Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Parliamentary Library innovations synopsis 26 July 2016

A good  crowd turned up  to hear Sam Spencer and Liz Luchetti of the  Parliamentary Library present on the innovative products they have created or adapted to the needs of their politician  clients. Liz presented on the overview of what the parliamentary library does and how it must  rigorously meet the demands of their select clientele. She explained how the library  canvassed to understand the needs by surveying their users each year as well as keep  a finger on  the day to day pulse of what users requested . Sam  gave us a picture of the  new products they had created in the past year such as streaming news for their  clients to access on mobile devices in their electorates well outside the  infrastructure of the Parliament House. Sam gave a rundown on how he is morphing the Parliamentary Handbook in an elegant extensible online version that can harvest data on individual politicians from other sources .

The Parliamentary Library has recently recruited a Library Innovation Manager. The Parliamentary Library recognises that this is an important strategic position that has a significant information technology component. The appointment of a Library Innovation Manager continues an established program of innovation within the Parliamentary Library. Liz Luchetti, Assistant Secretary, Library Collections and Databases Branch and Sam Spencer, Library Innovation Manager, will talk about past, present and future Library innovation and demonstrate their favourite innovative products that enhance the delivery of library services  - the new parliamentary handbook data management system and the news services currently available via the mobile Web@Workapp. In addition they will provide some tips on how to engage staff in the innovation process. 

 Innovations in the Parliamentary Library presentation