TOWARDS FEDERATION 2001: Linking Australians with Their Heritage Review Meeting 1993

Progress Reports 1994-1996

Section B - Services to Special Communities
H: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities


RHA1 That the principles in the Council of Australian Museum Associations document 'Previous possessions: new obligations: policies for museums in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' be considered as a basis for Institution policies on access to materials by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

1994 REPORT

All institutions who submitted information express awareness of the principles in the Council of Australian Museum Associations document 'Previous possessions: new obligations: policies for museums in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples', and are in the process of reviewing them for their organisation.

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies is aware of the principles contained in the document and follows analogous ones for their institution. The State Library of South Australia has recently held a seminar with invited members of the Aboriginal community to discuss what they wanted from libraries, and specifically, from the State Library. The Libraries Board of the State Library of South Australia has an Aboriginal Advisory Committee which is to recommend on future State Library Services to Aboriginal people, and also recommend policy on the handling of sensitive, secret and sacred material. The State Library of Tasmania has written a draft policy on Services to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. The University of Queensland Libraries maintain close contact with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

1996 REPORT

University of Sydney Library will consider as appropriate. University of Adelaide is aware of the principles. Australian Defence Force Academy Library reports that the Australian Special Research Collection holds a collection of papers from the Black Women's Action in Education Foundation, on a long term deposit basis. All rights to determine access to the material rest with the Foundation, and its determinations are strictly adhered to.

State Library of South Australia makes provision for Aboriginal people by special loans from its Aboriginal Resource Collection. In addition consultative mechanisms are in place for ensuring appropriate access to sensitive materials. Negotiations are currently in train with the Pitjantjatjara people and others as documented in State Library of South Australia's response to TF2001 Resolution RH3.

At the Library and Information Service of Western Australia the Public Library Service program and the Battye Library and State Reference Library have prepared Aboriginal service plans.

The National Film and Sound Archive is developing protocols in consultation with indigenous people. The CAMA and ALIA documents have both been considered and used as the basis for developing these protocols.


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