ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 45 | June 2000
Collecting Multicultural Australia
The National Librarys Australian Deposit Unit has begun a new project called Collecting Multicultural Australia (CMA). The ongoing initiative aims to improve our coverage of non-English language Australian publications in the legal deposit collection. At present the National Library is entitled to receive one copy of all print publications produced in Australia. The State libraries have a similar entitlement with regard to their own States.
However, making sure that publishers are aware of their obligations and do indeed deposit material with their State library and the National Library is no easy task. A consistent effort is required to monitor new publications which have not been deposited and to request them from publishers. This particularly applies to publications produced in languages other than English, which might be published in small print runs or have limited distribution.
At present it is believed that material published by multicultural groups in Australia is under-represented in the National Collection. The National Library, in association with State libraries, began the CMA project to promote and encourage the deposit of publications produced by non-English language speaking groups and individuals in Australia. The project recognises the value of this material in documenting Australian society.
The aims of CMA are:
All types of publications are collected by the libraries, including books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, comics, posters, kits, brochures and leaflets. Publications may include family histories, reminiscences, autobiographies, regional or community information, poetry, fiction, plays, sporting news, material from cultural events or festivals, conference or workshop proceedings.
The National Library and each State library will jointly promote deposit by community groups using a variety of means. Jointly issued information leaflets and flyers will be circulated through in-house library journals and newsletters, the multicultural press and key gateway publications, such as those of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council.
The State libraries local knowledge and contacts will be invaluable in reaching as broad a range of community groups as possible and several will circulate information through their public library networks. While the project is still at an early stage, the National Librarys staff are very encouraged by the positive response received so far from all of the libraries and community groups contacted, and we look forward to an increasing flow of multicultural publishing into our respective collections.
While multicultural publishing presents challenges to the deposit libraries, it testifies to the diversity and output of the Australian publishing community and shows the healthy attitude Australian society has toward recording its activities, concerns, achievements, conflicts, debates, celebrations, aspirations and passions.
Amelia McKenzie
Above left: The Collecting Multicultural Australia project aims to increase the proportion of non-English language Australian publications in the National Collection.
Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: gateways@nla.gov.au