While in Hobart I have been spending a lot of time in the ‘History Room’ at the State Library. This is where researchers can retrieve items from the state and national archives that are held in Hobart. In my book I want to include stories of soldiers from each state in Australia and also look at their pre-war experiences, hence my Tasmanian research. As usual I am encountering … [Read more...] about Searching Catalogues Effectively: National Archives of Australia
Storage of Historical Material
A Digitisation Scandal That Isn’t
A few days ago I woke to some startling news, “NSW state library to turn $3bn collection over to private sector: In exchange for free digitisation” the headline from ITNews screamed. I started huffing with indignation about this scandal but I read the article which followed very carefully, then downloaded and read the tender documents as well as the Library’s most recent Annual … [Read more...] about A Digitisation Scandal That Isn’t
International Researchers Value Work of Australian Libraries and Archives
Participants at the recent Global Digital Humanities conference will remember the prominent contributions of Australian historians, Tim Sherratt, Julia Torpey and Peter Read. But I also want to highlight the more low profile but no less important contribution of Australian cultural institutions in bringing Australian historical records to world attention. Australian … [Read more...] about International Researchers Value Work of Australian Libraries and Archives
“If… we are going to sin, we must sin quietly”
“If therefore, we are going to sin, we must sin quietly”. The British Attorney-General for Kenya, Eric Griffith-Jones wrote in June 1957 to the Governor of Kenya. In the letter the Attorney-General shared how the policy over the use of physical violence on imprisoned Kenyans was being altered so that the beatings would be 'legal'. ('Sins of colonialists lay concealed for … [Read more...] about “If… we are going to sin, we must sin quietly”
Archives are Important… Very Important
We all rely on archives. The moment that we first drew breath in this world is registered in an archive. Our education records, driving records, legal records, marriage and death are all recorded in an archive somewhere. We go about our lives assuming that vital information about our lives is automatically and adequately stored by our governments. We assume that important … [Read more...] about Archives are Important… Very Important