The latest issue of the Journal of Health Information and Libraries Australasia (JoHILA) includes:
An interesting, thoughtful, entertaining editorial (The Moon Under Water)
An insight into the history and applicability of the ELIZA effect
A clinical psychologist’s journey completing a systematic review, with a little help from an AI research assistant & a helpful librarian
Don Keast’s recollection of 50 things he did promoting a small library (A Paean For Small Libraries)
A number of personal pieces including a new health librarian’s reflection on her first year (More Questions Than Answers)
And more including – of course – some human-generated AI articles
Submissions to JoHILA, large and small, are always welcome. A case study, a photo essay, a strident opinion, robust research, a quality improvement initiative, a resource review… share with your colleagues, and grow the profession together. Just send an email to Daniel McDonald to get started
We’re excited to share a packed program for the HLA & HLi Joint Conference on 15-16 October at the William Angliss Institute in Melbourne. The program features our keynote speaker, Dr Ranjana Srivastava, along with an engaging mix of workshops, presentations, lightning talks, and poster sessions. You will have plenty of opportunities to connect with our 17 vendors who will be showcasing their latest products and services.
Dr Ranjana Srivastava is an oncologist, Fulbright scholar, and award-winning writer. She is a long-time columnist for The Guardian newspaper where she writes on the intersection of medicine and humanity. Ranjana practices in the Victorian public hospital system and specialises in geriatric oncology, the care of older patients with cancer. She also has a deep interest in the welfare of multicultural and disadvantaged communities.
Ranjana’s two Fulbright awards allowed her to obtain a fellowship in medical ethics at the University of Chicago and a Master in Public Administration at Harvard University.
Among her many awards, Ranjana is the recipient of a Human Rights Literature Prize for her book, Dying for a Chat. She recently won the Kennedy Award for Outstanding Columnist for her writing on compassion in medicine. Her TEDx Talk The Art of Medicine is a thoughtful reflection on the importance of honesty in medicine. Her commitment to ethical medicine saw her receive a Medal of the Order of Australia for her contribution to doctor-patient communication.
A conference doesn’t just happen by itself, and we’d like to thank our Platinum, Gold & Silver sponsors for their support in bringing this year’s joint conference to you.
👉 Please take some time to visit their stands at the Trade Fair in October.
William Angliss Institute Conference Centre Level 5, Building A, 555 La Trobe Street Melbourne, VIC 3000
Time:
Registration and Trade Show opens at 8:30am. Conference starts at 9:00am Thursday & Friday 15 & 16 October, 2026
Transport:
Train: The closest train stations are Flagstaff (just above the red arrow on the map) & Southern Cross (green square on the map)
Trams: Various trams will take you near the William Angliss Institute. Google Maps using Public transport will show the various options from your location. Trips are free within the CBD area. If payment is required, you only tap on at the start of the trip; no need to tap off at the end.
Flights: The red SkyBus can be used from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station
Payments: You can use a credit card to pay by tap on Melbourne trains and trams. Myki cards can also be used.
While the internet provides considerable opportunities to access and share information, it also increases people’s exposure to misinformation. It is increasingly difficult to determine the trustworthiness of the media in our environment, which is of particular concern in the field of health. Evidence suggests health misinformation is having real-world widespread negative consequences.
This talk explores how a media literacy approach can help organisations, community groups and citizens respond to the challenge that misinformation poses. It draws on findings from a 3-year research study that partnered with four public cultural institutions: Australian Library and Information Association, ABC Education, Museum of Australia Democracy and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
Presenters
Tanya Notley & Daisy De Windt
Bios
Tanya Notley is Professor of Digital Media in the School of Arts and a member of the Institute for Culture and Society. Tanya currently leads a national project that uses media literacy to address online misinformation through a collaboration with national public cultural institutions. Tanya leads the Advancing Media Literacy Program at WSU and is a founding member of Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA).
Daisy De Windt has over 20 years’ experience working in research, medical education and health communications, including over 10 years producing engaging, evidence-based media for a range of audiences. She has completed degrees in Psychology, Health Law, Biomedical Science and Business and is a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University.
When
Thursday, 30 July 2026 12:30pm – 1:30pm AEST
Where
Online webinar Zoom – a link will be sent the day prior.
This event will be recorded and sent to attendees following the event.
Cost
ALIA Members – FREE (another reason to consider HLA Membership) Non-Members – $22
Justin Clark is running a free 1 hour webinar on TERA Tools
The webinar will cover live demonstrations of all the tools available in the Evidence Review Accelerator (TERA) to help you improve your searching skills & options
Recordings will be available after the event if you cannot attend & also on Tera Tools YouTube
If you would like to refresh your memory or acquaint yourself with any of the tools – so you can ask Justin the really difficult questions he loves – then a selection of TERA videos are available below ⬇️
You can also login or sign up on the TERA Tools home page to play with the tools on offer
This session explores the diverse and evolving roles health librarians play in Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) from formal committee positions to advisory, governance, and quality‑improvement functions.
Speakers will share real‑world perspectives on how librarian expertise strengthens ethical research practice and supports researchers across health and academic settings.
Daniel McDonald – Librarian, Darling Downs Health, Editor, JoHILA.
Kathryn Ritchie – Health Sciences Librarian, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service. Secretary (Interim) CQHHS HREC.
Nikki May – Manager Library Projects and Planning, SA Health Library, Co-Convenor AEBPLI.
Joanna (Asia) Dziedzic – Research Data Librarian, Charles Darwin University.
DanielMcDonald has been librarian for Darling Downs Health since 2006. He has twice received the HLA digital innovation award, and in 2021 was named Queensland Library Achiever of the year. He is editor of the Journal of Health Information and Libraries Australasia, and host of the podcast Shoosh. He is currently acting chair of the Darling Downs Health Human Research Ethics Committee.
Last Friday he conceded four goals 😄 at Friday night football ⚽, but did get his hands to three of them. He yells at his kids too much, but also gives them chocolate milk 🍫. The two may be linked.
Kathryn Ritchie is a Health Librarian at Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CQHHS) in Rockhampton, committee member of the Australasian Evidence Based Practice Librarians’ Institute (AEBPLI), UQ Research Fellow, and CQ HREC Secretariat/Co-ordinator. Kathryn blends her clinical insight and research expertise to empower healthcare professionals. Kathryn is dedicated to advancing evidence-based practice, supporting clinicians in discovering and applying the best available evidence through the design and execution of systematic type search strategies, and guidance in the development of quality and research projects.
Nikki May is a Library Manager with the SA Health Library Service (SAHLS). She is responsible for the Research, Reference, Training, and Outreach library portfolios. As a part of the SAHLS management team Nikki’s role is currently focused primarily on strategic planning and service improvement projects. Nikki is also co-convenor of the Australasian Evidence-Based Practice Librarians’ Institute.
JoannaDziedzic is Research Data Librarian at Charles Darwin University, where she leads research data management services and provides expert advice to the Human Research Ethics Committee as a committee member. Joanna has worked in academic libraries across Australia and Europe, with experience in scholarly communication, repositories, copyright, and research data. Her interests include First Nations data governance and data management planning
🏄 ALIA Competencies:
CA6 – The health environment, communities and stakeholders
