Choose either the opening or closing site from a previous study visit schedule. Think about what makes this site an ‘information agency’ and make notes for yourself. Think also about what we mean when we talk about ‘information’. What information do you think they work with? What type of services do they offer?

Once again, I chose the Adelaide Study Visit schedule from 2015. Students visited the State Library of South Australia on Tuesday 28th June and were there all day.

The State Library of South Australia (SA) is the premier library in the state. It is located on North Terrace, Adelaide, near to other cultural buildings, such as the museum and art gallery. They provide a massive range of information and other services, including education resources, local history, ancestry information, special collections, group study rooms, classes, a cafe, events, and exhibitions.

To me, an agency is some sort of organisation that provides a service. Therefore, an information agency, simply, is an organisation that provides information to its users. Information provision and celebration is the core business of the State Library of SA, as demonstrated by the list of services above.

The idea of ‘information’ harks back to ETL401. In one reflective blog post, I discussed the many definitions of ‘information’, how there are different types of information, and how information has four properties that effect how we learn and communicate. The State Library of SA works with all sorts of information, providing access through multiple old and new formats and delivery modes.