|
|
|
|
|
ALIA Multicultural e-News
|
|
The ALIA Multicultural e-News is a platform to share news with a Multicultural focus relevant to the Library Information Sector (LIS). It is open to people across LIS to contribute information of relevance. If you have some news to distribute broadly you can contact us via email. If you are interested in contributing a blogpost to our website you can also reach out via email to discuss ideas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you
|
As we near the end of 2025, we hope there's not only an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on all the achievements and challenges throughout the year, but to also appreciate what's truly important in our lives as we lean upon each other in vulnerable and uncertain times. ALIA Multicultural is a group committed to the advocacy and awareness of diversity and inclusion in the information sector, and what we do is only made possible when individuals from all walks of life work together in unity.
|
The following contributions in this year's final edition of the eNewsletter continue to highlight some of the great work library staff around Australia have been doing to create meaningful change for everyone within our library teams and spaces. We want to say a big thank you to everyone in ALIA Multicultural, fellow ALIA interest groups, as well as friends of ALIA Multicultural whose contributions have made projects including our Multicultural Principles, our eNewsletter and Blog possible.
|
|
We wish everyone a restful festive season and a hopeful start to the new year ahead.
|
|
|
|
Image source: Nubia Navarro (nubikini): https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-lighted-candle-714898/
|
|
|
|
|
|
A year in 2025 for ALIA Multicultural
|
This year has been another tremendous year for ALIA Multicultural and we have achieved quite a lot! In 2025 we have:
|
- Launched the ALIA Principles for Multicultural Collections and Services
- Delivered a great webinar - Amplifying Multicultural and Multilingual Initiatives
- Updated our Terms of Reference
- Drafted the First Nations webpage
- Engaged in advice and consultation with the ALIA Expert Aboriginal and Torres Strait Advisory Group
- Welcomed new members
- Expanded our online engagement with our eNewsletter
- Presented at various different conferences as individual members
- Launched our new leadership mentoring initiative
- Continued to grow our Trove lists
|
As ALIA Multicultural continues to grow, we look forward to contributing more meaningful insights and collaborations in the library and information space that includes and supports patrons and practitioners from all walks of life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interfaith harmony: Talking Faith? Forum 2025
|
|
|
In November, Greater Dandenong Libraries hosted another amazing event at the Springvale Community Hub in collaboration with The Interfaith Network (IFN). Their annual Talking Faith? Forum has been held annually since 2010, and this year the theme was Women, Faith and Service: Leading with Purpose.
|
|
This event has been successful in providing a safe space for the faith community and general public to explore and discuss topics around faith and spirituality. Panelists selected from the local faith communities included:
|
Venerable Bodhicitta – Buddhist, Anita Davine – Catholic, Kamlavathi Reddy – Hindu, Kathy Kaplan OAM – Jewish, Gisela Rankin - Luteran and Paris Sard – Muslim.
|
The event was hosted by Livia Carusi, CEO of Interfaith Network and was supported by our Mayor, Cr Sophie Tan, who delivered an opening speech and engaged with the community during and after the panel. An opening and closing performance were delivered by Dr Sarita McHarg, Sitarist and Vocalist.
|
Every year, along with Talking Faith? Forum, we also produce a video recording featuring the selected panelists and some highlights of the discussion – the result is a valuable document representing our community at a particular moment in time that can also be used to promote what we do. Feedback for the event was overwhelmingly positive, from both the panelists, who thanked us for organising such an enjoyable event, and the audience who found it engaging and relevant. The impressions were that the panelists shared extremely profound insights, the program was described as refreshing, and the devotional music performance was experienced as deeply touching and inspirational.
|
Greater Dandenong Libraries’ Information Librarian, Marijana also goes on to share that:
|
|
|
|
This program brought some genuinely interesting and inspiring people together and created a unique opportunity to discuss personal experiences, questions of faith and spirituality from the woman’s perspective.
|
|
What an inspiring example of the relevance and importance of diversity in community spaces.
|
|
Thank you My Van and Marijana for sharing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Images source: Greater Dandenong Libraries
|
|
|
|
Some exciting news...
|
|
|
ALIA Multicultural’s first Deputy Convenor
|
Our new leadership mentoring initiative
|
|
|
We are very excited to share that ALIA Multicultural now has our first Deputy Convenor, Marie Robineau!
|
Marie has built a career around connecting people, ideas, and cultures. With a background in information and communication studies, she began her journey in a small community-focused library in France before moving into bookselling and publishing. Her work has taken her across the globe—from cataloguing books at Ireland’s renowned Kennys.ie to managing a bookstore in Réunion Island that championed local history and indigenous literature.
|
A lifelong curiosity for other cultures and perspectives has shaped Marie’s path, along with her love for music, which she sees as a universal language. Today, she plays violin with the Preston Symphonic Orchestra in Melbourne.
|
Marie now works at CAVAL, where she helps public libraries curate and grow their LOTE (Languages Other Than English) collections. Her role brings together her passions for community engagement, collaboration, and inclusion. Through her involvement with ALIA Multicultural, Marie continues to advocate for libraries as spaces where diversity is celebrated and every voice is heard.
|
|
We hope everyone can join us in warmly welcoming Marie in her new role!
|
|
|
As part of our new leadership mentoring process, Marie will work closely with current Convenors Mare and Hiba to further develop her leadership skills within the group, and to eventually transition from Deputy Convenor to Convenor from 2027.
|
Convenors undertake the Convenor-in-training role or act as a Deputy for a year before they become Convenor. All convenors will have spent a year working with the group and should have gained a sense of ALIA Multicultural's advocacy focus and the culturally safe collaborative environment that we aim to foster.
|
To drive involvement and commitment to rotating roles, the group will promote this role through Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for a leadership mentoring program that lasts for a year. This provides an opportunity for new members to develop skills and knowledge and demonstrate ALIA Multicultural’s commitment to leadership development.
|
|
Watch this space for more updates on this exciting initiative!
|
|
|
|
Image source: Christina Morillo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wearing-red-top-holding-silver-macbook-1181722/
|
|
|
|
|
|
IFLA Guidelines for Libraries
Supporting Displaced Persons
|
ALIA Multicultural’s Convenor, Mare was involved in the working group of the publication - IFLA Guidelines for Libraries Supporting Displaced Persons (Refugees, Migrants, Immigrants, and Asylum Seekers).
|
Published in late 2024, these guidelines provide an excellent resources for any library looking for guidance on how to best support some of our most vulnerable patrons. The document features extensive policies from how to train library staff, to evaluating services to displaced persons. It also covers how to overcome common challenges and case studies from several libraries who have implemented successful plans to empower displaced persons.
|
Mare shares how part of the development process included a survey that she distributed across library services in Australia. The survey for LOTE classification was shared by ALIA at the time by Sue McKerracher and Public Libraries Victoria.
|
You can access the full report here.
|
|
Thank you Mare for sharing and for being a part of this important work!
|
|
|
|
IFLA MCULTP Call for Best Practices for the 4th Edition of Multicultural Communities Guidelines
|
The Library Services to Multicultural Populations Section (MCULTP) is currently preparing the 4th edition of Multicultural Communities: Guidelines for Library Services. As part of this work, the editorial team is collecting best practices (250–300 words each), policy examples, and recommendations that reflect effective and innovative library services for multicultural and multilingual communities around the world.
|
IFLA warmly invites library professionals, practitioners, and researchers from all regions and all types of libraries, public, academic, school, national, and special, to share examples that illustrate successful approaches to serving multicultural populations.
IFLA is particularly seeking submissions that include:
|
- Effective programs, initiatives, or services for multicultural or multilingual communities
- Policy documents, strategic plans, or institutional guidelines supporting inclusive library services
- Community engagement models, co-design practices, or partnership approaches with diverse groups
- Staff training, cultural competence development, or workforce diversity initiatives
Innovative methods enabling multilingual access, digital inclusion, or culturally responsive communication
- Outreach and marketing approaches tailored to multicultural audiences
Any other documented best practices that libraries have used to support multicultural populations
- Our goal is to ensure that the upcoming edition reflects a broad, global perspective that captures experiences from all seven continents.
If you would like to contribute, please send your materials, links, or documents to ifla.mcultp@gmail.com by 30 January 2026.
|
Your contributions will play a vital role in shaping a comprehensive, globally representative set of guidelines to support equitable and inclusive library services worldwide.
|
|
|
|
|
|
AI Corner
|
As AI adoption gains more traction within our libraries, the ALIA Multicultural Committee believes it would be useful for our members and readers to share some of the latest news, opinions, insights or happenings in the AI and library space!
|
|
This edition of the eNewsletter we have:
|
|
|
|
New research warns AI alone won’t fix bias in workplace recruitment
|
|
|
|
Human resource management expert Associate Professor Connie Zheng, co-director of UniSA’s Centre for Workplace Excellence, has conducted research into how AI can affect hiring decisions when it comes to improving diversity and inclusion by reaching gender quotas, having racially diverse teams and recruiting LGBTIQA+ employees or people with disabilities.
|
|
|
You can read the findings here.
|
|
Communique calls for AI stakeholders to work towards a future that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
|
|
|
|
Lead author Dr Rose Barrowcliffe from the Macquarie University Centre of Critical Indigenous Studies explains the unique challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
|
|
|
Learn more about the communique here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image source: Igor Omilaev via Unsplash
|
|
|
|
|
Join ALIA Multicultural
|
Join the committee and actively participate in advocacy and key projects.
|
ALIA Multicultural is a group of passionate people committed to working collaboratively on advocacy with a multicultural focus specific to the Library Information Sector in Australia. You can join our committee and be part of a dynamic collaborative group committed to information sharing, Professional Development and special projects. Visit the website to learn more about us and send us a message if you would like to be part of the group.
|
|
If you are interested in being an active member of the ALIA Multicultural Committee send us an email to express interest.
|
|
|
|
|
Connect with us
|
Access key multicultural research and resources via the ALIA Multicultural website
|
|
|
ALIA Multicultural curates key research and community resources with a Multicultural focus for the Library Information Sector.
|
This information can be accessed via our Resources tab on the ALIA Multicultural Website.
|
Do you have some research or resource to suggest as an addition? You can contact us via email with your suggestions.
|
|
|
|
Contribute to the ALIA Multicultural website blog
|
|
|
Do you have an idea to contribute to the ALIA Multicultural website blog? If you or someone you know would be interested in contributing a post, discussion about research, an opinion piece, celebration of multicultural programs and services with our community send us an email expressing areas of interest or articles. The ALIA Multicultural website is a collaborative initiative and we are seeking your voice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALIA Multicultural committee members share news regularly via a number of platforms including Instagram and Facebook and Linkedin.
|
|
Anyone can subscribe to our website and eNews.
|
We welcome ideas for content to our website and news too.
|
|
ALIA Multicultural plans and delivers PD twice a year and you can watch our PD webinars via our YouTube channel.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
