Governance

The members of CAUL (Council of Australian University Librarians) are the lead library executive of the 39 universities which have representation on Universities Australia. The Council meets twice annually, with the AGM held in September each year.

CAUL is governed by a constitution, a strategic plan and policy.

The CAUL Executive Committee establishes strategic priorities aligned to its purpose and is responsible for:

• policy and its execution;
• the governance, prioritisation and allocation or resources; and
• establishing and fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations to address, nationally and internationally, the issues and opportunities impacting Australian university libraries.

The Executive is supported by issues-based working groups, advisory committees, communities of practice and the CAUL office. All advisory committees report to CAUL through the Executive Committee or directly to the Council.

The 2017-2019 Strategic Plan proposes two programs for CAUL led by directors who are ex-officio to the executive (appointed by the executive):

• Fair, affordable and open access to knowledge - Program Director, Jill Benn (2017-2019)
• Digital Dexterity – the new skills for learning and research excellence - Program Director, Ralph Kiel (2017-2019)

The CAUL Finance Advisory Committee (CFAC) advises the Executive on financial matters.

Also see Current working groups and Representatives on external bodies

Transitional arrangements

The 2014-2016 strategic plan put in place six advisory committees; arrangments for them under the 2017-2019 plan are as follows.

Two Advisory Committees will continue:

• CAUL Statistics Advisory Committee (CSAC)
• CAUL Electronic Information Resources Advisory Committee (CEIRAC)

Four Advisory Committees were discontinued, with their capacity released to support the two new programs:

• CAUL Research Advisory Committee (CRAC)
• CAUL Learning & Teaching Advisory Committee (CLTAC)
• CAUL Quality & Assessment Advisory Committee (CQAAC)
• CAUL Copyright Committee (CCAC)

To replace CCAC a copyright project was created under the Fair affordable and open access to knowledge program.

Historic arrangements

In 2010, CAUL reviewed its complement of working groups, focus groups, steering committees, etc with a view to normalising their structures and protocols and confirming where it needed additional focus to implement the strategic plan. Regular membership renewal processes were instituted at the end of 2012.

In the 2010 restructure, the terms of reference were revised and the protocols endorsed by CAUL. There is some turnover of membership each year, with the two-year terms staggered to balance that turnover.  CONZUL is also represented on most committees.

• CCSAC (CAUL Collection Sharing Advisory Committee) - this committee was disestablished at the end of 2013
• CLPAC (CAUL Library Publishing Advisory Committee) - this committee reverted to a Community of Practice in late 2016.

Current working groups

CSAC eResources Working Group (2017)

Chair:  Mark Sutherland (UNewcastle; CSAC, Sierra user)
University librarian representative: Ross Hallett (CSAC, CONZUL)
LMS representatives: Alma (ProQuest Ex Libris): Jenny Quilliam (UniSA); Sierra (Innovative): Jim Nicholls (USydney); EBSCO Usage Consolidation Service: covered by Jim Nicholls and Graham Massey 

JUSP pilot user: Graham Massey (VU, Sierra user)
CAVAL JUSP: Louise Dick
ProQuest Intota Assessment: covered by Ross Hallett;
CEIRAC representative: Eleanor Thomas (UniSA; CEIRAC, Alma user)
CAUL Office: Harry Rolf, CPO (website); Diane Costello, EO (overview, observer)

Representatives on external bodies

Australian ORCID Consortium Governance Committee

• Margie Jantti (2016-    ), chair from 2018

ORCID International Board of Directors

• Linda O'Brien (2017-2019 (3 years))

Libraries Australia Advisory Committee (LAAC)

• JoAnne Sparks (2013-2019 (extended 3 years on April 18 2016))
• Robert Gerrity (2014-2017 (Oct))

ALIA Book Industry and Elending Advisory Committee (from 2015)

• Eleanor Thomas (UniSA, 2017-    )

Standards Australia Technical Committee IT-019 Information and Documentation, Information Technology

• Lisa McIntosh (USydney, 2015-    )