Director-General Receives HCL Anderson Award
From left: Ian McCallum and Jan Fullerton AO
The Director-General of the National Library of Australia, Jan Fullerton AO, was awarded the HCL Anderson Award at a reception at the Library on Wednesday 14 July.
The HCL Anderson Award is the highest honour that can be bestowed on an Associate of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). It is awarded in recognition of outstanding service to the library and information profession in Australia, to ALIA, to the theory of library and information science or to the practice of library and information services.
The award commemorates H.C.L. Anderson, principal librarian of the Free Public Library of New South Wales from 1893 to 1906. Anderson created a collection and service policy to give his infant colonial library a stature of national importance. He worked with D.S. Mitchell, wealthy collector of Australiana, to build and preserve the first collection of national significance. Anderson persuaded Mitchell to finance the housing of the collection in what is now the Mitchell Library of the State Library of New South Wales. In addition to this protracted task, Anderson promoted the education of librarians and the expansion of services to the community, including those in remote areas, as well as to business and industry. His vision, dedication and achievements provide a model for those nominated for this award.
The award is not presented annually. Jan Fullerton is the award’s first recipient since it was awarded to Ian McCallum in 2002.
Some 100 friends and colleagues gathered in the Library’s Foyer to celebrate the presentation of the award to Ms Fullerton by ALIA President, Graham Black. In presenting the award, Mr Black recognised Ms Fullerton's leadership of both the Library and the wider library community:
Jan Fullerton has made an extraordinary contribution to the library and information profession in Australia, in particular to its practice. Jan’s library background has spanned all the fundamental areas of library operations including cataloguing, acquisitions and collection development, preservation, information services and document supply. In her position as Director of Collections and Reader Services, and subsequently as Director-General, she was instrumental in leading the development of the National Library’s digital collection and access policies and services.
Jan has provided outstanding leadership to the Australian library sector in a time of major change and challenges relating to the emergence of the internet as a powerful and complex information creation and delivery tool for libraries and other collecting institutions. Jan has raised the profile of libraries and improved services across the sector through a wide range of collaborative and innovative initiatives. Jan has bought the library and other collecting sectors closer together in an effort to provide services at the national level that all Australians can use with ease.
With a fine combination of vision, extraordinary personal skills and great commitment, Jan has provided inspiration to all in the Australian library sector. The HCL Anderson Award is ALIA’s highest honour, noting outstanding achievement. In conferring this honour to Jan Fullerton, the Association recognises the significant and valuable contribution she has made to the field of library and information sciences.
Read the full citation for Jan Fullerton’s HCL Anderson Award
Kathryn Favelle
Manager, Event Development
This article reproduces text found at www.alia.org.au



