Quoting from P. S. News: Independent News For The Australian Public Service. Edition Number 558f. Updated Friday 07 July, 2017.
Libraries booked for special day
Geoscience Australia (GA) has marked Australasian Libraries in Emergency and Security Day (ALIES) by acknowledging the role played by technical specialists and their support staff in keeping the community safe from natural disasters.
Leader of the Hazard and Risk Infrastructure Section at GA, Jane Sexton said ALIES Day in particular recognised the support that specialist libraries, such as GA’s N.H. (Doc) Fisher Library provided to government and non-government agencies undertaking scientific research and developing disaster preparedness programs.
Dr Sexton said partnerships such as those were at the core of emergency planning and disaster response activities because they provided access to the full range of information resources required to develop accurate advice.
"Libraries play a key role in community resilience by making current and historical research easier to discover, which informs the development of good science," Dr Sexton said.
"They also play a crucial role in making sure that scientists, policy makers and politicians have access to the most relevant and up-to-date information and data needed to inform their decisions."
She said the library staff at GA provided an essential service that allowed scientists to research the impact of a range of natural hazard disasters, including tsunami, earthquakes, landslides and flooding.
She said some of the recent work by GA librarians included discovering historical publications to support the upcoming 50th anniversary of the 1968 Meckering earthquake; the revision of the Australian Tsunami Emergency Management Guidelines; and the severe wind and earthquake impact assessment projects being undertaken by GA in collaboration with the Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
Dr Sexton said ALIES was a special interest group with the peak industry body Australian Library and Information Association.
For full article, see: http://www.psnews.com.au/aps/558/news/libraries-booked-for-special-day
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