White Gloves presentations were held at Townsville CitiLibrary’s Thuringowa branch on the weekend of 4/5 April as part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the John Oxley Library.

  Brian Randall from the John Oxley Library addresses the audience.

 A’Mhara Russell from James Cook University speaking at the session.

 participants viewing the material.

Around forty participants listened to speakers Brian Randall and Simon Farley from the John Oxley Library and A’Mhara Russell from James Cook University as they presented a range of original historical items.

Participants were able to look at, hold, turn pages and generally examine the treasures on display. The material being presented included early photograph albums, voyage journals, diaries and journals from the John Oxley Library. On display from the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library at James Cook University were a series of sketches by Sir Oswald Brierly, drawn during his voyage on HMS Rattlesnake.

HMS Rattlesnake material was a particular feature. In addition to the Brierly sketches, the journal of young HMS Rattlesnake midshipman Charles Card was also amongst the John Oxley Library material. It is likely that this is the first time that these items have been together in one place since the actual voyage of 1848.

Participants took full advantage of being able to handle the material with white gloves donned by all.

Check back on the John Oxley Library Blog for a report of the White Gloves sessions held in Charters Towers on 6 April.

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The 75th anniversary of the opening of the John Oxley Library on 5 April 1934 was celebrated on Sunday 5 April 2009.

750 people came along to see a huge array of collection items on display and listen to expert talks:

• Professor Peter Spearritt shared his expertise in a fascinating talk about Queensland’s tourism industry.
• Dr Raymond Evans delved in to the newspapers produced on the 5th of April 1934 to give us an insight into the happenings of that day and to explain just how important newspapers are as a primary resource.
• Kate Eltham, CEO of the Queensland Writers Centre, shared her passion for literature as she talked about the importance of giving Queenslanders a glimpse of themselves and their own heritage through the works of Queensland authors.

Historian-in-Residence, Professor Anna Haebich, shared her enthusiasm for research and history with the many visitors who took the opportunity to spend some time talking to her.  A new virtual exhibition curated by Professor Haebich, Becoming Queensland, which looks at our state’s first 50 years as a dynamic ‘work in progress’, was also launched as part of the celebrations.

Curators’ talks about the exhibitions Panoramic Queensland and Bold but Faithful: John Oxley Library at work were filled to capacity.  Behind the scenes tours of the repository areas, the Resource Discovery Unit and the Conservation lab were also very popular and fully booked.

It was fantastic to see so many people engaged with the collection.  There were lots of new faces as well as some of our regular clients.

Queensland author David Malouf, who is also celebrating his 75th birthday this year, spoke in conversation with writer Ashley Hay before a crowd of passionate readers.  After his talk many people took the opportunity to see William Robinson’s wonderful and witty pencil sketches of the Ekka which adorned the walls of the slq Gallery.  These drawings have been acquired through funding from the Queensland Library Foundation to commemorate this important 75th anniversary.

Thank you to all the people who came along to share the John Oxley Library’s 75th birthday with us.

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This virtual exhibition explores Queensland’s first 50 years as a dynamic “work in progress”. Stories of people, places, institutions and lifestyles tell the history of what makes this state so special. As they unfold, we move back and forth between the Queensland of bygone days and today. We see beautiful things that intrigue and amaze. We learn why they are important for understanding our past and why they were chosen from thousands of other items in the Heritage Collections.

This exhibition is an exciting collaboration between the State Library’s Historian-in-Residence and Griffith University Professor Anna Haebich and staff from Heritage Collections.

Please leave your comments about the Becoming Queensland virtual exhibition here.

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John Oxley Library, with the support of the Queensland Library Foundation partners, has acquired a series of twenty sketches of the Ekka in 2007 by the internationally renowned Queensland artist William Robinson AO. 

At an event held last night, William Robinson AO took Queensland Library Foundation Partners on a guided tour of this significant acquisition, sharing his enthusiasm for this iconic Queensland institution. 

The twenty sketches were drawn in 2007 after William and his wife Shirley attended the Ekka.  With wit and humour William told some of the stories behind the images – including his love and familiarity with animals, his observations of the range of people who attended – from dairy farmers to showies and the children from all over Brisbane. 

The works are on display in the slq gallery until Sunday 5 April and we encourage all to come to the State Library to see these wonderful sketches.  

The works have been digitised and can be accessed via Manuscripts Queensland and also on the New to the collection pages, with a link as follows: 

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/coll/new

This major acquisition supports the John Oxley Library 75th anniversary celebrations this year.

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The celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the John Oxley Library gather momemtum this weekend with an open day on Sunday 5th April.

There will be a range of talks, tours, exhibitions and events all aimed at highlighting the role and services of the John Oxley Library as well as presenting a wide range of collection treasures.  There will be talks by noted historians Raymond Evans and Anna Haebich as well as guided viewings of various historical displays and exhibitions.  Also, there will be an In Conversation session with renowned Australian author David Malouf.

Professor Anna Haebich, historian in residence, John Oxley Library

Full details of this open day are now available on the State Library’s website, with the link as follows:

John Oxley Library 75th Anniversary Open Day

All are welcome.

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