There are six brand new digital stories on the State library’s Queensland Stories website(http://www.qldstories.slq.qld.gov.au/), profiling artists living in regional Queensland. These stories have been jointly commissioned by Flying Arts and the State Library of Queensland.

   Robyn Dower, artist from Tingoora

They featured in the exhibition Five Senses, held at The Studio, Level 1, State Library from 28 February - 1 April 2009. To view the stories, please visit: http://www.qldstories.slq.qld.gov.au/home/digital_stories/five_senses.

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Staff from the State Library of Queensland have just conducted digital story sessions in Mount Isa. The interviewing sessions were part of the State Library’s Regional Apology Project, an Online Public Access in Libraries (OPAL) funded project to capture people’s responses to the 2008 Apology. These stories will build upon stories that were created in 2008, featuring identities such as Anna Bligh, Quentin Bryce and Tiga Bayles.

 State Library Regional Director, Terena Hopkins, Valerie Craigie, Patricia Lees, Robyrta Felton and Gavin Bannerman discuss the interviews.

  Gavin Bannerman interviewing Robyrta Felton.

From 10-12 March, members of the Mount Isa Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community were interviewed. The interviews took place at MOB FM, Mount Isa and covered a range of topics – the nature of the apology, people’s feelings on the day, previous Government legislation and the status of Indigenous issues 12 months on.

Seven people in total were interviewed. They are: Mrs Robyrta Felton, Patricia Lees, Valerie Craigie, Soraya Johnston, Lila Pigliafiori-Baker, Jasmin Minniecon and Barry Lea. In the coming weeks, these wonderful stories will be available on the Queensland Stories website: http://www.qldstories.slq.qld.gov.au/.  

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To coincide with the Panoramic Queensland exhibition taking place in the Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery from 14 February to 12 July, a new digital story has been added to Queensland Stories. Watch the story online and see Simon Farley from Heritage Collections give a unique insight into the fascinating images featured in this collection.

http://enc.slq.qld.gov.au/logicrouter/servlet/LogicRouter?PAGE=object&OUTPUTXSL=object_enc36ui.xslt&pm_RC=REPOMODS01&pm_OI=172&pm_GT=Y&pm_IAC=Y&api_1=GET_OBJECT_XML&num_result=0

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John Oxley Library’s microfilm copy of Pugh’s Almanac has been a popular tool for Queensland historical research for many years.  A new copy of the microfilm has recently been acquired for use in the microfilm area on level 3 of State Library, replacing the old copy which had been damaged by years of frequent usage.

 An 1860 advertisement from Pugh’s Almanac

Pugh’s Almanac was published by Theophilus P. Pugh in Brisbane from 1859 until 1927.  Some of the topics covered in the almanac include:

information about eclipses; tides; phases of the moon;  rainfall in past years; gardening; hints to agriculturists; sailing directions for Moreton Bay; a history of the Moreton Bay settlement; Moreton Bay exports and imports; an article about the arrival and reception of His Excellency, Sir G.F. Bowen, first governor of Queensland; motor vehicle regulations; officers in public departments; public institutions; pastoral directory;

As well as…

legal directory; directories of surveyors, architects, medical practitioners, chemists, dentists, banks, newspapers, Masonic lodges, Friendly societies, Brisbane trades, local authorities; ecclesiastical directories; and Country directories which listed Queensland towns, their locations and business people.

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Call for assistance to collect non-Brisbane electoral ephemera! 

The State Library has a significant collection of ephemera.  This material, which is generally regarded by most of us as transient or “throw away” items, provides a unique perspective into Queensland’s social life, popular culture and political viewpoints. 

Political ephemera is an area of particular interest.  The 2009 State Election is here and we are very keen to receive any items such as: 

Our staff are always a great help and collect ephemera from the Brisbane area, but we need your help to collect regional material.  So, if you live outside of Brisbane please take a how to vote card for every candidate and send them to us. 

Any election material to add to our collection can be forwarded to: 

Election Ephemera

Heritage Collections

State Library of Queensland

GPO 3488
South Brisbane Qld 4101

The State Library, and all Queenslanders present and future, thank you for your assistance.

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On the 22nd February Ruth Gardiner (Map Collection Co-ordinator) presented an Uncovered seminar at the State Library of Queensland, highlighting the Map collection.

Forty seven people attended. The session began with an overview of the collection, followed by a quick demonstration of how to find maps through One Search, the new State Library catalogue. The rest of the session was a show and tell, with a large display of maps, atlases, gazetteers, and other cartographic reference material.

The items on display included material such as  Le theatre du monde, or, Nouvel atlas de Jean Blaeu, a very rare item published in 1654, Earth (the new 20.4 kilogram atlas from Millennium Publishers) a large selection of topographic and Ordnance Survey maps, hydrographic charts, cadastral maps, atlases and the new Thevenot map from the book Relation ov iovrnal dv voyage de Bontekoe avx Indes Orientales, published between 1663 and 1683. (see image below)
http://enc.slq.qld.gov.au/images/slq/maps/research/855351/855351r.jpg

The seminar was well received by all who attended.

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The State Library of Queensland is this year celebrating 75 years of the John Oxley Library. To mark the beginning of this anniversary year a celebratory event was held with staff members, former staff members, volunteers and others connected with the library celebrating their contribution to the success and achievements of the John Oxley Library.

 Former John Oxley Librarian addresses the audience.

 The audience listens to presentations.

 The John Oxley Library 75th anniversary cake.

It was a wonderful opportunity for people to meet up again and to exchange stories and memories about their involvement with the John Oxley Library. Many guests were keen to view the photographs on display of staff from days gone by.

There were presentations by Jane Bertelsen (Chairperson, Library Board of Queensland), Lea Giles-Peters (State Librarian), and former John Oxley Librarian Colin Sheehan. Colin told many amusing anecdotes about his early experiences in the John Oxley Library including his first day in John Oxley Library, when he was shown many of the treasures from the collection including William Bligh’s Log.

There will be a range of other events and activities throughout the year to continue the celebration of the John Oxley Library’s 75th year.

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On Saturday 21st February around thirty people attended an informative and lively information session for successful Q150 grant recipients.  Heritage Collections Executive Manager Louise Denoon, Oral History and Digital Storytelling Coordinator Gavin Bannerman and Librarian Maxine Fisher provided an overview of Heritage Collections and details about how the John Oxley Library collections, staff and resources could be of assistance to groups undertaking projects for Queensland’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

During discussions, a number of topics were covered including legal deposit and copyright.  Below are links to helpful web sites that provide further information.
Copyright
The Australian Copyright Council provides information and advice about copyright

Legal deposit
The State Library of Queensland provides information about legal deposit in Queensland under the Libraries Act 1988 (Qld).

The National Library of Australia legal deposit page provides information about legal deposit obligations under the Copyright Act 1968

ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
The Australian Australia ISBN Agency is operated by Thorpe-Bowker in Melbourne.

Ordering copies of images from John Oxley Library collections
State Library of Queensland web page provides information on sizes, formats and prices

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Sculptor Stephen Hart (left) is excited at the prospect of attending an interactive 6 week Queensland history course at the State Library of Queensland in March-April 2009.

Professor Raymond Evans (pictured below) will lead the course, designed for members of the public. His fascinating book, A History of Queensland, is the focal text of the course, with each session focussing on individual chapters of the book. Professor Evans and the State Library’s Queensland Authors Librarian, Dr Leanne Day, will spend part of each session revealing some of the State Library’s treasures that link into the themes of the chapters being discussed.

Mr Hart said, “I found myself thoroughly absorbed reading Ray Evans’ History of Queensland during the Christmas break.  The story gave me new insight and appreciation of the peculiarities and uniqueness of Queensland  culture, as well as the desire to know more.”

“I read history as a lay person who wants to make sense of the world he inhabits. My career has been in sculpture where my abiding interest in the human condition makes me a people watcher, as much as a cultural participant.”

“People and place are to me inseparable, and I am convinced that no insights into the nature of a people can be arrived at without first being immersed in the stories and mythologies of the place.”

Course details

Course participants need to read the relevant chapters of the book prior to their analysis across the 6 weeks of the course.

Due to the overwhelming response, the first course has already sold out. A second course is now available, to be held at the following times and dates in the State Library building:

Friday 20 March - Bank of Queensland Learning Room, Level 4 – 1.00pm-2.30pm
Friday 27 March - Bank of Queensland Learning Room, Level 4 – 1.00pm-2.30pm
Friday 3 April - Bank of Queensland Learning Room, Level 4 – 1.00pm-2.30pm
Thursday 9 April - White Gloves Reading Room, Level 4 – 1.00pm-2.30pm
Tuesday 17 April - Bank of Queensland Learning Room, Level 4 – 1.00-2.30pm
Tuesday 24 April - Bank of Queensland Learning Room, Level 4 – 1.00-2.30pm

Program

20 March – Chapters 1 & 2
27 March – Chapters 3 & 4
3 April – Chapter 5
9 April – Chapter 6
17 April – Chapter 7
24April – Chapters 8 & 9

Cost

$220 per person for the course. (Included in this cost will be a copy of A History of Queensland as well as an accompanying Course Resource Book.)

Bookings

QTIX ph. 136 246

Only 15 participants will be accepted – so be sure to book early for this fantastic opportunity!

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