ERA Forum

Roxanne Missingham, Convenor

• Background• A work in progress

– Partnerships– visions

• Issues and future directions

Background

ERA aims to:• Deliver access for Australians to quality to

resources through their libraries.It provides a national approach, managed by

and for all Australian libraries for their users.

From 2003 to here

• Libraries in the Online environment, Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee, 2003

• 4 National Licensing Proposal forums 2004 to 2007• Agreed to proceed with an 'opt in' approach in

2007• We are still evolving

Electronic Resources Australia offers significant benefits:

• a collaborative purchasing opportunity to provide free public access to quality information

• Helps libraries to make a significant contribution to lifelong learning, inspiring creativity and creating possibilities for a vibrant and creative Australia

• ERA helps Australia’s smaller libraries to offer more to their users

• it lays foundations for future national resource sharing resources offered by ERA are authoritative, easy to use

• and available 24/7• ERA offers opportunities for networking and professional

development

~9 million

Australians have access to ERA products

Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librariansRecommendation 1 The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government partner with all education authorities to fund the provision of a core set of online database resources, which are made available to all Australian schools. Response: Agree to consider. The Australian Government considers there is merit in exploring options for the provision of a core set of online database resources to all Australian schools. This recommendation has financial implications for the Australian Government as well as state and territory governments and would require the agreement of all parties. Implementation of the recommendation would need to be considered in light of other budgetary commitments and priorities. The Australian Government will consult with state and territory government and non-government education authorities to determine how this recommendation might align with other initiatives regarding online resources for schools.

A work in progress

• Your input is vital• Content • Prices• Working with vendors• Future directions

Issues

• Library budgets• Business/purchasing models• Sustaining our current model• Considering new models• More........

2013

• A federal election must be held by 30 November 2013

QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION