Thursday, August 16, 2012

Saving TAFE Libraries of the Future


On Tuesday, I read a fascinating opinion article called “Fear, Threat, Crisis: Victorian TAFE Library funding.” by the VATL president Paul Kloppenbory from the ALIA Incite news magazine. He strongly contended on the overall decline of both the VET expenditure per hour and the funding to the TAFE sector, according to a Monash University 2010 paper. Hence, the VATL (Victorian Association of TAFE Libraries) has called upon the Ballieu Government to recognise the importance of TAFE libraries and ensure the minimal impact of the funding changes towards the library services.

Since 2008, enrolments of private providers have proliferated and on October last year, there was a reduction of the TAFE funding, which has threatened key infrastructure of our largest tertiary sector.

TAFE libraries play unique roles in facilitating and servicing the information needs of staff and students and without them, our patrons would have to visit their public libraries for their requirements to be fulfilled, thereby placing students at a serious disadvantage in accessing these resources in order to enhance their learning. If VATL wants to convince the state government in restoring the TAFE library funding, they must invite them to visit every single TAFE library and take a good look of the resources available.


Bibliography reference 
Kloppenbory, P (2012), ‘Fear, Threat, Crisis: Victorian TAFE Library funding, ALIA Incite, vol. 33, no. 1/2, pg. 25.

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