National and State Libraries Australasia

The State Library of Victoria is an active member of National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) (previously Council of Australian State Libraries, or CASL), the peak body representing State and Territory libraries and the National Libraries of Australia and New Zealand. The current chair of NSLA is Mr Alan Smith, Director of the State Library of South Australia. The NSLA Secretariat is located at the State Library of Victoria.

NSLA key priorities for 2007-09 are aimed at encouraging flexibility, rapid response and innovation within the library sector.

National and State Libraries Australasia operates a number of working groups which look at issues affecting the sector, develops agendas to address these issues and makes recommendations to members. Current working groups include:

• Public Programs and Communications - plans cooperative programs, such as National Treasures from Australia's Great Libraries, and shares information, ideas and expertise
• Performance Measures - collates performance statistics and works to develop a common set of performance measures and benchmarks for the sector
• Public Libraries - works to enhance public library innovation, benchmarking and strategic initiatives for the benefit of public libraries across Australia and New Zealand
• NSLA Consortium - acquires cost-effective access to commercial electronic information resources, with specific emphasis on increasing access to Australian resources
• Stack Management - identifies, documents and shares information on stack management and develops guidelines and standards for best practice
• Indigenous Library Services and Collections - coordinates the implementation of the National Policy Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library Services and Collections, through exemplifying best practices, sharing information, and working collaboratively with key stakeholders and institutions.
• Re-Imagining Library Services - aims to develop innovative and collaborative initiatives that will meet the demand for self-service and point-of need access to information services and resources.