ALIA TAFE library survey 2019

There are 246 TAFE libraries in Australia, supporting VET students in every State and Territory. At the beginning of 2019, ALIA's Vocational Education and Training Libraries Advisory Committee (VLAC), chaired by Brenda Burr, sought feedback about how changes in structure and funding have affected TAFE libraries and the library and information professionals who run them.
 
TAFE libraries were asked to complete an online questionnaire with 34 questions relating to budgets, staffing, collection formats, library space and size of customers served, library closures, changing user demands and the role of library and information professionals in the VET sector.
 
The survey ran in March 2019 and followed on from a similar survey carried out in 2016. Where possible, we have shown the results from both surveys to highlight similarities and differences. The 2019 survey data infers a sector reacting to both internally and externally driven circumstances. The survey results show a challenging environment in which TAFE libraries and their staff operate.