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Parliamentary Librarian’s review

Introduction

The Australian Parliamentary Library’s services are established under the statutory office of the Parliamentary Librarian with the following functions:

1. to provide high quality information, analysis and advice to Senators and Members of the House of Representatives in support of their parliamentary and representational roles; and
2. to undertake such other responsibilities within the joint department, consistent with the function set out in paragraph (a), as are conferred in writing on the Parliamentary Librarian by the Secretary of the joint department with the approval of the Presiding Officers.

Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library

Until 2005, Senators and Members provided advice to the Parliamentary Library through a Senate Committee on the Parliamentary Library and a House of Representatives Committee on the Parliamentary Library which met jointly. In December 2005 the first Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library was established by resolution of both chambers to:

1. consider and report to the Presiding Officers on any matters relating to the Parliamentary Library referred to it by the President or the Speaker;
2. provide advice to the President and the Speaker on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library;
3. provide advice to the President and the Speaker on an annual resource agreement between the Parliamentary Librarian and the Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services; and
4. receive advice and reports, including an annual report, directly from the Parliamentary Librarian on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library.

Library Committee 2011–12

The Library Committee membership in 2011–12 was:

The Hon. Dick Adams MP (Joint Chair)
Senator Gary Humphries (Joint Chair)
Senator Catryna Bilyk
Mr Russell Broadbent MP
Mr Nick Champion MP
Mr George Christensen MP
Senator Bridget McKenzie
Senator Gavin Marshall
Mr Daryl Melham MP
Senator Lisa Singh
Mr Craig Thomson MP
Senator John Madigan

The Library Committee met on 22 September 2011, 24 November 2011, 15 March 2012 and 21 June 2012. The Committee discussed:

1. Library resourcing and the demand for Library services;
2. the appointment of a new Parliamentary Librarian;
3. the Parliamentary Library’s Business Plan 2011–12;
4. the outcome of the Client Evaluation of Library Services;
5. the relationship between the Parliamentary Library and the National Library of Australia;
6. trends in parliamentary library and research services, including use of online resources;
7. the review of the Australian Parliamentary Fellowship;
8. digitisation of Library collections;
9. the resource agreement between the Parliamentary Librarian and Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS); and
10. revised Library Governance Papers, including: Preparing and publishing Bills Digests; Parliamentary Library Feedback; Parliamentary Library Collection Development; Statement of Client Services. 

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