University librarians from Queensland, the Northern Territory and Northern New South Wales recently met at CQUniversity's Rockhampton Campus library to attend a meeting of the Queensland Universities Office of Cooperation (QULOC).

QULOC is a collaborative organisation which provides a supportive framework for information exchange, good practice development, cooperative activities and the promotion of common interests which support the teaching, learning and research needs of member institutions.

Photo Front (L-R): Joanna Richardson (Griffith), Ruth Quinn (Charles Darwin), Barbara Paton (UNE & Convenor), Alison Hunter (USQ). Back: Wendy Abbott (Bond), Bob Gerrity (UQ), Graham Black (CQUniversity), Heather Gordon (JCU), Kate Kelly (SCU)

The University Librarians' committee is supported by seven working parties made up by staff representatives from each member institution. The working parties cover areas that are pertinent to the current and future directions of modern university libraries - ICT, Information Resources and Access, Learning and Information Services, Access Services and Spaces, Research Support and Staffing Issues.

CQUniversity Library Director, Graham Black said it was a great honour to host the QULOC University Librarians' meeting as it is only held outside the south-east corner of Queensland once every two years.

"The benefits of QULOC are that it offers great opportunities for information sharing, collaboration and staff development for all participating staff," Mr Black said. "The visiting librarians were most impressed by our refurbished Library and our tropical looking campus."