Professor Paul Sturges OBE

Professor Paul Sturges has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Professor Sturges was the Chair of IFLA's Committee on Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (FAIFE) between 2003 and 2009, and has been involved in international librarianship for many years, contributing a tremendous amount through his work in the area of freedom of access to information and freedom of expression. For more information see the IFLA article.

Queen's Birthday Honours 2010

Congratulations to Janice Rickards and Jennifer Muir who each received a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to libraries.

Vale - Alan Smith

Alan Smith, former Professor of Distance and e-Learning at the Central Queensland University, and acting university librarian from 2005 to 2006, died last week after a short illness.

Vale ~ Paul Reynolds

New Zealand internet commentator Paul Reynolds has died suddenly. He served on the New Zealand Government Digital Strategy Advisory Group, the Capability Panel for the Advanced Network (KAREN), the New Zealand Library and Information Advisory Commission, and the board of Auckland War Memorial Museum. Much more detail about his contribution to the library industry in New Zealand and Australia (via NSLA) is included in the notice on Hard News.

Paul was an avid blogger and shared his insights in presentations and articles. Paul's final presentation : Living and learning in the cloud is available on his blog.

Dr Trish Milne - ALIA Fellow

Dr Patricia Milne (Trish) has been conferred with the distinction of Fellow of the Association. ALIA fellowships are awarded to very distinguished members of the profession and Trish joins a very elite group.

Trish has made an outstanding contribution to the field of library and information science as an educator, researcher and by sharing her knowledge through publication. In these ways she has helped others to become aware of issues facing the profession and encouraged them to explore new directions and ideas to strengthen its intellectual base.

As an educator, Trish has demonstrated energy and enthusiasm in her teaching, design and delivery of programs which have engendered in her students a commitment to promoting library and knowledge management and delivering excellent services. Further, Trish has made an important contribution to the discussion on LIS education needs and the role of ALIA and library course providers. During her career Trish maintained a focus on excellence in teaching and learning and scholarship, pioneering the development of quality online teaching and learning at the University of Canberra, recognised when she received a New Initiative Grant to facilitate the development of the university’s first online course, the Graduate Certificate in Information Access and Delivery.

In awarding the distinction of Fellow of the Australian Library and Information Association on Trish Milne, the Association recognises the significant and valuable contribution Trish has made to education for and development of the library and information services profession in Australia and her dedication to the aims of the Association.

Her fellowship will be awarded at an event in mid 2010.

HCL Anderson award winner - Jan Fullerton

Jan Fullerton, Director General of the National Library of Australia has been awarded the ALIA HCL Anderson Award.

The HCL Anderson Award, the highest honour which the Australian Library and Information Association bestows on an Associate member, has been awarded to Jan Fullerton, Director General of the National Library of Australia. Theaward recognises Jan's outstanding service to the library and information profession and to the practice of library and information services. The National Library of Australia has taken on the important leadership role ofencouraging libraries to work together more collaboratively and thus provide better access to information resources. At the same time the National Library, under Jan's leadership, has responded innovatively to changes intechnology so that all Australians now have greater access to its own resources.

Vale ~ Marlene Magee

Marlene Magee worked at Redland Libraries for almost 25 years in roles that enabled her to help people in the community, something she loved to do. She was the very hard working Outreach Services Librarian for the last 10 years and prior to that she was a wonderful and much loved Mobile Library Assistant.

Library staff and Marlene's many friends across council and in the library world will miss her sense of humour, tremendous energy and positive outlook as well as her courage and determination. Marlene was known as the "networker par excellence" and has friends everywhere through her great commitment to her job, her sporting activities and her other community involvement.