APSIG Newsletter

Hallstrom Pacific Collection now at ANU

The magnificent Hallstrom Pacific Collection, owned by the National Library of Australia since 1997, is currently on long-term loan to the Australian National University Library.

This valuable collection has its origins in 1948 when Sir Edward Hallstrom donated 10,000 pounds to the Commonwealth Government to acquire books and other library materials for the Pacific Affairs and colonial administration library. This collection later formed part of the library of the Australian School of Pacific Administration (ASOPA) at Mosman, New South Wales.

The collection numbers over 1,600 items. Many of the titles are on Pacific, Asian and Australian colonial administration history, exploration, anthropology and other related subject areas. Many of these books are considered rare. The oldest item, dated 1681, is An historical relation of the island of Ceylon in the East Indies by Robert Knox. The most valuable would without doubt be the first edition of John Gould's five-volume Birds of New Guinea.

Many of the Hallstrom Pacific Collection titles have been cross-checked against the ANU Library holdings and a good number of them are already held. The long-term loan of this historical collection has come at an opportune time for the Pacific Centre where a team of academics is developing courses for Pacific Studies to be offered at ANU in 2008. This collection can only consolidate the extensive Pacific resources now available for Pacific researchers, scholars, students and others at ANU and in the region.