National Library of Australia - Gateways

ISSN 1443-0568
No. 20
March 1996


Contents

National Library of Australia Gateways was edited and designed by Leora Kirwan using desktop publishing software.

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Overseas newspapers at the National Library

[Peter Haddad]In September 1995, the National Library issued a message on several discussion lists announcing a proposed revision of its collecting policy for overseas newspapers. Comments from collection development librarians and other interested parties were sought, and a number of very helpful responses were received. The proposal was also included in the January issue of Gateways.

After reviewing the comments received, and following a period of consultation within the library, a new policy has been drafted, together with a list of overseas newspapers which the National Library proposes to acquire and retain, and a list of those titles which will be cancelled. The policy covers only overseas newspapers from outside East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia, New Zealand and the Pacific.

RIGHT: Peter Haddad, Manager Collection Development


THE POLICY

Definition

Newspapers are collected for their reports of and commentary on contemporary political, social, economic, scientific, technological and cultural events. They are available in a variety of formats including paper copy, microform, CD-ROM and on-line networked information. With the advent of electronic publishing, new methods of conveying and preserving the news may be expected to develop. Already the issue of paid access to electronic formats is a reality.

Collecting intentions

The collecting intention for the overseas newspaper section is to maintain a strong run of titles for the countries of South-East Asia, East Asia, South Asia and the Pacific Islands. For other parts of the world a smaller, more limited collection is envisaged. All selections will be based on the following criteria:

For North America, Europe, Africa and Latin America a small but representative collection of the world newspaper press will be selected based on quality, subject focus, and research value. These titles may be in English or other languages.

Although it will provide access for its on-site users, the library will not at this stage rely on electronic newspapers for a variety of reasons. The archiving of electronic newspapers is presently inadequate, and microfilm is still the preferred format for preservation. Many electronic newspapers give far from total coverage, and features such as illustrations, diagrams and advertising material, all of which are of value to the researcher, are not always available. In some cases the on-line version of the newspaper differs from the print version in content and editorial input.

Although there might seem to be scope for some cooperative national acquisition effort, this may be limited by immediate client demands, and the fact that many of the libraries with overseas newspaper collections do not retain the material. Notations such as 'current four weeks only retained', or 'current six months only' are frequently seen on the Australian Bibliographic Network. For this reason, the academic community relies heavily on the National Library's historical collections of overseas newspapers for research. There is some possibility for limited cooperation with larger university and State libraries which 'bind in microform' as to which library will take responsibility for retaining individual titles for future research needs.

List of titles for retention

Please note that the National Library is continuing to collect newspapers from Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia and the Pacific. Titles from these regions are not under review and, in the case of the Pacific, a number of new subscriptions have recently been placed. The list which follows covers non-Asian, non-Pacific overseas titles.

Wherever possible, newspaper indexes will also be acquired for these titles.

Argentina

Clarin (Buenos Aires)

Canada

Globe and Mail (Toronto)

Egypt

Al-Ahram (Cairo)

France

Liberation (Paris)
Le monde (Paris)

Germany

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Die Zeit (Hamburg)

Great Britain

European (London)
Financial Times (London)
Guardian (London)
Independent (London)
Times (London)

Greece

He Kathemerine (Athens)

Israel

Jerusalem Post (Jerusalem)

Italy

Repubblica (Rome)

Mexico

Uno Mas Uno (Mexico City)

Norway

Aftenposten (Oslo)

Russia

Izvestiya (Moscow)

South Africa

Star (Johannesburg)

Spain

El Pais (Madrid)

Sweden

Dagens Nyheter (Stockholm)

United States

Los Angeles Times
Wall Street Journal (New York)
Washington Post (Washington)

List of titles proposed for cancellation

Albania

Mesuesi
Puna

Austria

Die Presse

Azerbaijan

Bakinskii rabochii

Belarus

Zviazda

Belgium

De Standaard

Bulgaria

KulturaOtechestven front

Canada

Financial Post
Gazette

Cuba

Granma (Spanish ed.)
Granma International
Granma Weekly Review
Juventud Rebelde
Pionero

Cyprus

Cyprus Mail
Phileleftheros

Czech

Republic Nedelna pravda
Lidoce noviny

Denmark

Berlingske Tidende

England

Asian Times
Campaign
Conservative Newsline
Daily Express
Guardian Weekly
India Weekly
Irish Democrat
Irish Post
Jewish Chronicle
Lloyds List
Socialist Worker
Soviet Weekly
Sunday Times
Tribune
Worker

Estonia

Baltic Independent
Kodumaa
Rahva Haal

France

Le canard enchaine
L'express
Le figaro
International Herald Tribune (Paris)
Le monde diplomatique
Le nouvel observateur
Russkaia mysi
Voix du nord (Lille)

Germany

Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte
Bonner Rundschau
Frankfurter Rundschau
German Tribune
Das Parlament
Rheinischer Merkur
Trend

Greece

Athens News
Dikaioma

Hungary

Magyar hirlap

Iceland

Morgun bladid

Iran

Teheran Times

Ireland

Irish Times

Italy

La Stampa (Turin)

Jamaica

Gleaner

Kyrgyzstan

Slovo Kyrgyzstana

Malawi

Malawi News

Mexico

El Dia
El Heraldo de Mexico

Netherlands

Vrij Nederland

Nicaragua

Barricada

Northern Ireland

Irish News & Belfast Morning News

Poland

Trybuna
Warsaw Voice

Romania

Munca
Romania muncitoare
Romanian News
Satul romanesc
Scinteia
Tribuna romaniei
Utunk

Russia

Argumenty i fakty
Knizhnoe obozrenie
Liternaturnaia gazeta
Moscow News
Rabochaia tribuna
Selskaia zhizn

Scotland

Scots Independent

Serbia

Knjizhevne novine
Komunist
Srpska borba

South Africa

Cape Times
Natal Witness

Switzerland

Neue Zurcher Zeitung und Schweizerisches
Handelsblatt
Weltwoche

Turkey

Newspot : Turkish Digest
Turkish Daily News

Turkmenistan

Turmenskaia iskra

Ukraine

News from the Ukraine

USA

American Srbobran
Federal Times
National Catholic Reporter
Seattle Times
The Truth at Last
Village Voice
Worker's World

Vatican

L'osservatore romano

Wales

Y Cymro

Comments and suggestions from libraries and anyone interested in newspapers would be most welcome, and may be addressed to: Peter Haddad, Collection Development Policy, National Library of Australia,
tel.: +61 6 6262 1157, Fax: +61 6 6257 1703, email: phaddad@nla.gov.au

Presenting WORLD 1

More than 3,000 people from the Australian library community attended the National Library of Australia's WORLD 1 presentations that were held around Australia during January, February and March.

[Warren Horton & Jo Marshall]

LEFT: Warren Horton, Director-General, National Library of Australia takes a refreshment break during the first WORLD 1 roadshow with librarian Jo Marshall , Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research




In total, 15 'roadshows' were held as the presentation team, often accompanied by the National Library of Australia's Director-General, Warren Horton, zigzagged around the country-from Perth to Hobart and Canberra to Darwin. The presentations included a demonstration of the WORLD 1 search and browse prototype and information about the services to be offered in the first release.

Although only halfway through a sixteen-month development schedule for the first release, the National Library had a lot to show. The prototype demonstrations were live and operated in the same communications environment as the actual service will when it is released later this year. The appropriate software was loaded onto a laptop computer, which was connected via the Internet to the WORLD 1 server (database) located in the NLA's computer room in Canberra. Audiences were shown the WORLD 1 Search Service interface (i.e. the screens) via the two means of access-the WORLD 1 Client and a World Wide Web (WWW) browser.

The WORLD 1 roadshows aimed to describe clearly the benefits that WORLD 1 will deliver to customers in its first release. These include information about the search interface, available data, output options for search results, and document ordering facilities.

Search interfaces

WORLD 1 has been designed to meet the needs of the widest range of users and audiences at the roadshows were shown the three search forms that will be available: Easy, Precise and Command. The easy search form has been designed for the novice or casual user and requires only the entry of a word or phrase. The precise search form offers the user direct access to some higher level search features. The command search form is for those who prefer to use command line searching, utilising the Common Command Language. All searching can be done in conjunction with the Browse command which gives access to search terms in the WORLD 1 index.

Whether accessing WORLD 1 via the Client or the WWW browser, customers will find the screen layouts similar. The system has been designed in this way in order to reduce any learning curve associated with individuals alternating between both modes of access. An institution may, for example, choose to provide access to WORLD 1 via the WWW interface in a public reference area, thus utilising a range of devices, including 286PC's and Macs. The same institution may also install the WORLD 1 Client on 486PC's in the private work areas to access the back referencing and saved-search functions not yet available from the Web interface.

The similarity between the interfaces will also make it straightforward for customers to introduce themselves to the WORLD 1 Service via the WWW, and to later upgrade to the Client.

Comprehensive data

Although the roadshow prototype only had 2,000 records, when WORLD 1 is released later this year it will have more than one million records, growing to over 10 million by the first half of next year.

WORLD 1 will build on the valuable resource that has been created by the National Library and the library community over the past 15 years of ABN.

The actual design of the database has been one of the most challenging areas of the development project. A number of designs were investigated to ensure that demanding performance and availability requirements will be met. This delayed the commence-ment of data migration from the ABN database to WORLD 1 by three months. Migration will now be ongoing until release and although this will always be a challenging area of the project, the National Library is confident that WORLD 1 will provide quality data, enabling customers to access documents quickly and accurately.

The National Bibliographic Database (NBD), which contains a wealth of location information and is a key national resource for the discovery of both Australian and overseas documents, will be available on WORLD 1.

The NBD will be migrated to WORLD 1 in three stages: first, the serials with holdings; next, the remainder of the records with holdings; then finally, the remainder of the NBD. This migration will occur progressively up until early 1997.

Also available will be the Ozline databases which contain a wealth of Australian information. They provide an excellent basis for identification, location and access to Australian documents.

WORLD 1 will build on this core Australian data resource, while also progressively adding and linking to popular overseas databases such as UnCover and Medline.

All databases will be searched in the same structure, and through the same interface. It will be possible to search across multiple databases, and all databases will be linked to document ordering mechanisms.

Output Options

A number of searches were undertaken during the roadshows, and audiences were shown the various output options available for the search results, including:-

Document Ordering

When a customer has found documents of interest, WORLD 1 will offer a choice of cost and delivery time. Customers will be able to choose from a number of document sources, and place an order using a single, simple request interface. Importantly, WORLD 1 will also manage copyright declarations.

Initial document ordering services will include:-

Wrap up

The roadshows concentrated on the main features that have been designed for the WORLD 1 Search Service, and demonstrated how many of them will look and operate. This initial release of WORLD 1 is just the first step in a rolling implementation program that will see further enhancements made to the Search Service later this year, and the release of the Collection Management Service and Document Delivery Service next year. The ongoing development process also ensures that WORLD 1 is able to respond to the demands of its customers and the changing technological environment.

The National Library believes that the WORLD 1 Search Service will meet the needs of both libraries and the wider community, in terms of data for document identification and location, the search options for both novice and experienced users, and document access facilities.

Collection assessment and the Australian Conspectus database

Assessment is a means of organising collection management information in a way that can be understood and used by a library's customers (the organisation or institution, students, faculty, and research schools), its staff, and its administrators. An assessment can also provide information to other libraries wishing to enter into cooperative ventures in particular subject areas. The benefits of collection assessment to cooperating libraries are many and include:

Conspectus and cooperative activities

The Distributed National Collection Office regularly supplies free reports from the Australian Conspectus database. These include:

Line comparison reports show the current collecting level, acquisitions level and collection goal for all libraries which have contributed assessment data for a requested subject. These are very useful for obtaining information on collecting strengths from a range of libraries and can be obtained for a whole division (e.g. History and Auxiliary Sciences), a single subject (e.g. History of South-East Asia) or an interdisciplinary subject (e.g. Asian studies). Libraries may also request reports by classification number range (e.g. 658-659). Reports which have been supplied recently include town planning, management, chemistry, medicine, dentistry, business and economics and religion.

Status reports on collection strengths provide an analysis of collections in a specific subject area and are usually prepared in conjunction with meetings held in relation to the undertaking of cooperative activities. Recent reports include:

These reports are available in print from the DNC Office or at the URLs indicated above.

Australian Conspectus database

Congratulations to the following libraries which have supplied assessment records to the Australian Conspectus database during the past six months.

Australian National University
Griffith University
University of Melbourne
University of Newcastle
University of Sydney
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
University of New South Wales
Edith Cowan University
Western Hospital, Footscray

Their contribution has enabled the database to reach 45 000 records from a total of 47 participating libraries. This coverage results in bigger and better comparison reports, a more complete picture of national resource holding patterns, data for resource sharing and collection development arrangements with other libraries, and the improvement of communication with other libraries engaged in the same assessment procedure.

Training and presentations

During 1995 the DNC Office provided free training in the use of the Conspectus software, together with presentations on the costs and benefits of the use of Conspectus as a collection management tool, to staff from the following libraries:

University of Newcastle
University of Sydney
University of New South Wales
State Library of New South Wales
Griffith University
University of Queensland
Queensland University of Technology
University of Southern Queensland
RMIT
University of Ballarat
Deakin University
University of Melbourne
La Trobe University
Edith Cowan University
Murdoch University
Library and Information Service of WA.

In addition, papers on cooperative collection management and Conspectus have been given to TRANSLIB (Transport Librarians Group) and the Australian and New Zealand Theological Libraries Association. Copies of these papers are available in print from the DNC Office, or at URL: http://www.nla.gov.au/dnc/discuss.html [link no longer active].

Libraries, or groups of libraries, which are interested in receiving either software training or presentations about the Australian Conspectus, or would like the DNC Office to talk to them about the benefits of cooperative collection management and Conspectus, should contact the DNC Office.

Conspectus on the DNC Office home page

For more information on the Australian Conspectus, including papers from libraries who are actively using Conspectus as a collection management tool, see URLs http://www.nla.gov.au/niac/conspectus/ (The Australian Conspectus) and http://www.nla.gov.au/dnc/discuss.html [link no longer active] (Forums and discussions) on the DNC Office home page on the NLA Webserver.

Enquiries

Rachel Jakimow, DNC Office
National Library of Australia
CANBERRA ACT 2600.
Tel.: 06 262 1522
Fax: 06 257 1703
email: rjakimow@nla.gov.au

South Asia: renovating the National Collection

The South Asia Research Unit (SARU) at Curtin University of Technology, in partnership with La Trobe University, Monash University, Flinders University, the National Centre for South Asian Studies, the National Library of Australia, the University of New England and Sydney University has attracted funding from the Department of Employment, Education and Training to undertake a major two-part project designed to renovate the national South Asian collection. Collaborating partners met at Flinders University in Adelaide on the 15th and 16th December 1995 to make the final decisions and put in place the mechanisms necessary to run such an ambitious project. The project, which consists of two stages, is already underway.

Stage 1: the survey

The project aims to satisfy the needs of scholars, librarians and general users in the future. It plans to identify the unlisted South Asian materials in Australia and to ensure that they can be found by researchers anywhere in Australia or the world. It also wants to ensure that the work done has maximum compatibility across host systems, and is compatible with, and available on National Library of Australia databases.

[Librarians]

A database, which will be set up and maintained at Curtin University, will be available on the World Wide Web and will be easy to access and to search.

RIGHT: Librarians and academics involved with renovating the national South Asian Collection met at Flinders University in December 1995




Stage 2: Acquisitions and libraries

Alongside the survey, the project will initiate an acquisitions program in order to replenish and expand the National Collection. This program will be accelerated as the survey identifies those areas that are most in need of attention. In addition, the project will facilitate the development of a corps of librarians who are interested in and have a knowledge of South Asia. It will do this in the first instance by sending a number of librarians to the South Asian region where they will visit and establish links with libraries and librarians.

The South Asia Research Unit is keen to keep South Asianists around the world up-to-date with the progress of the project and will post regular bulletins on appropriate electronic bulletin boards. SouthAsiaNet has been set up as : http://www.une.edu.au/~arts/SouthAsiaNet/san.htm . Those interested in the project, or who may wish to assist in any way, should contact:

Terry Richards, Administrative Secretary
South Asia Research Unit
School of Social Sciences and Asian Languages
Curtin University of Technology
PO Box U1987
PERTH WA 6001
Tel: +61 9 351 3331 fax: +61 9 351 3166 or
e-mail: richards@spectrum.curtin.edu.au

[Sir Harold White]

1996 Harold White Fellows

Five Australian scholars have been awarded 1996 Harold White Fellowships by the Council of the National Library of Australia. They will be spending periods of from three to six months in the library working on the book, newspaper, manuscript and microfilm collections.

The library's fellowship scheme was set up in 1984 to assist established scholars and writers to make full use of the collections. The fellowships were named after Sir Harold White, a former National Librarian. Some Fellows receive financial assistance, in the form of a weekly grant-in-aid and reimbursement for travel expenses, while all Fellows are entitled to a number of privileges, such as use of the Fellows Room and access to the library at all times. Many publications have resulted from the research carried out by Harold White Fellows in the library, just two examples being Henry Reynold's The Law of the Land and Frank Moorhouse's Grand Days.

RIGHT: Sir Harold White (dec.), National Librarian 1947-70


Sister Veronica Brady, who retired recently as Associate Professor of English at the University of Western Australia, is writing the authorised biography of the poet Judith Wright. For many years Judith Wright has been transferring her literary manuscripts to the National Library, along with correspondence and papers relating to her passionate support for Aboriginal rights and the conservation movement. Professor Brady, who is herself a poet and social critic, will therefore be able to draw on primary sources from one of Australia's finest writers.

Peter Cochrane of the University of Sydney will also be delving into a very large collection of personal papers. He will be looking at the lives of Ivy Brookes, the daughter of Alfred Deakin, and her husband Herbert Brookes. This is part of a larger study of 'Anglo-Australia', the elite which dominated Australian political, business and cultural life for more than a century. Dr Cochrane is a cultural historian whose book, Simpson and the Donkey: The Making of a Legend, attracted a good deal of attention.

Ann Jackson-Nakano, a freelance historian from Queanbeyan, is writing a history of the Ngunnawal people from 1788 to 1938. The Ngunnawal are one of the Aboriginal communities of the Canberra-Yass region and were once thought to have become extinct. Ms Jackson-Nakano will be using a very wide range of sources in the library, including government publications, census data, church registers, diaries and letters of early settlers, newspapers, maps and photographs to identify family relationships and to trace the history of the community during the first century of its contact with the European settlers.

Vera Mackie, who is Director of the Women's Studies Program at the University of Melbourne, has written extensively on women in Japanese society. She is now extending the scope of her research to look not only at gender but also ethnicity and citizenship in contemporary Japan. In particular, she is interested in Japanese perceptions of ethnic identity at a time when large numbers of foreign workers are entering Japan. The library's East Asian holdings are the largest in Australia and Dr Mackie will be able to examine a range of current newspapers, magazines and monographs published in Japan.

Chris Tiffin of the University of Queensland is editing the Colonial Texts Series edition of My Australian Girlhood, by the novelist Rosa Praed. First published in 1902, the autobiography incorporates earlier writings of Praed, including two manuscripts held by the library. The library also has a large collection of letters of Praed and other members of her family. Dr Tiffin has written on nineteenth-century fiction, Aboriginal writing and other aspects of Australian literature.

Memory of the World Programme

In 1992 UNESCO announced the establishment of the Memory of the World Programme in recognition of the need to preserve the collective memory of the world's people.

A major part of this memory is seen as the information and knowledge recorded as documentary heritage. This documentary heritage is kept primarily in libraries archives throughout the world and consists of text and non-text materials, moving and still images, and electronic data. Like natural and built cultural assets, it is susceptible to damage from various agents such as fire, flood, earthquake, accident and war, as well as deterioration caused by its environment and the passage of time.

The four objectives of the Memory of the World Programme are to:

In June 1994 Dr Jan Lyall accepted the task of preparing the programme guidelines. She developed these with Dr Stephen Foster, Managing Director, Australian Heritage Projects, and heritage consultant Duncan Marshall. They were accepted by UNESCO in November 1995.

Four key strategies will carry the programme forward: identification of documentary heritage; raising awareness of the need to preserve it; preservation of specific types of documentary heritage and the marketing and distribution of it.

To be classified as documentary heritage, material must be of world significance. The primary assessment criteria are: influence, time, place, people, subject/theme, form and style, and social value. Secondary criteria are: integrity and rarity.

Acting in its capacity as the Preservation and Conservation Regional Centre for South-East Asia and the Pacific, the National Preservation Office developed an English-language questionnaire for UNESCO. This will enable it to collect information from around the world about significant library collections and the preservation work being carried out on them.

[Foster, Lyall & Marshall]
Stephen Foster (seated), Managing Director Australian Heritage Projects, Dr Jan Lyall, Director National Preservation Office and Duncan Marshall, heritage consultant

The questionnaire has now been translated into French, German, Spanish and Japanese by the corresponding IFLA Preservation and Conservation centres and distributed by them. The exact number of questionnaires circulating is not known because a covering letter suggested that copies be made and sent on to other appropriate institutions; however, the figure is thought to be about 750. One hundred and fifty-five responses were received by 13 November 1995, 52 from national libraries. Overall, the results indicate that a large amount of highly significant documentary heritage material is at risk.

Further information about the Memory of the World Programme can be obtained from Dr Lyall at the National Library. Tel. +61 6 262 1571, fax: + 61 6 273 4493 or email: jlyall@nla.gov.au

NLA acquires the Guardian index, 1842-1985

The library houses a complete run (1825+) of a microfilm copy of the Manchester Guardian, in 1962 renamed the Guardian, one of the world's leading newspapers. A working group which recently reviewed the Library's collection of overseas newspapers is about to recommend that the library continue to acquire the title as an essential information resource.

Unfortunately, the National Library's printed index to the Guardian covers only the years from 1986. Following advice that the micropublisher Adam Matthew Publications microfilmed the index used by the Guardian's own journalists in the period 1842-1985, the library has now decided to buy a copy of this historical index.

By acquiring it, the Library will gain a resource which is apparently unique to the network of Australian libraries: no holdings have been reported to ABN and consultations revealed no intention of parallel purchase. Through the index, systematic access will be granted to reports covering more than a century, written by journalists working for the Guardian. These independently-authored reports relate not only to Manchester and Great Britain, but have a truly world-wide coverage which includes Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and the image and impact of Australia and Australians around the globe.

The acquisition of such an information resource, is another expression of the library's current collection development policy.

The electronic preservation challenge

Electronic preservation is a contemporary issue facing many institutions, including the National Library. However it is not a simple concept. It can mean both the preservation of electronic materials, or it can refer to preservation using electronic materials. Now Electronic Preservation is also the name of a new unit within the Preservation Services Section at the library. It is designed to deal with both aspects of electronic preservation and it is staffed by Deborah Woodyard.

One of Deborah's first tasks will focus on preserving electronic media, such as floppy disks, CD-ROM and electronic journals on the Internet. A floppy disk may be useful only for a few years and documents published on the Internet may survive for no more than a few days, depending on the situation. Transfer of information to another format may be possible, but hardware and software incompat-ibility or obsolescence, copyright issues and the dynamic nature of the materials involved are potential difficulties to overcome.

Digitisation projects, creating digital copies of library materials, are the most obvious example of preservation using electronic media. Currently digitisation alone does not constitute a preservation strategy but offers great potential for improving access and reducing wear on collection material, and constant improvements and refinements could offer more. At present the Library is involved in a joint national project to digitise a selection of Ferguson material. This is viewed as a benchmark endeavour which will provide great insight to the possibilities and pitfalls of digitisation.

Deborah has a strong preservation background, with the degree of BAppSc in Conservation of Cultural Materials and five years experience working in Preservation Services. She aims to identify the problems, and hopefully find some solutions to the electronic preservation challenges we face. This will involve a great deal of information gathering and cooperation, both with people in related areas of the National Library and those in other professional associations.

If you are interested in discussing these issues with Deborah she can be contacted by phone. Tel. (02) 6262 1366, or email: dwoodyar@nla.gov.au

Australian education materials: collection review

The publishing, distribution and preservation of Australian educational curriculum materials is an area which has recently been the focus of considerable attention.

The formats and types of printed curriculum materials vary greatly across a spectrum of study guides, course notes, exam papers, textbooks, workbooks, promotional literature, and lecture notes. Disciplines are constantly changing their nature and focus as new trends rise and old practices fall. New technology has made it much easier for educational associations, institutions and teachers to produce their own curriculum materials and resources using desktop publishing, graphics generation and in-house database production.

These factors, allied with the enormous volume of curriculum material produced around the country, impact significantly on libraries concerned with preserving State and national imprints.

With this in mind, and within the positive climate of rationalised collecting policies and practices between libraries, the National Library decided to survey the field and review its own policy.

The survey

Surveys by printed questionnaire targeted the two key groups involved-the publishers of curriculum material, and the collecting and preservation agencies.

The questionnaires sought information on:

The questionnaires were trialled in December 1994 and the final versions were mailed in January 1995 to a sample of 435 educational institutions and organisations which were considered representative of the two key groups. The sample covered universities, TAFE, State education departments, national bodies and teaching associations. It also included institutions such as galleries, zoos and museums with public education programs, as well as private agencies and organisations which provide courses and tuition in a wide range of professions, two examples being nanny schools and funeral directors. Commercial publishers were not included in the survey as under the legal deposit provisions of the Copyright Act, 1968 (Cwlth) their output and its preservation are better documented.

The response rates to both the publisher and collection questionnaires were good-the collection questionnaire received a response rate of 68%, and the publisher questionnaire had a return rate of 60.7%.

The main trends to emerge from the survey included:

Publisher survey

Publishing in the education field is in a transitional state. While material is still being produced in most of the traditional formats, publishing is undergoing a major transition towards electronic formats. Only 10% of respondents indicated a definite NO to producing, or planning to produce, electronic publications.

Of the traditional formats, laboratory notes are produced in low numbers.

A majority of publishers (62%) appear to be generally aware of, and claim compliance with, legal deposit at the State level. However, deposit with the National Library was not as widely acknowledged. Overall, the incidence of legal deposit is patchy and far from comprehensive.

Non-commercial educational publishers tend not to maintain archival copies of their own titles. A majority reported sending copies to their own or other special libraries. However as can be seen from the collection survey response, preservation in this sector is not guaranteed.

Collection survey

The State libraries indicated that they aim to comprehensively collect material produced within the State. This aim includes exam papers and multi-media kits which were not widely collected by other organisations.

Less than 50% of State libraries indicated an interest in entering a cooperative arrangement to ensure the preservation of educational material. This was in response to a specific question.

While it is apparent that many libraries have collection strengths in specific areas of education, it is also evident that a considerable amount of weeding and discarding is occurring. In addition, the long term future of these collections may not be guaranteed due to shifts in funding, internal administration and changes in education policy.

Allied with the tendency of publishers not to maintain archives, there is a cause for concern that a 'black hole' may exist for a portion of educational curriculum material which is being discarded before reaching a preservation institution such as a State library or the National Library.

Future collection development

National Library

As a result of the survey, the National Library has re-written its policy for education curriculum materials as part of the larger Collection Development Policy for Australian Materials.

Education curriculum materials includes such categories as the publications of major commercial publishers, teaching material produced at all levels of government, course material produced by specific teaching institutions (both primary and secondary), adult education materials, tertiary sector and TAFE publications, school project information, pamphlets and promotional literature designed for school visits to places such as museums, galleries, national parks and zoological gardens.

The library will comprehensively collect the publishing output of commercial publishers and university presses specialising in educational materials, among them Macmillan Education Australia, HarperSchools, and Jacaranda Wiley. The library will also comprehensively collect the publications of Federal government bodies, and national organisations and associations active in educational matters. Research papers and items of general interest and applicability, published by tertiary institutions or specific departments within them, will be collected comprehensively.

1. The library will not generally collect primary and secondary educational material published by State government bodies or by non-government educational authorities, or material from local organisations and associations. It will not collect TAFE, tertiary or other post-secondary educational materials where these are produced by individual teaching departments and relate to courses or units specific to that institution only. Such materials include school and post-secondary examination papers, study notes, teaching aids, resource material and course guides.

2. Educational material from any source dealing with a national issue in education, or of a topical interest to the library, will be selectively acquired if it is considered to contribute to an understanding of the history and development of Australian education and society. For example, educational and curriculum materials on topics such as AIDS, indigenous peoples of Australia, debate on the monarchy and the republic, will be collected.

3. The guidelines for selection outlined above will be applied to multi-media kits, microforms, and electronic publications, including networked information. A selection of school project, pamphlet and promotional material will be made according to the guidelines for ephemera.

The full text of the Collection Development Policy for Australian Materials is available on the National Library's home page at: http://www.nla.gov.au/policy/cdp/cdpprint.html#guide)

Cooperative concerns

The results of the survey indicated an acceptance of comprehensive collecting at the State level by State libraries. This was supported by a general, but by no means comprehensive, indication of depositing by publishers at the State level.

The supply of material by publishers to special libraries or other institutions is uneven. The pattern of preservation is further endangered by apparently widespread discard practices amongst publishers and non-heritage collecting libraries and institutions.

Individual State libraries may wish to consider cooperative preservation arrangements and possibly collecting agreements between the various sectors at the State level.

What's new on the National Library's World Wide Web site?

Highlights over the January-February 1996 period, included the addition of the following resources to the National Library's Web site:

From the National Library:

From the Distributed National Collection Office:

Further information about additions to the NLA Web site may be obtained from http://www.nla.gov.au/new/

Percy Grainger portraits

[Percy Grainger, 1935]

LEFT: Percy Grainger at a piano

The Pictorial Section recently acquired two interesting photographic portraits of the Australian-born composer and concert pianist Percy Grainger (1882-1961), many of whose compositions, such as Molly on the Shore, Shepherd's Hey, and Country Gardens were inspired by his deep love of English folk tunes.

The first photograph, which shows Grainger playing the piano, was taken in Perth, WA, by his friend Axel Poignant, during one of the composer's frequent visits to the land of his birth. The camera used was a Leica, and the print is sepia toned, with the following inscription on the cream mount: 'To Axel Poignant in artistic sympathy from Percy Grainger May 28, 1935'. The opening bars of one of Grainger's compositions, Hillsong 1 appear on the lower left side of the mount.

[Percy Grainger, 1926] The second photograph was donated to the library by the composer Miriam Hyde. The photograph was given to her mother, Muriel Hyde, in Adelaide in 1926, when she played one of the piano parts in Grainger's work The Warriors.

Miriam Hyde said in her letter to the National Library offering the portrait that 'people who knew Grainger say this photograph is very revealing of his personality-in fact it is quite "visionary" '. Miriam Hyde goes on to say that she attended some of Grainger's concerts and rehearsals as a child, and that these were among her earliest inspirational experiences. She remembers her mother's delight in receiving this beautiful photograph, acknowledg-ing her part in The Warriors, the main theme of which is quoted beside the inscription:'To Mrs Muriel Hyde, in gratitude for her kind helpfulness, splendid playing & stirling musicianship from Percy Grainger Sept 18 1926'.

In conclusion, Miriam Hyde writes, 'Having kept it in good order, and with sentimental pride, I am happy for it to be given a permanent home, where I know it will be well cared for, into the future'.

Charles Dickens' links with Australia

The National Library has purchased the last letter written by Charles Dickens to his son Alfred, who at that time was living in Hamilton, Victoria. Dated 20 May 1870, it is an affectionate letter, referring to other members of the family including Edward Dickens (nicknamed 'Plorn'), who had also emigrated to Australia. Dickens said he realised that the two brothers aspired to first positions in the colony. Twenty days later he died suddenly, while working on his novel Edwin Drood.

It is common knowledge that Charles Dickens often despatched his characters to Australia, including Micawber, Magwitch and the Peggottys. The fact that two of his sons settled here for long periods is not so well known.

Alfred Dickens (1845-1912) was a stock and station agent in the Western District of Victoria, before moving to Melbourne in 1882. Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (1852-1902) lived in western New South Wales for over 30 years and, for a time, owned a station near Bourke. He later worked at the Lands Office in Moree and briefly represented Wilcannia in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

The library holds a number of Dickens' letters which came with the Petherick and other formed collections. They are mostly of no Australian interest, but one letter, written to Lord Normanby in 1840, deals with convict transportation. It is pleasing that the library has now acquired a letter sent to one of his Australian sons, with the added poignancy of being one of the last letters that Dickens ever wrote.

Mary Vidal's memorabilia

The Pictorial Section recently purchased a small collection of items relating to the writer Mary Vidal (1815-73). The collection comprises three miniature paintings, and a sketchbook of flower specimens.

[Mary T. Vidal] Mary was the daughter of William Johnson, a nephew of the noted artist Sir Joshua Reynolds. She married the Reverend Francis Vidal and in 1840 the family, which included three sons, sailed to Sydney. The Vidals settled in Penrith where Francis pursued clerical and pastoral interests. While living in New South Wales Mary wrote her first book Tales for the Bush (1844), a collection of eight short stories addressing moral issues. This book is believed to be the first collection of short stories published in Australia and only the second work of fiction by a female writer. Mary and Francis had three more children in Australia before their 1848 return to England where Francis became a housemaster at Eton and Mary continued her writing. Among her later works were two books, Cabramatta and Woodleigh Farm (1849) and Bengala or Some Time Ago (1860), dealing with Australian themes.

The three miniature paintings are a charming watercolour of Mary as a small child by an unknown artist, and two oil portraits of Mary and Francis that are attributed to Mary. The specimen and flower sketchbook show detailed drawings and watercolours of flowers as well as pressed flowers and leaves. The sketchbook was painted later in life (1871-72) while Mary was travelling in France.

ABOVE RIGHT: Mary Theresa Vidal, 1815-73 Self portrait oil on wood; 15.4 x 12.5 cm National Library of Australia


These works, acquired from the Vidal family in England, are valuable additions to the library's holdings relating to authors of the early colonial era. The three miniature paintings are currently on display in the National Library's Pictorial Reading Room.

Integration of Information and Technical Services staff

Early in 1995, librarians and administrative officers from other areas of the National Library started to participate in an integrated exercise by undertaking formal work in the Information Services Section. Three base-grade and one supervising librarian from different parts of the Technical Services Section were selected by their senior managers, from a list of volunteers, to train for two half-days a week as reference librarians. Five administrative staff members, drawn from acquisitions, cataloguing and the stacks, worked for one day a week on the Issue Desk in the Main Reading Room.

The aims of the project were to:

In both locations-the reference area and the Issue Desk, the volunteers were filling a regular staff position, so the work they did was not ephemeral. It took some time for staff to appreciate this but when they did, a different attitude prevailed.

Clearly, bringing untrained staff from non-public areas posed some problems for Information Services. Demands for training, especially for those coming into the reference area, were high. A formal program supported by supervised practical work with a gradual approach to placement at public desks was adopted for these volunteers. With the Issue Desk staff, the training emphasis was on-the-job. Consistency in the provision of service and the implementation of standard policies were real issues with a sudden increase in staff members, all of whom spent only short times in the section.

At the end of 1995, informal assessments were undertaken. Discussions were frank and there was a consensus that the project had been mutually worthwhile and should continue. Another group of reference librarians has commenced work in Information Services, and those involved in 1995 are now working two hours a week on the Information Desk. One has become a duty officer in charge of services after hours.

At the Issue Desk, the informal assessment showed that a short induction program would be beneficial, in addition to on-the-job training; and some scheduling problems need to be resolved, especially for those officers who are supervisors. Another group of general administrative staff has just completed a formal training program which included some public relations sessions, to help them make the transition from internal work to public contact with users of varying needs and temperaments.

In review, most staff members were stimulated by the change in their tasks and enjoyed the experience of dealing with the general public at close quarters. The aims of the project were met and with some modifications made in the light of exit comments, the experiment has now been established as a formal program.

For further information, contact Averill Edwards on tel. (06) 262 1604 or email: aedwards@nla.gov.au

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in the NLA

During the 1980's the move by Australian governments towards cost efficiency methods prompted Australian State and federal mapping agencies to investigate the development and introduction of digital spatial (cartographic) data into their programs.

Major restructures of all State and federal Lands departments by the end of the 1980's, the decrease in hardcopy map production and the development of systems allowing greater access to land data has lead to a change in the nature of, and access to traditional cartographic products. Of greatest impact has been the emergence of interactive systems which have provided not only access to land data but also further dimensions-those of interpretation, integration and analysis-not available with the traditional paper format. Known as Geographic, Land or Spatial Information Systems (GIS, LIS, SIS) they have proliferated, varying in technical complexity depending on the requirements prompting the creators of each system.

Map libraries around the world have reacted variously to the changes in cartographic output which are impacting on their collecting and access services. In the United States, under the auspices of the Association of Research Libraries GIS Literacy Scheme, a number of projects have been devised across a range of map libraries to introduce GIS at various levels of technical difficulty. With the exception of universities, map libraries in Great Britain and Europe have stayed with their traditional roles of collecting and assessing and have not brought the support of GIS into their service activities.

In general, the situation in Australia mirrors the Eurpean experience.

The National Library, in reviewing its own position on this subject, has decided to introduce GIS in a managed way, responding to changes within the industry as well as client and community needs.

A GIS service will be introduced in the following stages:

This decision allows the National Library an opportunity to provide leadership to other libraries which are uncertain about the direction they wish to take. It also allows time for changes occurring within the industry to emerge, including proposed changes to the Copyright Act. Lastly, there will be time available for the industry and the library community to adjust to such a development while monitoring the requirements of their clients.

What's in a box?

The National Library's Preservation Services Section has recently commenced a special project to box fragile, high priority material held in the Library's Pictorial Collection. The project, coordinated by Brian Hawke, aims to re-house identified objects in protective, purpose-made boxes of a high quality archival corrugated board has been selected as the boxing material because it is very easy to crease and still holds its strength. Two- or four-ply board is used depending on the size of the object. Commercially made boxes of uniform size are generally unsuitable for this type of exercise as the unique shape, weight, material and dimensions of each object means that containers have to be tailor made.

[Emu egg boxes]

The importance of box design

In designing the boxes, Brian considers the unique qualities of each object alongside the need to make the design as simple as possible to reduce construction time and material costs. Minimisation of the object's movement, and ease of access to it by library staff and researchers were also considerations. To enable boxed objects to be removed easily, without risk of damage, the design incorporates a flap which opens downwards from the top. This design also allows most boxes to be constructed using a single sheet of board.

RIGHT: Conservator Brian Hawke, with hand-painted emu eggs from the Nan Kivell Collection


The boxing process

Firstly the object is inspected and measured. The measurements are then transferred to a sheet of corrugated board. The board is cut out in parts correspond-ing to the measurements and creased using a bone folder. The flat cut out is then bent with the sections folded into each other, locking the folded boards together. To secure the box, the base folds are adhered with polyvinyl adhesive (PVA).The object is then placed inside the box and cradled using corrugated board or polystyrene which has been cut to suit the object's dimensions, preventing movement. A slot is cut in the top front opening panel allowing it to be inserted and locked in place. Before the boxed object is returned to storage, accession numbers, opening instructions and a warning about the material's fragility are placed on the box's opening flap.

New Music Reference Group

The Office of the Distributed National Collection at the National Library of Australia has established a new coordinating body, the Music Reference Group, to work on major issues relating to Australia's music collections and services.

The Music Reference Group is not a formal advisory body, but intends to plan, stimulate and enable activities in the various areas of collection, organisation, access, preservation, national coordination and copyright. It anticipates working in close contact with music librarians and others involved with music resources throughout Australia, both as a catalyst for change and as a supportive body.

At its inaugural meeting last December in Canberra, the group established some immediate aims. These include defining the key issues and formulating a coherent vision; developing a network to foster communication and action; increasing national awareness of the significance of music materials to the nation; furthering cooperation among participating libraries and users; achieving effective access to the distributed national collection of music materials; and developing the use of new technologies to serve the needs of users and providers. It is anticipated that these aims will be revisited frequently and changed as necessary. The minutes of the meeting may be accessed on the Music website established by the Distributed National Collection Office at URL: http://www.nla.gov.au/dnc/cmpubs.html#music [link no longer active] or copies may be obtained from the DNC Office.

Members of the Music Reference Group are the chairperson Robyn Holmes (Canberra School of Music), Gordon Abbott (University of Adelaide), Laurel Garlick (State Library of Queensland), Anthony Green (Australian Music Centre), Peter Haddad (National Library), Helen Hayes (University of Melbourne), Kaye Hill (IAML), Julia Trainor (National Library), Sue Tronser (ABC Print Music Library), Stephen Wild (Musicological Society of Australia), with Cliff Law and Rachel Jakimow from the DNC Office. They welcome any comments, suggestions and feedback on issues relating to Australia's music collections and services, and may be contacted directly, or through Cliff Law, Director, DNC Office, National Library of Australia, Canberra, ACT, 2600. Tel: (02) 6262 1503 or email: claw@nla.gov.au

New National Library of Australia publication

This analogy from one of Max Harris' poems, lent a memorable and quite distinctive title to the literary journal Angry Penguins. The journal was established by Max Harris and other young poets, in Adelaide in 1941, when Max was only 20 years old.

In the early 1940s, conservatives used the term 'angry penguins' as an expression of contempt for modernism and liberal trends in art and literature. Partly as a result of increased post-war sophistication, the name later became synonymous with the artistic and literary creativity of a movement which helped to change the shape of Australia's cultural life.

The Angry Penguin: Selected Poems of Max Harris presents a rich sampling of poems written throughout Max Harris's life, from the early poems of his youth to the more contemplative verse of his later years.

Max Harris is variously remembered as the victim of the Ern Malley poems hoax, as the proprietor of the Mary Martin Bookshops, or as the long-standing commentator whose weekly column appeared in the Australian for over 25 years. This volume will reveal Max Harris as one of Australia's foremost lyric poets.

ISBN 0 642 10663 0,
142 pp., Price: $A16.95

'Australians of the Year': new at the NPG

'Australians of the Year' commemorates the 50th anniversary of the National Australia Day Council and coincides with 35 years of the Australian of the Year Award and 16 years of the Young Australian of the Year Award.

The National Portrait Gallery in Old Parliament House provides a fitting setting to bring together images of this remarkable group of award winners.

While sporting heroes and talented performing artists probably spring to mind when these awards are mentioned, there is a surprising diversity of achievement amongst past recipients. Legendary sporting figures are strongly represented-Jock Sturrock, Dawn Fraser, Sir Jack Brabham, Lionel Rose, Evonne Goolagong, Robert de Castella and Allan Border-among the most prominent. A wide range of performers from Dame Joan Sutherland and Sir Robert Helpmann to John Farnham and Mandawuy Yunupingu, also make an appearance. However they share this honour with four Nobel Prize winners-Patrick White (literature), Sir Macfarlane Burnet and Sir John Eccles (medicine) and Sir John Cornforth (chemistry). No less remarkable are those who have set and achieved their own goals, such as adventurer and philanthropist Dick Smith, solo sailor Kay Cottee, conservationist Harry Butler, environmentalist Ian Kiernan and Aboriginal leader Lois O'Donoghue. All these people have demonstrated a great singularity of purpose and willingness 'to have a go'.

Sporting prowess is the foremost quality amongst Young Australians of the Year. Several, such as swimmers Kieran Perkins, Duncan Armstrong and Jon Sieben, and runner Cathy Freeman, have become well known nationally and inter-nationally. Others are less famous but have excelled in their area of specialisation. They include disabled athletes Peter Hill and Deahnne McIntyre, conductor and musician Simone Young and computer software developer Marty Gauvin.

[The Seekers] Prizes and awards are selective and so cannot tell us much in isolation. Nevertheless, this exhibition does provide an opportunity to reflect on changing values in Australian society over the decades since 1960.

The exhibition has been mounted by the National Library of Australia in cooperation with the National Australia Day Council and runs until 10 June 1996.

RIGHT: The Seekers, Australians of the Year, 1967 Photo: Ross Allen (gelatin silver) Courtesy of the Performing Arts Museum, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne)


1996 TDK Australian Audio Book Award

The National Library of Australia invites entries for the 1996 TDK AUSTRALIAN AUDIO BOOK AWARD

The aim of the award is to improve the quality of Australian-produced audio books by recognising the endeavours of producers and narrators of high quality publications; increasing awareness of the importance of audio books; and promoting their unrestricted availability to all members of the community.

Audio books eligible for the award must be produced between 1 June 1995 and 31 May 1996.

The Trish Trinick Prize for the best-selling audio book between 1 June 1995 and 31 May 1996, which may be either an Australian or overseas-produced title, is also being offered again this year.

Entries for the TDK Australian Audio Book Award close on 3 June 1996 and those for the Trish Trinick Prize close on 1 August 1996. A shortlist of entries will be published in October and the winners will be announced at a presentation function at Old Parliament House, Canberra on 12 November.

For information and entry forms contact the TDK Award Coordinator on tel. (02) 6262 1289, fax (02) 6273 4493


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Link(s) updated 3 September 1999