South Australian Library and Information Network SALIN
Photo:SALIN Committee
Joining professional groups and associations provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about your career, find out about new trends and developments in the field and meet like-minded people working in an industry you are passionate about.
For all these reasons and more, the library and information staff and volunteers at SAcommunity joined SALIN South Australian Library Information Network to "connect" with the library industry and meet other professionals and students.
Our SAcommunity team attended the 'Take the fear out of networking' event providing advice for sector engagement which was very rewarding. The team is looking forward to future planned activities including a workshop on Virtual Reality in libraries on April 26th and their annual quiz night on the 26th May - visit the SALIN site for more details.
We contacted executive committee member Pixie Stardust to find out more.
How did you first become involved in the organisation?
I joined SALIN in February 2014 after I had seen a call out for new members. At the time I was a member of the ALIA New Generation Advisory Committee (a national group) and was looking for a way to be involved with a committee at the local level. I had attended SALIN events and was keen to contribute to a lively and engaged SA library sector.
How did your organisation start and why?
SALIN was formed in 2001 by a group of new graduate librarians who were frustrated by a lack of job and mentoring opportunities. They formed a networking group to support their professional development and connect them to others within the sector. To find out more about the formation of SALIN, please take a look at Opportunities for the new generation: the formation of a networking group, an article published in the Australian Library Journal.You may also like to read A Decade of SALIN – an update to commemorate our 10-year anniversary.
What is your organisation and what do they do?
SALIN is an inclusive and free group dedicated to serving the professional development and networking needs of library and information sector workers in South Australia. SALIN provides an opportunity for social and professional networking through regular social nights, seminars, workshops and an Annual Quiz night.
How does your organisation help people connect?
We run regular events to allow people the opportunity to network with other people from the sector. We also manage an elist where members can share job opportunities, events and information.
How does your organisation help their community?
We support our community by aiming to run a range of events that suit the needs of the local library and information sector. This includes targeted events for students and new graduates covering job seeking, interview skills and networking skills. We donate the funds raised from our Annual Quiz night to various charities. Recently we have donated to the Aboriginal Literary Foundation and Can:Do 4 Kids. Our next quiz is raising funds for Vision Australia.
What help does your organisation need?
We are always happy to have new members to ensure we are staying relevant to the needs of new and existing professionals. We are also interested in talking with any established professionals who would like to share their skills and expertise with others in the sector. During March and April each year we seek donations of items that can be prizes for our Quiz Night Fundraiser.
How can people participate in your organisation?
More information about SALIN can be found on our website - https://salin.org.au/ . You can sign up for our e-list there and read about some of our recent events.
