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ALG for library workers & students

Some suggestions of ways library professionals might use the Australian Libraries Gateway:

  1. Find a library's basic contact details for a library - street/postal address, location map, email address, phone number, hours of opening and staff directory - by searching by library name, NUC symbol, location and/or library type.
  2. Find the Australian websites - for organisations with libraries as well as via the various 'Pathways to information' . For example, find out about organisations in preparation for job interviews.
  3. Find out about libraries within your sector by searching by library type and/or geographic location (eg all the 'University' libraries in the Australian Capital Territory, all 'Mobile' library services in Central Western NSW or all the 'Law' libraries in Central Metropolitan Perth) and connect with colleagues with similar concerns or interests.
  4. Find all the libraries who claim to have strong collections in a specific subject area - use the 'Search collections by subject' option and/or search subject comments for those libraries who haven't done a full collection assessment via the 'Advanced search' option .
  5. Search an individual library catalogue or those of a group of libraries via the Web or telnet session ... some libraries even use the Gateway for copy cataloguing!
  6. See which libraries are contributing to the NBD and what proportion of their collection/s is represented online via the 'Advanced search' .
  7. Explore other library websites when developing your own site.
  8. Add a library to the Gateway.
  9. Update library details within the Gateway or tell ALG Administration about any problems you've found with the service.
  10. Check out vendor sites for library software and make contact with user groups to ask questions when considering a product or to trouble-shoot and problem solve.
  11. Prepare for visits to other libraries - including, for example, checking staff directories, reading media releases and online newsletters, investigation of policy documents and staff presentations/papers, exploration of a library websites via the Gateway. Explore with the options within 'Advanced search'.
  12. Keep up-to-date re the GST and libraries.
  13. Find out what's happening within the Australian library sector and read online professional literature and join relevant discussion lists.
  14. Explore employment and training opportunities or find out about organisations in preparation for a job interview.
  15. Recognise the significant achievements of your colleagues by nominating them for library sector awards and/or make contact with potential mentors.
  16. Consider collection development policies and collection assessment reports of libraries in your geographic/subject area or library sector when developing your own collection.
  17. Easily identify key collections of Australiana within the country and then search within their catalogues etc.
  18. Promote your library and collections through online exhibitions - and prove that libraries are not filled with stuffy old books and serials.
  19. Do picture research for publications, exhibitions or reference via online image collections and online exhibitions.
  20. Find out about dial-up catalogue services for a particular library (use the limiting options within the 'Advanced search').
  21. Find an Australian bookseller or publisher with an Internet presence - proceed search their catalogues, read book reviews and peruse their "top-selling" titles, order items online or make direct contact.
  22. Find out about Australian library suppliers and bibliographic agents before establishing a relationship with them.
  23. Build mailing lists.
  24. Tap into professional networks and organisations - including those overseas.
  25. Use subject gateways to the disciplines and explore trusted pathways to online content.
  26. Explore opportunities for library collaboration including with respect to digitisation projects.
  27. Look at the online reference services provided by other Australian libraries when developing your own - find out about their experiences.
  28. Learn about the National Bibliographic Database (NBD) and other Australian union catalogues.
  29. Read what's news learn about the latest developments within the Australian Libraries Gateway itself!
  30. Promote your library, your collections, services, special events, "friends" and online services.
  31. Volunteer your services to a library - most of the major libraries have some sort of volunteer program. Use the 'Advanced search' option to limit your search to find them.
  32. Find out an organisation's Australian Business Number.

Please let us know how you use ALG to your best advantage.

Last modified: October 01 2004.


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Last updated: 20 June 2000