for the delivery of Libraries and Information Services to government has been articulated by key departments since the 2001 restructure. Basically, this is about looking at and reviewing what is in place and to see if we can come up with something better. We believe Information Partners is a better way to go. We are working through that, and people from my department are talking to the librarians, through their representative bodies, the unions and their professional body, and we are hoping to reach a satisfactory outcome where we can implement Information Partners.
However, it is certainly a challenge for every minister in this government to look at and review these types of programs to ensure that they provide the best possible delivery of service to our constituents who are the user groups of libraries throughout the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the department has been consulting with agencies and the Northern Territory Library and Information Services staff on the implementation of Information Partners. It is a possible - and I emphasise possible - new model for the provision of library and information services to government agencies. Under the Information Partners proposal, government library and information services would be provided on a whole-of-government basis through the Northern Territory Library at Parliament House, and the NT Library in Alice Springs. No final decisions have been made. The department is still in the process of consulting the users, librarians and unions. The objective of the review is to improve the efficiency of service delivery to users. It does not involve any consideration of reduction in positions at all.
The department is responsible for the delivery of library and information services to selected government agencies through the Government Libraries and Information Service, commonly known as GLIS. In 1998-99, GLIS was formed as a result of Planning for Growth by the former CLP government. When they completed that exercise, the staff of 25 agency library sites were transferred to the Library Information Services with library collections and the library acquisitions’ budgets remaining with agencies. Following the Planning for Growth merger, library services at the Departments of Justice, Health, and Mines and Energy were returned to their respective agencies.
The Government Libraries and Information Service delivers services to agencies through a network of seven GLIS libraries. The library at Parliament House, and centralised support services at Winnellie, current GLIS libraries, duplicate services by continuing - and I mention that word ‘duplicate’ again – to serve agency clients based on the departmental arrangements in place prior to the amalgamation of agencies in November 2001.
The need for a new model for the delivery of Libraries and Information Services to government has been articulated by key departments since the 2001 restructure. Basically, this is about looking at and reviewing what is in place and to see if we can come up with something better. We believe Information Partners is a better way to go. We are working through that, and people from my department are talking to the librarians, through their representative bodies, the unions and their professional body, and we are hoping to reach a satisfactory outcome where we can implement Information Partners.
However, it is certainly a challenge for every minister in this government to look at and review these types of programs to ensure that they provide the best possible delivery of service to our constituents who are the user groups of libraries throughout the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016