VALA

VALA is a biennial tech conference held by the Australian not-for-profit professional organization of the same name. The event focuses on information technology, library science, digital libraries, institutional repositories, electronic publishing, and metadata.

VALA was established as the Victorian Association for Library Automation in 1978 in response to the emergence of new technologies such as automated library catalogs that were revolutionizing the industry. In 2006, its name was changed to VALA – Libraries, Technology and the Future to recognize dramatic changes in the information landscape, which has resulted in the expansion of VALA’s interests and activities across all sorts of technology within the information sector.

VALA strives to promote the use and understanding of information and communication technologies in libraries, archives, museums and galleries. The VALA biennial conference and exhibition was founded in 1981. The inaugural event took place at the University of Melbourne. From its humble beginnings VALA has grown into the largest library and informational technology conference in the region.

The VALA Biennial Conference is held every two years in Melbourne. Every edition draws over 1,000 delegates from across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and other regions. The event provides one of the major points of contact for Australian librarians with their foreign colleagues. Since 2010, VALA has been held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center, one of Australia’s largest exhibition venues.

The program of the conference includes talks and lectures by leading industry professionals, round table discussions, seminars and workshops, exhibitions, and a series of parallel events. Among VALA’s most popular events are the L-Plate and P-Plate series of lectures. The former comprises introductory sessions catering particularly to those new to the industry, and the latter is designed for more experienced attendees. The conference also hosts a series of semi-formal networking events.

Each edition of the VALA conference has had a new theme that reflects its main focus. Past themes have included “Books and Bytes: Technologies for the Hybrid Library”, “E-volving Information Futures”, “Breaking Boundaries: Integration & Interoperability”, “Connecting with Users”, “Libraries/Changing Spaces, Virtual Places”, “Connections, Content, Conversations”, “eM-Powering eFutures”, “Streaming with Possibilities”, and more.