Australian Emergency Management Library to be decommissioned

The Australian Emergency Management Library (AEML) is being decommissioned as part of a broader transition to a digital first model. This change reflects the evolving needs of the world, reduces physical storage requirements and enables more dynamic ways to share knowledge. The library has been a legacy library since 2015, and usage of the library has been low.  

Comprising of approximately 11,000 items, the AEML has been a nationally accessible source of emergency management resources, supporting access to historical and operational information for over sixty years. At its height, the library collection reflected a diversity of information across the sector and had 4000 members worldwide. It has housed resources of national interest and significance. Content has covered themes including disaster recovery, business continuity, leadership skills and effective risk management. 

What’s changing?  

The physical contents of the AEML are being decommissioned, as part of a review undertaken by AIDR as it moves into a new era of knowledge management. AIDR will focus on strengthening the Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub and the Australian Journal of Emergency Management for practitioners to access knowledge.  

Many AEML resources are already publicly available or accessible online via other existing platforms. For materials that are not currently available, we are working through an audit to determine the best approach. Some resources may be digitised, reallocated to other libraries, or transferred to public archives such as the National Archives or the National Library of Australia.  

We invite our community to share stories, memories, and reflections on the AEML’s legacy as we transition to new ways of supporting disaster resilience knowledge.   

AIDR remains committed to promoting disaster resilience knowledge and will continue to curate and share contemporary resources through the Knowledge Hub and the Australian Journal of Emergency Management.  

Let’s celebrate AEML’s remarkable contribution to disaster resilience and acknowledge the dedication of staff and volunteers who have supported the library and its community for decades.  

Access the frequently asked questions and answers here. 

For more information or enquiries, please contact library@aidr.org.au.