VALA
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- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
 | |
| Founded | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Focus | Library science, Information technology, Digital library, Metadata, Electronic publishing, Institutional repository |
| Location |
|
Region served | Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums |
| Members | approx 640 named persons |
President | Sae Ra Germaine, CAVAL. |
Vice President | Michelle McLean, Casey Cardinia Libraries. |
Treasurer | Andrew Iacuone |
Secretary | Monica Williams |
| Revenue | Self-funded not for profit organisation |
| Volunteers | 10 person Committee |
| Website | https://www.vala.org.au |
VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future Inc. (VALA) is an Australian not-for-profit professional organisation that promotes the use and understanding of information and communication technologies across the galleries, libraries, archives and museum sectors.
VALA was established as the Victorian Association for Library Automation in 1978[1] in response to the emergence of automated library catalogues and other technologies that were revolutionising the industry at the time. In 2006 VALA's name was changed to VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future. This was in recognition of dramatic changes in the information landscape which include the rise of ebooks and ejournals, the social web, cloud computing and mobile devices. Previously, VALA had signed separate memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the New Zealand Library Association LIANZA to foster cooperation and to better coordinate the respective organisation's activities.
Governance and membership
VALA is governed by a Committee elected annually from the VALA membership. Membership is open to anyone interested in the professional aims of the organisation.
Conferences
The VALA biennial conference is one of the largest conferences of its type in the region. Commencing in 1981, VALA conferences have provided one of the major points of contact for Australian librarians with their overseas counterparts.[2]
Since 2010 VALA conferences have been held in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
| Date | Conference | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 09-11 July 2024 | 22nd VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | ReITerated - Getting IT back to grass roots |
| 14-16 June 2022 | 21st VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Bring IT On! Onsite and Online |
| 11–13 February 2020 | 20th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Focus on the Future |
| 13–15 February 2018 | 19th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Libraries, Technology and the Future |
| 8–11 February 2016 | 18th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Libraries, Technology and the Future |
| 3–6 February 2014 | 17th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Streaming with possibilities |
| 6–9 February 2012 | 16th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | eM-Powering eFutures |
| 8–11 February 2010 | 15th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Connections, Content, Conversations |
| 5–11 February 2008 | 14th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Libraries/Changing Spaces, Virtual Places |
| 8–10 February 2006 | 13th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Connecting with Users |
| 3–5 February 2004 | 12th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Breaking Boundaries: Integration & Interoperability |
| 6–8 February 2002 | 11th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | e-volving information futures |
| 6–18 February 2000 | 10th VALA Biennial Conference and Exhibition | Books and bytes : technologies for the hybrid library |
Professional development events
VALA holds a series of face-to-face and online professional development events throughout the year. The topics of the meetings support and promote an understanding of technology within the libraries and broader information sector. Where possible, free podcasts of these meetings are available on the VALA web site.
