Are you passionate about a particular aspect of library and information management?
Are you interested in meeting up with others in the LIS sector?
ALIA groups are a great way to connect to ALIA members who share similar interests.
ALIA special interest groups are formed by members, and are either geographically or interest based. While some groups are localised, many of them operate nationwide. Please see the list of ALIA groups below. If you don’t see one you are looking for, you can start your own; contact the Groups Coordinator for information on how to do this.
ALIA Academic and Research Libraries (WA) is a forum for tertiary, research and academic librarians to discuss ideas and practices and foster collaboration. It offers opportunities to support and promote research and professional development.
Group interest:
Academic and Research Libraries
Region:
WA
ALIA Acquisitions is a national group aiming to inform and educate by supporting and promoting best practice in acquisitions and serials management, collection development and preservation, and to promote use of appropriate and leading-edge technology.
Group interest:
Acquisitions, serials management, collection development and preservation.
Region:
National
The ALIA Agriculture and Environment Interest Group aims to promote the sharing of information between librarians working in agriculture and environmental libraries and to provide support to members working in these libraries.
Group interest:
Agriculture, the environment
Region:
National
ALIA Asia Pacific Special Interest Group is a national group that aims to lead efforts in identifying new sources of support for the development between information professionals in the region, through two-way co-operation.
Region:
ACT
ALIA Children's and Youth Services promotes library services to children and youth, highlighting children's literature and fostering professional development of members. It co-ordinates the national ALIA awards for children's librarians, promotes children's librarianship within the profession, and encourages networking and communication between members.
Region:
NSW
ALIA Children's and Youth Services (QLD) is based in South East Queensland but open to all members. The group aims to develop library services to young people in Queensland by promoting interaction between library and information specialists who work with young people.
Region:
QLD
ALIA Community Information Australia Networkers (CIAN) is a professional development group for community information workers.
Group interest:
Community information workers
Region:
National
The ALIA ePortfolio Group has been established to inform, promote and develop ePortfolio practice in the LIS profession.
Group interest:
Career and professional development
Region:
National
Provides a forum and a focus for members in far north coast area of NSW to interact and forward the objectives of ALIA and the profession, including professional development activities and lobbying. Covers Northern Rivers area, centred around Lismore.
Group interest:
New South Wales
Region:
NSW
The vision of Health Libraries Australia is to promote, inform, unite, influence, and innovate libraries and information professionals in the health and biomedical sector.
Region:
National
The ALIA Hunter group promotes professional development and provides a social network for library-minded folk in the Newcastle, Central Coast and Hunter area.
Region:
NSW
A forum for presenting and demonstrating the application of emergent technologies to library and information agencies and the people who work in them.
Region:
SA
The ALIA Library Technicians (ACT) Group promotes professional development opportunities for members in the ACT and district, and provides support to library technicians with emphasis on networking and mentoring.
Group interest:
Library Technicians, ACT
Region:
ACT
Promotes ALIA and library technician membership on a national basis and actively represents the interests of library technicians in national forums.
ALIA National Library Technicians administer the Library Technician of the Year Award.
Group interest:
Library Technicians
Region:
National
The ALIA New Graduates Group provides a forum for new graduates to communicate and socialise with colleagues and build relationships and networks within the profession.The group aims to facilitate networking for the new generation of library professionals, provide a forum for the discussion of issues relevant to new professionals, organise meetings and training specifically relevant to students and new graduates and facilitate the introduction of new graduates into the wider ALIA community. By doing so, the group aims to ensure the long-term future of the Association (relevance and member participation), and to support and assist with the mentoring program in each state.
Group interest:
New Graduates
Region:
National
The ALIA NSW Library Technicians Group promotes library technicians to the wider ALIA membership, provides a range of professional development activities, represents library technician interests on relevant issues, and promotes and supports national library technician initiatives.
Group interest:
Library Technicians
Region:
NSW
ALIA OPALs ACT provide a formalised network between members operating as either the sole professional or with up to three staff in their work unit providing library or information services, and provides a forum for support and knowledge creation, sharing and dissemination. ALIA OPALs ACT also acts as a consultative group.
Group interest:
Only person libraries
Region:
ACT
ALIA Pathways fosters a common understanding of and advocates for information literacy within ALIA and the general community.
The Group promotes professional development opportunities in information literacy for library and information services personnel.
Group interest:
Special Interest
Region:
National
The ALIA Queensland Library Technicians offers support, networking, and learning opportunities for library technicians and students, promotes ALIA and membership, acts as mentors for newly-qualified library technicians and provides forum for information and discussion.
Region:
QLD
ALIA Queensland is a cross-sectoral, state based group seeking to provide opportunities for ALIA members to participate in networking and professional development activities. The group aims to be representative of ALIA members in Queensland. ALIA Queensland hosts a range of events and activities. Members and non-members all welcome.
Group interest:
Brisbane, Queensland
Region:
QLD
ALIA Queensland OPALs provide a network between members who are the sole professional in their work unit providing library or information services, and provides a forum for support and knowledge creation, sharing and dissemination.
Group interest:
Only person libraries
Region:
QLD
The Red Centre Group of ALIA provides communication and networking, professional development and mentoring of members and promotion of libraries. The area covered is from Yulara to Alice Springs and Tennant Creek as well as remote community libraries.
Group interest:
Rural libraries, remote libraries, Northern Territory
Region:
NT
Formerly known as the ALIA Reference and Information Services (SEA), the group aims to represent reference and information service staff across all sectors in Victoria. It facilitates communication and information for members and contributes to the professional development of reference and information services staff through professional and networking activities which include workshops and evening meetings with presenters.
Group interest:
Special interest
Region:
VIC
The group aims to maintain the connection between retirees, to encourage engagement in the profession, to recognise retirees' achievements, to ensure their professional interests and aspirations are fostered, and to encourage members retiring from the profession to remain involved with the Association. By doing so, the group aims to assist in the long-term future of the Association.
Region:
National
ALIA Schools promotes the interests of school libraries and teacher-librarians, provides opportunities for professional development, lobbies for school libraries with state and local groups, liaises with other groups, identifies and analyses current trends in teacher librarianship, and maintains the profile of teacher-librarianship within ALIA.
Group interest:
Schools, Teacher librarians, Education
Region:
National
Many libraries have a social media presence/channel and library staff will benefit from engaging and networking with other users of social media, particularly within a library context. With the increasing use of social networking in the workplace, many organisations are now recognising the value of using social media. The goals of this group are to:
Group interest:
Special interest
Region:
National
ALIA Special Libraries (Vic) is a group which provides opportunities for continuing professional development and networking for people working in, or with an interest in, special libraries and related fields.
Group interest:
Special libraries, VIC, Melbourne
Region:
VIC
The ALIA Sustainable Libraries Group has been established to inform & educate colleagues on issues of sustainability. The group will support and promote research and professional development, and increase the awareness of environmental concerns amongst library staff. The group also seeks to enhance and promote documentary resources connected to sustainability.
Group interest:
Special interest
Region:
National
ALIA Sydney presents a selection of formal and information events to encourage discussion and critical engagement and create networking opportunities across the library and information section in Sydney and beyond.
Group interest:
Sydney, professional development, advocacy
Region:
NSW
ALIA Tasmania is a cross-regional, cross-sectoral statewide group. It provides professional development activities, membership services and lobbies to increase public awareness of all library services.
Group interest:
Tasmania
Region:
TAS
ALIA Top End provides professional development activities, supports isolated and remote members to attend local professional development activities and relevant interstate and international professional activities. Promotes excellence in delivery of library and information services. Planned activities include professional development activities, workshops, talks, and a directory of agencies in the Northern Territory. The group covers all of the Northern Territory with a focus on the Top End.
Region:
NT
ALIA URLs (ACT), (Universities and Research Libraries’ Group), provides a networking and information-sharing forum for all levels of library staff interested in issues and trends affecting the development of university and research libraries. The group organises professional development and training opportunities and provides a network of communication and support. ALIA URLs aims to enhance inter-institutional information exchange within the region, and liaises with other relevant organisations. Planned activities include seminars, monthly meetings with guest speakers, and workshops on topics relevant to the sector.
Group interest:
University and Research Libraries
Region:
ACT
Victorian ALIA Library Technicians is a Victoria-wide group which promotes library technicians within ALIA and the wider information industry, promotes ALIA membership amongst library technicians and provides support for library technicians and students throughout Victoria.
Group interest:
Library technician, VIC
Region:
VIC
ALIA Victoria facilitates communication and networking among Victorian library and information professionals through formal and informal funtions. ALIA Victoria aims to be an advocate and representative for ALIA members in Victoria, and encourages links with related professional bodies via joint functions. Activities include events relating to professional issues affecting all special interest areas.
Group interest:
Melbourne, Victoria
Region:
VIC
The ALIA WA Library Technicians Group promotes ALIA and library technician activities. Encourages professional development and communication within local area and nationally.
Group interest:
Library technicians, Western Australia
Region:
WA
ALIA Water benefits library staff working with water-related collections. Goals include: creating a community of practice, resource discovery, reciprocal interlibrary loan rights, circulation of discard lists, networking, showcasing industry specific services & consortia options.
Region:
National
ALIAWest co-ordinates and communicates strategic professional issues and organises continuing professional development activities statewide.
Group interest:
Western Australia, Perth
Region:
WA
Based in Townsville, tropicALIA is a virtual group for library staff and students in North Queensland. Our members represent a wide range of NQ libraries - public, university, school, special and corporate. We aim to promote professional development and social networking for library staff and students in North Queensland.
Group interest:
Queensland
Region:
QLD
ACTive ALIA, based in the ACT, provides communication among library professionals of all sectors, arranges and supports professional development activities, promotes the role of libraries and lobbies on local matters, and promotes ALIA membership.
Group interest:
Supporting and promoting the ACT library and information sector
Region:
ACT
Group category: