ALIA Local Studies Group (VIC)

Meeting minutes

Thursday 12 Febuary 2004, held at the Hume Global Learning Centre

Present

• Paul Michell - Darebin
• Vicki Court - Whitehorse Manningham and Royal Historical Society of Victoria
• Michael Smith - Moonee Valley (Niddrie)
• Robyn Luczynski - Moonee Valley (Sam Merrifield)
• Kay Rowan - Port Phillip
• Anne Burrows - State Library of Victoria
• Christine Worthington - Prahran Mechanics Institute
• Leony Graham - Bayside
• Amanda Peckham - Hobsons Bay
• Marina Haritos - Hume Global Learning Village

Apologies

• Kathy Smalley - Eastern Regional Libraries
• Elaine Craig - Whitehorse (Manningham)
• Marnie Weinrich - Yarra Melbourne
• Lina Favrin - Yarra Melbourne
• Heather McKay - Yarra Melbourne

Marina welcomed us and everyone introduced themselves.

Other business

1. Robyn - planned local history conference
   
   • Affiliate with ALIA (we are), steering committee to be established.
   • 2006 run date.
   • Do we run it in co-operation with another body or alone?
   • Oral History Association of Australia linkage.
   • NSW ALIA linkage.
   • Themed approach?
2. Bulk discount for microfilming? If a number of libraries do newspaper microfilming, then South Melbourne will do a discount as the work can be slotted in during their quiet time.

Around the table

Anne Burrows - State Library of Victoria

• 150th SLV history. Premier to launch.
• History of SLV - new book.
• First meeting of genealogy group including VAFFO, AIGS, GSV, etc to allow input into the genealogy room.
• Tetlow Collection - The Cole Index. Soon to be available on microfiche for approx. $35.00. Will include 22 000 names. Note that R K Cole was the chief brewer at CUB with a penchant for history. He documented all the pubs!
• Alexander Henderson Award - judging has begun.
• Genealogy centre new additions - Edinburgh/Scottish 1777-1975 microfilms ordered.
• Genealogical team is involved with the seniors festival.
• New printed guides to genealogy centre.
• New position - Tim Hobern - newspaper librarian.

Robyn Luczynski - Moonee Valley (Sam Merrifield)

• Work with primary schools.
• Essendon Historical Society new book published.
• New book on fishing history by Jack (?).
• Library is about to go onto the Horizon computer system. There will be a few days of closure to allow changeover.
• Db - Textworks can interface with Horizon.
• All training is on hold to allow smooth changeover.

Vicki Court - Whitehorse Manningham, RHSV

• Database saga still continues! It's still not working.
• Re December flood - two branches were closed. Bulleen for two days and Blackburn for 2 weeks. Everything got wet!

RHSV

• Heritage studies.
• Has collected most varied material.
• Next Wednesday at Federation Square launch of Melbourne Lanes/Melbourne Timeline.
• New pamphlets.
• My Connected Communities - Whitehorse Manningham historical societies have now joined.

Paul Michell - Darebin

• March is local studies month. Three activities planned: Clare Wright speaking about pubs. Anne Dixon 'bygone days' and family history.
• History of pubs being prepared by Gary Edge.
• History of Pender's Grove by Paul.
• English parish records for complete set.
• Trying for grant for digitizing last 10 years of local newspapers.
• New carpet for Preston Library from the big wet. Installation to occur shortly.
• Paul has updated Northcote history group website - www.vicnet.net.au/~nhcs
• Residential developments in Preston.
• Good book Car Wars: How the car won our hearts and conquered our cities by Graeme Davison (Allen and Unwin, 2004). Documents transition of the motor car particularly with a Melbourne emphasis good local history of 1940s and 1950s.
• Applied for a National Library grant but hasn't heard as yet.
• Display at Bundoora Homestead with 48 people to hear the talk.
• CAVAL metadata system makes databases internet ready.
• Activities for March and April, walk in Northcote and a book on pubs.
• Include more collections from local history societies.
• Spydus conversion has had some problems.

Michael Smith - Moonee Valley (Niddrie)

• Library has relocated to the shopping strip. Has had a presence in the area for 35 years. Initial results are good loans.

Kay Rowan - Port Phillip

• New library co-ordinator Damien Tyco.
• Port Melbourne library is open.

Christine Worthington - Prahran Mechanics Institute

• Received grants of $6000 for six mechanics institutes. Monies to be spent on conservation of resources.
• Hosted Southern District historical societies.
• Have contacted 180 historical societies with 70 still to go to gain.
• Collection gaps almost filled.
• PMI wants anything regarding local history that libraries are weeding/surplus stock to be sent.

Leonie Graham - Bayside

• Computer system changeover to Spydus.
• Beaumauris branch is closing May/June for nine months for total refurbishment. In the meantime there will be a small fiction collection running from the local church hall.

Amanda Peckham - Hobsons Bay

• Baby sitting position whilst staff member on maternity leave.
• Williamstown library to be refurbished.
• Some local history product.
• Environment resources centre at Altona.
• Need to find a local history room for collection.
• Grant for celebration of 150 years railway - a movable exhibition.

Marina Haritos - Hume Global Learning Centre

• Library still feels new with some minor glitches.
• Family history room is rather empty. Nil stuff yet.
• Broadmeadows Historical Society possible use?
• U3A and computer wars.
• Cross council grant - 'Treasures from Home' - oral history and movable displays.
• New circulation desk poorly designed. Hard to work at. It has since been rebuilt.
• Library enclosure - glass height had to be raised for safety reasons on the mezzanine level.
• General teething problems being resolved.

Next meeting

Tuesday 11 May, 2:00pm at Dept of Human Resources - contact Kay Rowan krowan@portphillip.vic.gov.au.nospam (please remove '.nospam' from address) for RSVP.

The seniors meeting room is on the ground floor, 555 Collins Street (corner King and Collins Streets). When you come into the building, you are required to report to the security desk. You will be asked to complete details in the visitors book and will be issued with a visitors pass. These passes are to be handed to security when you leave. Ask to be directed to the seniors conference room (to the left of the foyer) for your meeting.

The library is located on the ground floor, at the right of the foyer. It is a secure area, you will be given access to the library by security personnel.

2:00pm Thursday 12 August, Living Museum of the West - contact Robyn and Michael

November - possibly City Library?

2005 possible venues

Planex in Hallam and Mechanics Institute in Berwick
Monash Federation Centre/Oakleigh and District Historical Society Inc