VALA2004 Proceedings

VALA2004, the 12th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia from 3 – 5 February 2004. The theme of the conference was Breaking Boundaries: Integration & Interoperability.

The following programme was presented at VALA2004. See also the archived VALA2004 conference web site.

VALA is the process of copying old conference abstracts, papers, and presentations onto the new VALA portal. VALA2004 papers will be made available from this section of the VALA web site.

Registering on the VALA web site also allows you to post your own comments about all of the presentations and papers at VALA’s biennial conferences. When commenting please refrain from inappropriate remarks and be aware of VALA’s online code of conduct.

All works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License unless specifically stated.

VALA2004 Session 4 Sokvitne

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-4-sokvitne

STORS – The development and implementation of an open repository service for Tasmanian electronic documents

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 4: Managing Digital Objects
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 14:35 – 15:05

Lloyd Sokvitne

Senior Manager (Systems Support and Development), State Library of Tasmania
http://www.statelibrary.tas.gov.au

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VALA2004 Session 4 Sokvitne Paper 40.92 KB

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Abstract

The Stable Tasmanian Open Repository Service (STORS) is a joint State Library of Tasmania and Service Tasmania Online initiative that began operation in July 2003. STORS allows government and non-government publishers in Tasmania to contribute electronic publications and documents to a central repository where they are both immediately accessible and maintained for posterity. STORS provides a persistent URL for each document as well as ongoing file conversion, a file checksum, and links reflecting document versions or relationships. The major operational problems that have emerged relate to file conversion and the complexities inherent in composite HTML documents.

VALA2004 Session 4 Quenault

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-4-quenault

Electronic and Live: Online Reference Two Years On

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 4: Managing Digital Objects
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 15:10 – 15:40

Howard Quenault

VERS Program Director, Public Record Office Victoria
http://www.prov.vic.gov.au

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VALA2004 Session 4 Quenault Paper 48.11 KB

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Abstract

From a single acorn a great oak grows. This phrase encapsulates the journey, so far, of the Victorian Electronic Records Strategy; better recognised these days as VERS. From its inception in 1995 the ideas formulated and contained in the report ‘Keeping Electronic Records Forever’ were the starting point to an ongoing collaborative effort between the Victorian State Government, Industry and Academia to find a practical way to deal with digital records. After giving a brief background on the VERS strategy to set the appropriate context, this paper draws together the major contributing factors for the continuing impetus of the program:-

developing the vision,
strategic planning,
lessons learnt from practical implementations,
VERS Centre of Excellence,
developing the digital archive, and
the future of the program.

VALA2004 Session 5 Murray

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-5-murray

The Internet Myth – Emerging Trends in Reference Enquiries

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 5: Virtual Reference
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 14:00 – 14:30

Dr. Janet Murray

Director, Murray Consulting and Training Pty. Ltd

Cindy Tschernitz

Director, Tell Me Now
http://www.tellmenow.com.au

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VALA2004 Session 5 Murray Paper 42.18 KB

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Abstract

This paper examines the impact of greater access to electronic information, both free and fee-based, on reference enquiries. The research methodology included an extensive literature review and interviews with reference services librarians in both Australia and overseas. The assumption that greater Internet access and use equals a decline in public and state library reference enquiries is not proven. The paper concludes with a summary of trends, predictions and scenarios of usage of state and public library reference services in an increasingly electronic age, paying special attention and emphasis to the Australian environment.

VALA2004 Session 5 Fletcher

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-5-fletcher

Online librarian – real time / real talk: an innovative collaboration between two university libraries

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 5: Virtual Reference
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 14:35 – 15:05

Janet Fletcher

Manager, Reference and Research Advisory Services, Macquarie University Library
http://www.lib.mq.edu.au

Philippa Hair

Reference Librarian, Macquarie University Library
http://www.lib.mq.edu.au

Jean McKay

Manager Liaison Services, Murdoch University Library
http://library.murdoch.edu.au

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VALA2004 Session 5 Fletcher Paper 73.28 KB

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Abstract

Collaboration has been a catchword within the library community for many years and now technological developments have made it possible to share staff and resources across time and distance. This paper describes how Macquarie University Library, NSW, and Murdoch University Library, WA, collaborated to produce an innovative online reference service for the academic year of 2003. It outlines the process of implementation between the libraries and outlines how the service uses Microsoft’s NetMeeting to enable real-time conversations via voice-over IP (VoIP).

VALA2004 Session 5 Phillips

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-5-phillips

Electronic and Live: Online Reference Two Years On

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 5: Virtual Reference
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 15:10 – 15:40

Nicole Phillips

E-Learning Librarian, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE
http://www.holmesglen.vic.edu.au

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VALA2004 Session 5 Phillips Paper 1.64 MB

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Abstract

When the Information Commons at Holmesglen Institute of TAFE introduced a Live Help reference service in January 2002, it became the first Victorian TAFE to develop a synchronous online reference service. Email reference had been introduced earlier with little success but this did not discourage management; rather it confirmed the need to embrace a new technology that today’s Internet savvy students are familiar with. Email and telephone reference are still available, but the success of Live Help has proven that a virtual reference service can be developed at a TAFE level. This paper will discuss the experience of setting up a digital reference service; the aim is to put this work into an historical context and to show that you don’t need enormous budgets or extra staff in order to successfully implement such a service.

VALA2004 Session 6 Harboe Ree

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-6-harboe-ree

The Library as Digitorium: New Modes of Information Creation, Distribution and Access

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 6: Electronic Publishing
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 14:00 – 14:30

Cathrine Harboe-Ree

University Librarian, Monash University
http://www.lib.monash.edu.au

Michele Sabto

Manager, Monash University ePress, Monash University
http://www.lib.monash.edu.au

Andrew Treloar

Project Manager, Strategic Information Initiatives, Monash University
http://www.monash.edu.au

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VALA2004 Session 6 Harboe Ree Paper 82.68 KB

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Abstract

Libraries have always been creators or publishers of information. Digital technology, combined with library expertise in bibliographic control, distribution and access, provides new opportunities for libraries to create and publish material in support of teaching, learning and research. Monash University Library, as an early adopter of new technologies, has developed digital services to support more effective and creative learning and teaching. More recent initiatives are specifically intended to support research, and to work towards the transformation of scholarly communication. The word coined to capture the newly expanded role for higher-education libraries is digitorium, a play on scriptorium.

VALA2004 Session 6 Lee

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-6-lee

The Digital Agenda: a Progress Report for Libraries

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 6: Electronic Publishing
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 14:35 – 15:05

Miranda Lee

Executive Officer, Australian Digital Alliance; Copyright Advisor, Australian Libraries Copyright Committee
http://www.digital.org.au and http://www.digital.org.au/alcc

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VALA2004 Session 6 Lee Paper 23.69 KB

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Abstract

The Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000 introduced provisions aimed at updating copyright legislation to accord with the digital environment. For libraries, the Act extended the existing library and archives exceptions to enable libraries to utilize digital technology in providing access to information. A review of the Digital Agenda Act is currently underway to assess how the Act has performed against its original objectives. This paper explores the most controversial and important issues for libraries in the review.

VALA2004 Session 6 Marlow

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-6-marlow

Value creation in aggregation – the need for a flexible approach in content aggregation and production to meet future customer demand

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 6: Electronic Publishing
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 15:10 – 15:40

Martin Marlow

Director of Strategic Marketing, ProQuest Information & Learning
http://www.proquest.co.uk

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VALA2004 Session 6 Marlow Paper 47.68 KB

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Abstract

This paper looks to identify and understand the present situation of electronic information aggregators and the challenges they will face as the market develops over the next 3-5 years. What will be the future developments in this area of the industry? How should these organisations see their position within it? How should they develop and diversify to meet the changing needs of the customer? How should they address the requirements and evolution of their supplier partners – and exactly who might these suppliers be? What will be their future content and technical offerings and what supporting value-added services need adding to the overall “solution”. Backed by market, customer and supplier analysis and feedback, this paper offers opinions and comment on all these topics and includes market examples of the current situation – and future trend analysis and comment (supported by emerging model review and case studies).

VALA2004 Plenary 2 Smith

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-plenary-2-smith

Libraries in the Lead: The Institutional Repository Phenomenon

VALA 2004 PLENARY 2: MacKenzie Smith
Tuesday 3 February 2004, 16:10 – 17:25

MacKenzie Smith

Associate Director of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
http://libraries.mit.edu

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VALA2004 Plenary 2 Smith Paper 12.69 KB

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Abstract

As scholarship, instruction, publishing and communication become increasingly networked and digital, how libraries respond? Can libraries help scholars communicate in a networked era? What is the library’s role in an age of Web publishing and Google? Is preserving digital collections still part of their mission? Institutional repositories begin to address these questions and allow libraries to show initiative and leadership in a scholarly world being transformed by technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA with its DSpace institutional repository program has witnessed how much has changed, and continues to change, as libraries step up to these challenges.

VALA2004 Session 7 Chawner

Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2004-proceedings/vala2004-session-7-chawner

Free/Open Source Software: New Opportunities, New Challenges

VALA 2004 CONCURRENT SESSION 7: Software Issues
Wednesday 4 February 2004, 14:00 – 14:30

Brenda Chawner

Senior Lecturer, School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington
http://www.vuw.ac.nz

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VALA2004 Session 7 Chawner Paper 63.67 KB

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Abstract

The free/open source (F/OS) software model makes source code available to users, who can change the software to tailor it more closely to their own requirements. With many F/OS software applications now available for library and information management, organisations have a new option for acquiring and implementing systems, plus new opportunities for participating in F/OS projects. Examples of such systems include Koha, Greenstone, and MyLibrary. Factors associated with the successful adoption of F/OS applications for library and information management include the match with an organisation’s culture, technical infrastructure, staff skills, software functionality, and the extent of community support available.