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
Libraries
A Jewel in the Australian City of Literature
I have had the pleasure of doing some research at the State Library of Victoria while in Melbourne for the birth of our granddaughter. Melbourne was the second city in the world to be designated a 'City of Literature' by UNESCO. Melbourne has had a long love of books. The State Library of Victoria was one of the first public libraries in Australia (officially opened in 1856), … [Read more...] about A Jewel in the Australian City of Literature
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
Australian Historian Captivates International Audience
The work of Australian historians, librarians and archivists is highly valued internationally. In my last post I highlighted the work of Australian historians Julia Torpey and Peter Read which featured in a plenary panel at the recent Global Digital Humanities Conference. But they were not the only Australian historians who featured. On the last day of the conference we were … [Read more...] about Australian Historian Captivates International Audience
Australians and the Great War at the National Library
With two daughters now living in Canberra and research required for my book, I am frequently visiting our national capital. On the weekend I attended a seminar about writing during World War One at the National Library of Australia. In the lunch break we had the opportunity to join a curator’s tour of the Library’s World War One exhibition, ‘Keepsakes: Australians and the Great … [Read more...] about Australians and the Great War at the National Library
