Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951
The current version of the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951 can be viewed on the State Law Publisher's website.
Proposed Changes to the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951
The Department of Culture and the Arts is currently proposing a package of amendments to cultural institution legislation designed to modernise governance arrangements. One of the Acts under review is the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951.
Proposed changes to the Act fall into two broad areas:
Legal Deposit
Western Australia is currently the only Australian jurisdiction without Legal Deposit legislation following the repealing of two different acts in recent years. A Bill to reintroduce Legal Deposit legislation for Western Australia was introduced into the State Parliament in November 2011. (Copy of the Bill) The Bill imposes requirements for Western Australian publications to be lodged with the State Library, including printed material, sound, film and electronic publications.
Library Board Structure and Governance
The Board structure and responsibilities currently reflect a 1950’s approach to governance and the status of the Western Australian public library network at that time. Emphasis in the review will be on meeting modern corporate governance requirements and will also consider the size and level of representation on the Library Board.Relationship with Local Government and responsibilities of the Library Board in relation to public libraries
The current Act reflects the era in which it was developed and since 1951 Western Australia’s public library network has evolved to become a mature, yet diverse operation. Emphasis in the review will be on the role of the Board in the operation of public libraries against the context of 21st century local government and library practice, and the Framework Agreement between the Library Board and Local Government.
Community Consultation
The State Library of Western Australia and the Library Board of Western Australia recognise the importance of engaging our partners, the community and staff in consultation to benefit from the experiences and knowledge of those people in the community who are most affected by our policy decisions. The consultation into the review of the Act was open and fair. All views were sought, valued and considered so that we could achieve the best outcome for the people of Western Australia.
- Consultation Paper 1 has been prepared for the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA).
- Consultation Paper 2 has been prepared for public librarians.
- Consultation Paper 3 has been prepared for WA publishers, authors and creators of music, film, electronic and print publishing.
- Consultation Paper 4 has been prepared for the general public.
A public workshop to discuss the proposed changes was held in July 2007. This report summarises the views expressed during consultation.
Page last updated: Tuesday 17 January 2012
