Issue 17

While their prime function is to input cataloguing data, Agency personnel are also involved in the development of SCIS products. Each school has the right of access to Voyager via the digital communication network Sprintnet for the cost of a local phone call through their State agency.

Each Agency comes under the State Education Department and provides similar services dependent on their individual internal organisation and the personnel available.

Edwina Dunn is involved in the Queensland SCIS Agency and sends this report.

The Open Access Support Centre (OASC) - the Queensland Agency for SCIS is one of the Queensland Department of Education's three statewide support centres. Curriculum support is provided to Queensland's educational community through the development of a range of resources and services which have a preschool to year 12 focus.

The Centre's main goal is to enable all learners to access education at a time, place and pace in a form which best suits their circumstances and requirements. The Centre is also the Queensland Agency for SCIS. There is direct connection to the SCIS database situated at Ferntree in Melbourne through a dedicated line. This enables 24 hour access without the necessity to dial-up each time the librarians wish to catalogue onto, or search the system.

The Agency operates within a section of the Centre -Open Learning Library Services (OLLS), that occupies Floors 4 and 5 of Gabba Towers in Woolloongabba, Brisbane. The Curriculum Library within OLLS has three librarian positions and a Senior Librarian, who are all SCIS accredited. They catalogue onto SCIS as part of their many duties, which include reference services, inter-library loans and project collaboration across the Centre.

The Agency adds around 90 records per month to the database. The librarians contribute to the regular national teleconferences on SCIS standards for the database, especially subject heading additions and modifications. All Queensland schools are able to send in suggestions and requests to the Agency to ensure that Queensland curriculum requirements are addressed and to enable Queensland schools to be confident that subject heading access through the SCIS Subject Heading List reflects their needs.

The Agency also offers a SCIS original cataloguing service to Queensland schools. If, after searching the SCIS database they cannot find a bibliographic record, they may send in the resource and staff will catalogue onto the database. This enables all schools to benefit from the national standards. The school bears postage in and the Agency bears postage back, without any other charges.

The Agency is the operational arm of SCIS representation in the Department. On matters of policy collaboration with the Senior Policy Officer - Resources, in the Effective Learning and Teaching Unit of Studies Directorate it is a vital component that provides Queensland schools with an effective Agency service. Both areas meet regularly and participate in the SCIS standards teleconferences.

The Department has an ongoing commitment to the SCIS national database and SCIS services and products. Queensland teacher-librarians and teachers-in-charge of resource centres are encouraged to utilise SCIS and thus take advantage of the national standards of cataloguing that are world class and achieved through close collaboration across all states.

Contact details:
Freecall 1800 800 401

Principal Information Officer
Tel : 07 3406 2471
Fax : 07 3406 2476
Internet email
[email protected]

Senior Librarian
Tel : 07 3406 2461
Fax: 07 3406 2465
Internet email
[email protected]