National Library of Australia - Gateways>

ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 55 | February 2002


Multicultural Success with BookSearch

Gianoula Burns and Wanda Horky  

The National Library of Australia has had one of its 100th birthday wishes come true with the generous donation of a rare publication I zoi en Australia (Sydney, 1916), cited in G. Kanarkis Greek Voices in Australia, 1987 as the first Greek language title published in Australia and one of the titles on its BookSearch wish list.

This remarkable publication about life in Australia was produced by a Greek community of approximately 4600 persons scattered throughout Australia, an impressive feat for those times. Yet its contents are equally remarkable. Meant as a reference work for Greeks in Australia and for prospective Greek immigrants, it is encyclopaedic in its scope, covering Greek businesses, businessmen and communities with a wealth of photographs, 215 biographies, various statistics, a complete commercial guide, and local histories as well as a description of Australia.

The book's rarity is due to the fact that most of the 10 000 copies printed were given gratis to various Greek authorities in Australia and overseas.
—Wanda Horky

Library staff members Gianoula Burns and Wanda Horky examine I zoi en Australia

 
 
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