Media Release 07 Jan 2009
An internet solution, devised by Australia's major libraries, to meet the exploding demand for multilingual information has won a national technology award tonight. The national MyLanguage Portal is a joint partnership between the State and Territory Libraries of New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Australia Capital Territory Library and Information Services.
MyLanguage, an internet portal designed to deliver information and back-up library services with innovative electronic techniques was named winner of the Microsoft Information Technology category of the 2008 National Multicultural Marketing Awards in Sydney. Traditionally Australian library services have been available in only 49 languages whereas there are 212 languages in active use in the community.
The libraries of each state and territory set out to meet that challenge collectively and came up with the MyLanguage portal whose vision is to:
• Enhance, and facilitate the use of the internet by and for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Empower newly arrived migrants, emerging communities and minority language communities to use online technologies.
• And, to enrich Australia's linguistic and cultural cyberspace
Apart from the traditional marketing tools of banners and bookmarks, the Libraries let their campaigning loose on YouTube, offering 30 native speakers of languages other than English the chance to be video stars while promoting MyLangauge to the world.
Congratulating the Libraries collective on the award, the Chair of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian said, "This is not just about a good idea or a good solution it is also about clever marketing techniques that actually uses the resources of cultural diversity to promote a service that is meeting diversity needs."
"Look, this is a marvellous gateway to information. Within a couple of simple clicks you have access to almost unlimited information, superbly catalogued in which ever language you want to use. This gives all Australians instant access to whatever information they need in day to day life. This is all about ensuring that technology doesn't further restrict people of non-English speaking background from finding information and getting access to resources and, conversely, that it actually improves their access."
"This project is right in line with the original aim of the National Multicultural Marketing Awards to alert public servants to their responsibility and obligation to communicate their services to each member of the community and to ensure that those services were also appropriate to those same people. The great libraries of the states and territories of Australia have done just that. Well done!" Mr Kerkyasharian said.
You can visit the website to find online information in more than 60 languages at www.mylanguage.gov.au
